Human Resources

The Department of Art and Art History at Lake Forest College invites applications for a three-year Visiting Assistant Professor beginning in Fall 2026.

Position Summary

The position holds a dual role in teaching and oversight of arts activities and exhibitions at Lake Forest College. The Visiting Assistant Professor and Gallery Director is a multifaceted role requiring artistic vision, operational management, and mindfulness of educational programming related to the college's art galleries and art collection. Duties for this position include teaching three courses in Art History each academic year and overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Sonnenschein and Albright Galleries, two satellite student exhibition areas, and other campus artworks.

Required Qualifications:

• A PhD. in Art History or related fields. (ABD is acceptable if a degree is conferred prior to the start of the 26-27 academic year.)
• Teaching experience in higher education beyond graduate assistantship rank.
• Two years of art gallery operations and management experience including installation and strike of exhibits. 

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• A hands-on approach to gallery management and supervision.
• The ability to teach courses in art history and/or visual culture focused on the global south.
• Fluency in digital media exhibition practices.

Gallery Director Duties:

• Curatorial and exhibition management: Developing and implementing exhibition programs, curating artwork, and managing all aspects of exhibitions from installation to related publications.
• Operational and fiscal management: Managing students, overseeing budgets, tracking expenses, and coordinating maintenance.
• Educational programming and outreach: Developing programs and events, fostering relationships with the art community, guiding student projects, and working on collection development.
• Public relations and communication: Coordinating marketing of exhibitions, building relationships with college stakeholders, and representing the gallery.
• Collection management: Overseeing the care of artworks, managing PastPerfect cataloging software, and supporting the college’s art collections. Developing a system of best practices for collection management. Specific duties include consulting on the Durand Art Institute and the Krebs Center for the Humanities curatorial decisions and developing ways to unite the cataloguing of the two collections.

Visiting Assistant Professor Duties: 

• Teaching: Demonstrated interest in building and sustaining inclusive excellence in the classroom, curricular innovation, and pedagogical creativity.
• Course development: Course assignments will be determined based on the interests and research of the successful candidate and the needs of the department. The hired candidate for this position will be encouraged to explore new course development.
• Course Load: Three courses per calendar year with flexible distribution of the courses during the fall and spring semesters. (Normal teaching load is six for full-time faculty members).
• Departmental Duties: Attending bi-monthly faculty meetings during spring and fall semesters. This position does not require committee assignments or student advisory responsibilities. 
• Research: This position does not require a formal research agenda; however, we encourage the use and utilization of college resources to continue research practices.

Applications 

All completed applications received by February 22, 2026, will receive full consideration. A completed application includes the following documents compiled into a single PDF document:

• Cover Letter: Addressing your interest in working at a small liberal arts college.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Teaching Philosophy Statement: Include a statement about teaching practices in diverse and inclusive environments.
• A list of weblinks that can help contextualize exhibition experience.

Candidates selected for campus interviews will be asked to provide.

• 2 Reference letters.
• Unofficial transcripts from higher education institutions.

Applications materials should be emailed directly to artdpt@lakeforest.edu

Lake Forest College offers comprehensive and competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain talented individuals to further our mission. The salary range for this position is $60,000-$63,000 and information on our benefits can be found at www.lakeforest.edu/offices-and-departments/human-resources/employee-benefits.

A highly selective liberal arts college located on Chicago’s North Shore, Lake Forest College enrolls approximately 1,800 students from more than 40 states and from more than 100 countries. Lake Forest is one of the most diverse small colleges in the Midwest with nearly 50% of our student body comprised of domestic students of color and international students. If you are interested in learning more about employment at Lake Forest College, please visit Working at Lake Forest | Lake Forest College