Assistant Professor of Architecture - Architectural History and Theory and Design

Clemson University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Architecture specializing in architectural history and theory and design in the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture (RAMSoA) within the College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC). Salary is commensurate with experience and accomplishments at the assistant professor level. The anticipated start date is August 15, 2027.

We seek a scholar and designer with a clear and sustained research agenda in architectural history and theory and its relationship to contemporary architecture. This work may be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, exhibitions, public presentations, or built work. The successful candidate should also be able to lead design studios at the core and advanced levels.

We are particularly interested in candidates whose work connects history and theory with design, whether in teaching, research, or both. As a faculty member at a Carnegie R1 research university, the successful candidate will be expected to build a nationally recognized program of scholarship and creative work that leads to tenure. Clemson's mission as South Carolina's land-grant institution offers opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the University and with professional and community partners.

Responsibilities

Teaching: The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in architectural history and theory and lead design studios at the core and advanced levels, in support of the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, the accredited Master of Architecture, and the Ph.D. program in Design and the Built Environment. Teaching assignments will follow College workload guidelines.

Research and Creative Activities: The successful candidate will establish and sustain a program of scholarship and creative work that leads to peer-reviewed publications, exhibitions, or other recognized forms of dissemination. The candidate will pursue external support appropriate to the field, such as grants, fellowships, and awards, and is encouraged to develop research collaborations within the School, College, and University, as well as with external partners.

Service: The successful candidate will participate in School, College, and University service, advise students, and engage in professional service appropriate to the rank of assistant professor.

About the Program, School, College, and University

Clemson's architecture programs are based in the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture on Clemson University's main campus in Clemson, South Carolina, with additional locations in Charleston, SC, Genoa, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. The School offers multiple pathways within the discipline of architecture, beginning with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and continuing through an accredited Master of Architecture and the cross-disciplinary Design and the Built Environment Ph.D. program. The School itself, part of the College of Architecture, Art and Construction, offers degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, and City and Regional Planning to more than 500 students, supported by more than 70 faculty and staff. In 2025, the School was renamed in recognition of a transformative gift from the late Richard “Dick” McMahan ’54, HD ’06, and his wife, the late Mary “Dinky” McMahan.

The newly formed College of Architecture, Art and Construction’s (CAAC) portfolio consists of the School of Architecture, the Department of Art, and the Nieri Department of Construction, Development, and Planning. With its five undergraduate majors and ten graduate programs, as well as nine centers and institutes, the college aims to prepare over 900 undergraduates and 300 graduate students to transform, enhance and sustain the built environment and to excel in their fields by combining practical knowledge with hands-on experiential learning. Supported by the outdoor Experiential Learning Yard and Fluid Campus® in Genoa, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, and Charleston, South Carolina, students learn how to translate their education into lifelong success.

Clemson University is a Carnegie R1 research university, a classification reaffirmed in 2025, enrolling more than 29,500 students with an endowment exceeding $1.2 billion and $334 million in research and development expenditures in the most recent fiscal year. U.S. News & World Report ranks Clemson 36th among public universities nationally (2026); Forbes ranks it 33rd nationally among public colleges and first in South Carolina. Founded in 1889 as South Carolina's land-grant institution, Clemson is executing Clemson Elevate, a strategic plan built on three goals: delivering the nation's number one student experience, doubling research expenditures by 2035, and transforming lives across South Carolina and beyond.

Key Dates for This Search Cycle

Applications received by December 15, 2026 will receive full consideration.

Anticipated start date of August 15, 2027.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold an accredited professional degree in architecture, an international equivalent master’s degree in architecture, or a terminal degree in an allied discipline. The successful candidate will demonstrate an emerging record of scholarship or creative work in architectural history and theory, with clear promise of peer-reviewed publications and national recognition consistent with tenure at an R1 university; the ability to teach both history and theory courses and design studios at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and proficiency in written and oral communication in the English language.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates whose work integrates history and theory with design and who bring evidence of excellence in teaching; a record of peer-reviewed publications or recognized creative work; success in securing external funding, fellowships, or awards; professional practice experience; and a Ph.D. (or international equivalent) in architecture or an allied field or architectural licensure. Candidates should also demonstrate a commitment to fostering a learning environment that supports multiple perspectives.

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit the following materials in PDF:

1. A cover letter (Maximum 2 pages) outlining their teaching philosophy, research interests, and how their work integrates history/theory and design
2. Curriculum vitae
3. A statement of research interests and plans for future research, with a representative writing sample
4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness in seminar, lecture, and design studio instruction (e.g., syllabi, course evaluations, student work, or teaching portfolio; Maximum 20 pages for the portfolio)
5. Names and contact information of three professional references who can speak to the candidate’s qualifications

Applications should be submitted through:

https://apply.interfolio.com/197148

For full consideration, applications must be received by December 15, 2026. Review will continue until a suitably qualified candidate is identified.

For any questions, please contact the search committee chair, Dongwoo (Jason) Yeom (dyeom@clemson.edu).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.