Adjunct Instructor

The Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University is pleased to announce adjunct faculty openings to co-teach with another faculty member. Adjunct faculty attend class in-person two days per week and arrive at least 15 minutes before class starts to prep with their co-teacher, a full-time faculty member who is experienced delivering the class. During class adjunct faculty lecture, facilitate discussion and critique, demonstrate interaction design methods and guide students through team projects. Outside of class adjunct faculty coordinate with co-teachers, learn to use Canvas to grade student projects and edit assignments/course content, prepare assignments, review and edit lectures in Google Slides and read student discussions in Canvas. All grading should be completed according to the course plan. Adjuncts occasionally meet individual students and student teams outside of class times.

Adjunct faculty must be available during the days/times the class is being taught.

Available courses for Fall 2025:

Interaction Design Fundamentals - Tuesday/Thursday 5-7:20pm

Design of AI Products & Services - Monday/Wednesday 3:30-4:50pm

The effective date of appointment is August 2025. Salary is $11,000 for the fall semester paid monthly between September and December 2025.

We seek practicing interaction designers who have many years of experience delivering interaction designs to clients. We need instructors with expertise in design thinking, design presentation, and user-centered design methods across the full lifecycle: user research, problem framing, sketching, prototyping, evaluation, and socialization. Candidates should present evidence of their mastery of the following capabilities:

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  Interpreting and synthesizing qualitative research, quantitative research, and behavioral theory

  
  
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  Using models for sensemaking and storytelling (e.g. customer journey maps, service blueprints)

  
  
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  Shaping projects, reframing and developing design strategy and concepts to create value

  
  
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  Generative design: Rapid idea generation using scenario-based design, storyboards, sketching, 5 Whys and other techniques

  
  
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  Experience prototyping, body storming, and user enactments

  
  
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  Designing user interfaces for devices with screens (e.g., desktop, tablet, phone, watch) and non-screen devices (e.g., IoT, conversational UI)

  
  
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  Designing responsive mobile websites and native applications

  
  
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  Typography, color, and composition to develop clear and attractive visual/information designs

  
  
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  Prototyping designs: low-fidelity to high-fidelity; conceptual design to prototyping

  
  
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  Facilitating critiques and teaching students how to give and receive critique

  
  
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  Developing arguments and narratives and pitching to clients

  
  
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  Leading project teams that contend with complexity, ambiguity, disagreements and conflict

  
  

We seek an interaction design practitioner whose design knowledge is broad and deep, and is regarded as a leader by peers. The qualified applicant can demonstrate a history of conveying knowledge to others and mentoring. The qualified candidate will be able to draw on industry experiences to illustrate the interplay between interaction design, research, business strategy and technology.

Adjunct faculty use the Canvas learning management system (LMS) to release materials, grade, comment on assignments, assemble teams, conduct peer evaluations, mark attendance and review data from tests. Adjuncts deliver lectures and facilitate discussions among students. Adjuncts embrace a dialogic approach to education that is consistent with a design studio experience that involves contending with open-ended problems and ambiguity. Adjuncts occasionally meet students and teams outside of regularly scheduled class times. Adjuncts arrive before class starts to prep with their co-teacher, debrief after each class and record improvement opportunities.

A Bachelor's Degree in design or a related field is required for this position.

Applications must include (1) resume or curriculum vitae, (2) a link to a web portfolio or PDF file (3) a short cover letter (5-7 sentences) about why you would be a good fit for this role.

The HCII will review applications as we receive them; however, the final deadline to receive materials is Friday, June 27, 2025 or until the position has been filled.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer McPherson at jmcpherson@cs.cmu.edu.

CMU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples and is dedicated to work-life balance through an array of family-friendly policies.