Job Title: Assistant Lecturer MA/MFA Art and Social Action (FTE 0.3).
Who We Are
NCAD, changing the world through bold and curious thinking, making and doing. The National College of Art & Design is Irelands leading provider of art and design education. Our campus on Thomas Street in Dublins historic city centre is home to a student population of 2,000 full and part-time students engaged in a wide range of study and research across the disciplines of Art, Design, Education and Visual Culture. The National College of Art and Design has been the most significant provider of
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Description
School/Unit: School of Fine Art, Department of Sculpture & Expanded Practice
Post Title & Subject Area: Assistant Lecturer (FTE 0.3) MA / MFA Art and Social Action
Post Duration: Specified purpose contract backfilling a staff member on reduced hours until 1st September 2028
Grade: Assistant Lecturer
Reports to: Head of Department of Sculpture & Expanded Practice
Salary: 49,426 - 67,223 per annum, *14,827.80 - 20,166.90 pro rata*
- Candidates should note that as per Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform guidelines, new entrants to the civil service will be at the minimum point of the scale and the rate of remuneration will not be subject to negotiation and may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Different terms and conditions may apply if you are a currently serving civil or public servant.
Location: This position is based at NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8.
NCAD drives radical and creative innovation through excellence in research-led art and design education. It empowers its students to shape the contemporary world through critical practice, studio-based learning, research and engagement
The School of Fine Art within the College comprises of 5 departments:
- Department of Sculpture and Expanded Practice
The School of Fine Art supports students to develop highly individual and collaborative ways of seeing, interpreting, critiquing and sensually engaging in the world. Emphasis is placed on aesthetic awareness and artistic decision making, and on acquiring and deploying appropriate skills across a spectrum of materials, media and situations.
Assistant Lecturer: MA /MFA Art and Social Action.
The Department of Sculpture and Expanded Practice at NCAD has a celebrated international reputation for producing exciting and relevant artists who go on to achieve successful and often high-profile careers. Several alumni of the department have represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale for example. Through a long tradition of public art engagement within the department, research projects also take place through sites/contexts of expanding collective learning in the broader city and national arena. The department is responsible for the new MA /MFA in Art and Social Action and it is within this course that the backfilling of hours will primarily occur.
The departments name Sculpture and Expanded Practice reflects and values how contemporary sculpture embraces a diverse range of methods, processes and approaches.
In this department these mainly comprise of:
3-dimensional making, using a variety of materials, processes, scales and techniques
performance/live art/time based work
lens based/digital/sound/installation work
social/reciprocal/political engaged art practices
Finding an articulate individual voice through a sustainable creative methodology is at the core of learning in the sculpture and expanded practice department at NCAD. While the integration of practice, technical skills/competencies and critical engagement is a core aim in the teaching philosophy of the department.
The purpose of this significant Assistant Lecturer is to develop and deliver studio project-based learning in Art and Social Action through lectures, seminars and workshops and external partnership initiatives for NCAD students on MA, MFA and PhD programmes in the Department of Sculpture and Expanded Practice.
Summary of Teaching and Learning and Context Development Focus:
- Work with a team of lecturers in the department of Sculpture and Expanded Practice the on MA /MFA Art and Social Action, and additionally on MRes and Phd Supervision (as required).
- Lead and develop inclusive discursive learning environments including but not limited to applied technical workshops / lectures / seminars/ critiques/ fieldwork.
- Enhance and promote a progressive learning culture informed by a knowledge and commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Actively contribute to postgraduate teaching programmes associated with the School of Fine Art and the Sculpture and Expanded Practice Department specifically focused on the MA /MFA Art and Social Action, including course development, examination and assessment, quality assurance and enhancement and associated administration.
- Support the delivery of related content within the School of Fine Arts postgraduate programmes.
- Enhance and promote the reputation of the School of Fine Art by liaising and co-operating with other local, national and international institutions.
- Ensure that the content of our teaching reflects and meets with the requirements of related fields, including regularly reviewing and adapting course content and structure.
- Engage in the student recruitment process including interviews, selection, assessments and examination procedures as required to ensure appropriate number and level of student cohort.
- Engage with community sector and research partners, leading partnership projects and knowledge exchange activities where appropriate
- Undertake such other duties as may be assigned by the Appropriate Officer from time to time.
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.
Mandatory:
- A significant track record in professional socially engaged practice and/ or sculptural practice in third level Fine Art Education
- Post-graduate degree in Fine Art or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
- A consistent professional practice in the field of art / socially engaged art as documented and demonstrated in professional outputs, including but not limited to exhibition only, but inclusive of other innovative and expanded forms of dissemination practices.
- A minimum of 3 years professional artistic practice and teaching experience at third level.
- A demonstrable theoretical and technical artistic knowledge as evidenced in the applicants own professional artistic practice, socially engaged projects and previous teaching experience.
- Strong, demonstrable commitment to research and international scholarship/professional practice/publication.
- Experience in teaching art and social action studio practice/research to learners at MA and BA. This includes the knowledge/experience to prepare documentation and to record, assess and report on the individual student learning achievement.
- Capacity and demonstrable enthusiasm for working in an interdisciplinary context within the Department, School and College
- An interest, knowledge and experience of working with digital tools and within digital learning contexts.
- Commitment to CPD and interest in emerging research, technology and techniques
- Strong interpersonal/team and communication skills.
Desirable:
- An ability to develop, organise and direct studio project curriculum towards individual and group learning module objectives in new, outward facing, diverse and innovative ways.
- Experience of working with communities of practice in the field of socially engaged art.
- Demonstrable record of developing successful research funding applications and/or community partnerships
*A Panel may be formed for this position*
Closing Date: 14th September 2026
