Associate Professor, Design

RMIT Vietnam is seeking an Associate Professor, Design to join our academic community and deliver high-quality teaching, research, and student engagement. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator-scholar who is passionate about shaping future-ready graduates and contributing to impactful research. 

WHY JOIN RMIT VIETNAM? 

At RMIT Vietnam, international exposure meets real-world impact through strong industry and government collaboration. Working at RMIT means building a meaningful career while creating impact in a high-performing environment. 

Further insight into our mission, impact and global connections is available in the RMIT Vietnam Profile. 

WHAT WE OFFER

Expatriates 

• Competitive remuneration package USD for expatriate candidates 

• Relocation allowance package from US$6,000 

• Relocation flights from home location to Vietnam for candidate and direct dependents (if applicable) 

• International repatriation flights for the staff and direct dependents at the end of their contract. 

• School tuition fees for children to attend the K-12 program in Vietnam, up to US$20,000 per child or US$40,000 for two children per year. 

• Premium private medical insurance for employee and immediate family, plus Personal Accident Insurance 

• Dedicated support from Global Mobility Team to support with immigration and relocation to Vietnam.  

Vietnamese candidates 

• Competitive remuneration VND package for Vietnamese candidates. 

• 13th month Tet bonus  

• Private Health insurance for you and your family, plus Personal Accident Insurance 

Other benefits 

• Generous annual leave, career leave, volunteer leave and public holidays (Christmas and Tet Holidays) 

• Professional development and career advancement 

• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources 

• A vibrant and diverse campus life and more! 

SCHOOL OF DESIGN & COMMUNICATION

For further information about SCD, please visit our website: https://www.rmit.edu.vn/about-us/schools-and-centres/school-communication-design

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Associate Professor, Design will provide senior academic leadership across the School’s broad design portfolio, contributing to the strategic development of design education, research, industry engagement and academic culture at RMIT Vietnam. The role will support the continued development of a coherent, future-facing and internationally benchmarked design area that spans digital media, design studies, games, fashion enterprise and related creative disciplines.

The Associate Professor will provide original, innovative and distinguished contributions to teaching, research, scholarship and/or professional practice in design. They will lead and support curriculum development, academic quality, student-centred learning, research capability, external engagement and staff development across a multidisciplinary design context. The role requires a collaborative and strategic academic leader who can work across programs and disciplines, build shared direction, support academic teams, and strengthen the School’s contribution to design, creative industries and innovation in Vietnam, the region and globally.

The Associate Professor will make a significant contribution to the planning and strategic direction of the School, including participation in School, College and University committees and external academic, professional and industry networks. The role may include leadership of School-wide or discipline-wide initiatives in learning and teaching, research, engagement, curriculum development, quality assurance, industry partnerships and academic capability building.

Reports to:

Dean, School of Communication & Design

KEY ACCOUNTIBILITIES 

Strategic academic leadership in Design

• Provide senior academic leadership for the broad Design area within the School, supporting shared direction, academic identity and strategic priorities across digital media, design studies, games, fashion enterprise and related disciplines. Work collaboratively with School leadership, Program Managers and academic teams to strengthen coherence, quality, reputation and future direction across the design portfolio.
• Contribute to the strategic and operational development of the School’s design programs, including opportunities for new curriculum, new program development, interdisciplinary initiatives, industry partnerships, research growth and transnational collaboration. Monitor developments in design education, creative industries, digital technologies and regional/global professional practice to identify opportunities for strategic development.

Teaching, curriculum and student experience

• Lead the advancement of teaching and learning in design, including curriculum innovation, assessment design, academic standards, moderation, student-centred learning and quality improvement. Support the development of future-facing design curricula that are industry-engaged, internationally benchmarked, inclusive, research-informed and aligned with RMIT’s strategic priorities.
• Contribute to program improvement, curriculum renewal, course development and academic quality processes across relevant design programs. Support Program Managers and academic teams in building strong student learning experiences, graduate outcomes, employability, WIL, capstone, portfolio, studio and project-based learning approaches.

Research, scholarship and professional practice

• Provide research, scholarship and/or professional practice leadership in design at a national and international level. Build and support a strong research and scholarly culture across the design area, including mentoring staff, developing collaborative research teams, supporting publication and creative practice outputs, and contributing to the School’s research profile.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for external research funding, industry-engaged research, enterprise activity, knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration. Supervise Higher Degree by Research candidates and support the development of HDR capability, research training and research culture within the School.

Academic leadership, staff development and culture

• Support the development of a positive, collaborative and high-performing academic culture across the design area. Provide academic leadership to staff through mentoring, guidance, collegial support, capability building and contribution to workload, planning and staffing discussions as required.
• Work with School leadership to support recruitment, induction, performance development, career development and succession planning across relevant academic areas. Foster a culture of shared ownership, open communication, inclusion, innovation, academic integrity and continuous improvement.

Quality assurance, governance and academic standards

• Contribute to academic governance, quality assurance and continuous improvement across the School’s design programs. Support program reviews, course and curriculum approvals, external benchmarking, accreditation or regulatory processes where relevant, and alignment with RMIT academic policies and standards.
• Demonstrate strong understanding of financial, governance, risk, compliance and quality management systems within a university context. Prepare and contribute to reports, committees, reviews and strategic planning processes as required.

Industry, professional and external engagement

• Strengthen links between the School’s design programs and relevant industry, professional, government, community and academic partners. Develop and maintain productive relationships that support curriculum relevance, employability, research impact, student opportunities and the School’s reputation.
• Represent the School and the Design area in relevant internal and external forums, networks, committees and partnerships. Contribute to industry advisory activities, professional engagement, public-facing initiatives and partnerships that support the creative economy in Vietnam and the region.

School, College and University contribution

• Make an outstanding contribution to the governance, collegial life and strategic priorities of the School, College and University. Participate in committees, working groups, projects and initiatives aligned with the role and contribute to a collaborative and constructive leadership culture.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the scope and classification of the role.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• PhD or equivalent doctoral qualification in design, digital media, creative technologies, fashion, games, interaction design, design studies, sustainable design, design futures, design management, creative industries or a related field.
• Demonstrated senior academic leadership experience in a multidisciplinary design, creative practice, media, technology, architecture, art, fashion, games or creative industries context.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the strategic direction of a discipline, subject area, program portfolio or academic unit, including the development of shared vision, academic identity, staff culture and future-facing curriculum.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or support award programs and implement program improvements, curriculum renewal, assessment design, academic standards, student-centred learning and quality improvement initiatives.
• …..
• Appointment to this position is subject to passing relevant background and compliance checks as required by RMIT Vietnam.
• Ability to display appropriate behaviours in line with the position, RMIT Values and RMIT Leadership Model.

For full details of the accountability, please refer to the Job Description

HOW TO APPLY 

To be considered for this role, it is mandatory to submit both a resume and a cover letter. Please click on the 'Apply' link provided in this Job Ads to initiate the application process. 

Please note that we will be running a rolling recruitment process, so please apply as soon as possible. 

COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS  

All academic appointments at RMIT Vietnam must meet University and local regulatory requirements, including English proficiency, background checks, and (for international candidates) eligibility for a work permit.   

English is the language of teaching and communication at RMIT Vietnam. For this role, the minimum requirement is IELTS (Academic) with a score of at least 7.0 with no competency less than 6.5 (or equivalent, as outlined in the Recruitment, Selection and Onboarding Guidelines).   

Further guidance will be provided during the recruitment process. 

RMIT UNIVERSITY COMMITMENT  

RMIT is committed to the rights of students and staff to be safe, respected, valued, and treated as an equal in their place of study and work. All staff are expected to share this commitment and contribute to a safer community. While carrying out their role, staff are in a position of trust with students. Staff have a duty of care to report wellbeing concerns about students through the designated channels and uphold the code of conduct. RMIT Vietnam expects all staff members to comply with its Code of Conduct, policies and procedures, which relate to legal and regulatory requirements and our ways of working. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  

• Please ensure that your application is submitted through our Workday system on the RMIT Careers page. We do not accept applications through other means.  

• RMIT Vietnam will never request any fees or payments during the application process. Be vigilant about scams asking for payment to apply.  

• For any questions or support, feel free to reach out to Viet Nguyen, Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor at [email protected] 

#RMITVietnam

RMIT University Vietnam (RMIT Vietnam) is a campus of RMIT University. RMIT Vietnam is creating an innovative research, teaching and learning culture. We are committed to providing internationally recognised high-quality education and professional training for our students, clients and members of the community.  As an internationally recognised Australian university based in Asia, RMIT Vietnam is assisting in the development of human resources capability in Vietnam and the region.

https://www.rmit.edu.vn/about-us