Lecturer in the School of Interiors

Job Title
Lecturer in the School of Interiors

Requisition Number
FE04760

Working Title

Department Name
8N500:Sch of Interiors:Planning/Strategy/Desig

Work Location
Lexington, KY

Type of Position
Faculty

Position Time Status
Full-Time

Tenure Track Status
Non-Tenure Track

Required Education

A professional or terminal degree in interior design or related field (BA, BS, MA, MS, M.Arch). Nationally or internationally recognized work may be considered as a substitution for a professional degree.

Required Related Experience

Evidence of design excellence as well as an awareness and understanding of contemporary issues in interior design practice and academia.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of students, faculty, staff, and constituencies.

A commitment to innovation through expanding the definition of Interior Design pedagogy and practice.

Required License/Registration/Certification

NCIDQ certification or interest in obtaining certification

Job Summary

The School of Interiors in the College of Design at the University of Kentucky is accepting applications for a Lecturer Title Series (non-tenure-eligible) faculty position, from individuals who are passionate about interior design education and practice, and who think broadly about its capacity and application. The position is open to a wide range of specializations, including endeavors that expand traditional definitions. While teaching experience in higher education is preferred, experiences not conventional to academic settings are also considered valuable. This position is a 9-month appointment with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2026, and an initial appointment period of two (2) years to end May 15, 2028; appointment is renewable.

Job Summary

The College of Design and the School of Interiors provide a unique opportunity for dynamic and collaborative educators to inspire future design talent. With a history spanning more than 50 years, the School of Interiors continues to embrace significant growth and change, not least of which is a state-of-the-art facility, designed by world-renowned architect and MacArthur Fellow, Jeanne Gang, shared with other design disciplines, including Architecture, Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture, and Product Design. Within this context, the School of Interiors aspires to improve rich academic traditions within a rigorous design curriculum through support and integration of varied and unique individuals as well as intellectual approaches.

As a member of the School of Interiors faculty, the candidate will teach undergraduate courses, engage in service commitments, and be an active presence in the school, college, and design community. Lecturers typically do not have research assignments, though this is negotiable. Applicants need to be strongly grounded in knowledge of the interior design profession. Ideal candidates should be qualified and able to teach any level of undergraduate design studio, as well as a combination of two or more of the following courses: history and theory, design communications, design professions, design research, construction and environmental systems, and/or special topic elective(s). More information about the program curriculum is available on the School website: https://design.uky.edu/academics/school-interiors.

A complete application must include, and will be evaluated based on, the following materials:

⋅ A cover letter.

⋅ A current curriculum vitae or resume highlighting relevant academic and/or professional experience.

⋅ Examples of teaching or professional experience (10 pages max, attach as Specific Request 1).

⋅ References are required but will not be contacted until the candidate reaches the final round of interviews.

Review of applications will begin on January 12, 2026, and will continue as needed until a pool of qualified candidates is established or the position is filled. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Helen Turner, Director of the School of Interiors (helen.turner@uky.edu) or Jennie Boyd, Faculty Resource Manager (jennie.boyd@uky.edu; (859) 257-6935).

About the School of Interiors

As the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s premier CIDA-accredited undergraduate Interior Design program, the School of Interiors in the UK College of Design offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interiors: Planning, Strategy, Design as well as a two-year Master of Arts (MA) in Interior Design. The interdisciplinary composition of the faculty, who participate in research, teaching, and practice, enables the school to fulfill the University’s Land Grant Mission by delivering exceptional design education. Students apply their learning to a range of disciplines and fields, shaped by a broad understanding of how human beings experience the built environment. Ultimately, the School of Interiors aims to develop the next generation of designers who will serve a broad range of individuals and communities through innovative and responsible design solutions.

About the College of Design

We value design as a human-centered, inherently optimistic activity and embrace the unique strengths of our disciplines while collaborating in a transdisciplinary environment. Our programs balance theoretical foundations, conceptual design thinking, technical understanding, and the act of making as crucial elements of an iterative process leading to impactful design. Learning, teaching, and research in the College of Design explore the interconnected relationships between human experience, built and natural environments, and designed objects and systems. Our areas of research specialization include history, theory, and criticism; digital fabrication and simulation; materials innovation; community resiliency; sustainability and preservation; and design for health and well-being.

The College of Design’s home, the Gray Design Building, is 100,000 square feet of open studio space, state-of-the-art fabrication lab facilities, classrooms, offices and event spaces — a place where students of architecture, interiors, historic preservation, product design, and landscape architecture — can all learn and work together in a modern, cross-disciplinary environment. Built in 1917, the former tobacco warehouse has been transformed into an open, dynamic space that encourages interaction and collaboration between students and faculty of various disciplines. The Gray Design Building was more than a renovation project — it serves as a prime example of adaptive reuse and sustainable building practices, effective collaboration between global and local design teams, and symbolizes a bridge between the building’s industrial past and its innovative future as a hub for design education. This transformative renovation was completed in 2024, with the College moving into its new home in Spring of 2024.

About the University of Kentucky

UK is a public, land-grant, Research I, Carnegie Foundation Community Engaged University, and is the Commonwealth’s flagship institution. UK plays a critical leadership role in improving people’s lives through excellence in teaching, research, health care, cultural enrichment, economic development, and societal engagement. The campus is home to more than 36,000 students, 2,600 full-time faculty, and 14,000 full-time staff. The University is one of eight institutions in the country with a major academic medical center, land grant status, and a full spectrum of academic colleges and professional schools on one contiguous campus. As such, UK is an incubator for transdisciplinary research. These collaborations allow researchers and learners to address the rapidly changing needs of Lexington, the Commonwealth, and global society.

The University of Kentucky consists of 16 academic and professional colleges where students can choose from more than 200 majors and degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The scholarly community is supported by a comprehensive library system, off-campus centers for research and teaching, and the Cooperative Extension system in the state. UK’s student body represents more than 100 countries, every state in the nation, and all 120 Kentucky counties. The University has reached historic enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in recent years, while enrolling a significant proportion of first-generation students.

For more information about the College of Design and the University of Kentucky, please visit: https://design.uky.edu

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Candidates of interest will have the following qualifications:

⋅ A professional or terminal degree in interior design or related field (BA, BS, MA, MS, M.Arch). Nationally or internationally recognized work may be considered as a substitution for a professional degree.

⋅ An interest in obtaining NCIDQ certification or having successfully completed the exam.

⋅ Evidence of design excellence as well as an awareness and understanding of contemporary issues in interior design practice and academia.

⋅ Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of students, faculty, staff, and constituencies.

⋅ A commitment to innovation through expanding the definition of Interior Design pedagogy and practice.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?
No

Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply

Open Until Filled
Yes

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.