OCAD University acknowledges the ancestral territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work, and create.
OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university, is a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars who are imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world. The University is an internationally renowned hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity, and arts administration. It embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research, making OCAD U a local, regional, national and global leader in art and design.
It is an exciting time to join the OCAD U community as the University is at a key stage in its institutional transformation, with the implementation of its Academic and Strategic Plan and guiding principles — driving positive impact; decolonization, indigenization and equity; environmental sustainability; emerging as a vibrant hub; student centered approaches; innovation in learning teaching and research; and financial stewardship.
The Faculty of Design invites applications for the following anticipated course offerings in the Fall 2026-27 academic year:
GRPH-4015 GRPH Workshop 1 (1 Credit)
(Fall Semester: September 9th, 2026 – December 8th, 2026.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Graphic Design Workshop 1 encourages students to develop individual approaches to design practice. The studio's multi-disciplinary approach integrates research into meaningful design processes, documentation and outcomes. The potential of design-as-inquiry immerses students in critical issues, contemporary expectations and precedents. A combination of in-studio work, critique and lectures help to contextualize design activity at the intersection of personal, societal and professional interests.
This course runs twice a week in the fall term, IN PERSON, in the following configurations:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30pm to 9:30pm (EDT)
RESPONSIBILITIES: Teaching and teaching-related responsibilities may include but are not limited to: participation in curriculum coordination meetings (3x per term),[AC1.1] course outline development, studio preparation and delivery including: lectures, critiques, workshops, walkthroughs, feedback (written and oral), and evaluations. Instructors are also responsible for ensuring health & safety and meeting academic and curricular requirements and deadlines.
QUALIFICATIONS:
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The successful applicant should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or a related discipline, and/or equivalent professional experience.
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Outstanding communication skills and a demonstrated ability to support and guide independent studio-based inquiry are essential for teaching at this level.
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All academic positions at OCAD U require a demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity and diversity, as well as the proven ability to work effectively and collegially with a diverse community of students and faculty.
A candidate should have a working knowledge of the following to support student skill development in technology, design practice(s):
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Adobe Creative Suite including After Effects and Premier Pro
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Design and technical considerations for print and screen (type, image, etc.)
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Additional visualization software and codebases including: mapbox, tableau, d3, qGIS, etc.
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Data collection, organization, cleaning, and interpretation workflows
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Accessibility standards and inclusive design practices for information visualization
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Research methodologies relevant to information design, including qualitative and quantitative approaches
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Critical approaches to information visualization, including ethical considerations surrounding representation, bias, persuasion, and data interpretation
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Experience supporting interdisciplinary and experimental approaches to visualization across physical, digital, and interactive media
In addition, a candidate should have:
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A current body of work within the professional design and/or academic disciplines as it relates to the course description
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A capacity to translate varied design principles, practices, and terminology(gies) into concise lectures, discussions, demonstrations, resources, (etc.), into open dialogues and sustained critiques to support student progress
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Experience and aptitude for highly iterative, process-oriented work without the restriction of fixed outcomes or expectations
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Adaptability to a variety of learning styles and student learning needs
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Outstanding communication skills, and a demonstrated capacity to support and resource independent studio investigations
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Sessional appointments are fixed-term annual contracts. Sessional compensation includes a per-course pay scale with salary level of $7,508.00 (per 0.5 credit course) plus 7% in lieu of benefits and vacation pay, per the provisions of the Employment Standards Act. These positions are subject to budgetary approval and satisfactory enrolment levels.
Applications should include:
A letter of intent stating the candidate’s interests in the areas of teaching by identifying relevant courses above;
A curriculum vitae;
A statement of teaching philosophy that responds to the profile of the position;
A link or web address to your digital portfolio of recent and current work/publications (if applicable)
And the names and contact information of three references.
Please upload all five (5) components (including the URL to work) as one PDF. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please name your upload: FirstName_LastName-Job Code
Interested applicants are invited to submit their application in confidence, addressed to Faculty of Design Appointments Committee, online no later than 11:59pm on Monday June 29th, 2026.
Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada for any employer (with a valid work or study permit, SIN and Canadian bank account).
If you require application support, please contact the People & Culture Office. Please note that People & Culture cannot update you on the status of your application as these searches are decentralized to their respective Faculty offices. You will only be contacted if you are shortlisted for an interview. If the posting is advertised, we are still accepting applications.
As an institution committed to art, design, digital media and related scholarship, OCAD University (OCAD U) recognizes the profound and essential value that diversity brings to the creation, reception and circulation of creative practices and discourse. OCAD U understands that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are essential to and enrich the institution’s core mission and vision as an art and design university with a local and global scope.
As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity-deserving communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.
We encourage members of designated equity-deserving groups to self-identify within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire.
In order to alleviate the under-representation of racialized and Indigenous faculty, priority in hiring will be given to qualified racialized and Indigenous persons who self-identify as such in the application process. This initiative is a special program under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
OCAD U is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact People & Culture for more information or refer to OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities
All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.
