Associate Lecturer at University of the Witwatersrand

Brief Description        

• Digital Arts is recruiting an Associate Lecturer in Writing and Interactivity on a Three-Year Fixed Term Contract with the intention for the incumbent to be appointed into a permanent Lecturer position at the end of the contract, should they meet the objectives set upon employment. The Associate Lecturer post is primarily intended to allow candidates passionate about moving into academic research and teaching roles to enter the institution. The post will also support them in developing the required skills and qualifications to apply for a full Lectureship by completing a PhD by the end of the contract period.  

Qualifications and Experience:

Required:

• A Masters in Digital Arts preferred 

Advantageous:

• Practical experience in Indigenous visual comics and Afromanga-ka. Digital Skills in African Manga, Experience in Comic and Manga History and cultural context, - scripting, pacing and timing, thumbnailing, and story development. A firm understanding of publishing on webtoons and tapas. Convention tabling experience.
• Studio management. 
• Experience in Interactive Storytelling and Writing for conventional storytelling media like short stories/novels and comics/manga.
• Teaching or tutoring experience. 

Research and Teaching Interest:

• A suitable candidate should be an Afromanga-ka. The candidate should have practical teaching experience in Afromanga and demonstrate understanding of Afro/Manga and Comics Theory, Afrofuturism, African Futurism and Afropolitanism. They should also have a good understanding of storytelling, narrative design, and writing within manga and comics genre. Additionally, interactivity, immersion and play. This understanding should encompass Hypertext/Interactive fiction, Visual Novels, and TTRPG’s
• These areas will form the core component of the teaching and research duties required for the post. 

Technical Skills:

• A suitable candidate should have some experience in the following areas:
• Clip Studio Paint
• A good understanding of Non-western and African Storytelling techniques for graphic media. 
• Twine, RenPy and Inky
• A good understanding of Interactivity and Design and the processes associated with this. 
• This position is a developmental post, which offers the opportunity to augment these skills. 

Duties and Expectations:

• Limited teaching into Afromanaga, Narrative Design and Writing and Interactivity course at an undergraduate level.
• Development of  Afromanga design styles. Guiding students on Afromanga design styles. Assisting in managing collaborative projects across disciplines. 
• Assisting with divisional administration and portfolios. 
• The successful candidate would be required to start and complete a PhD as part of their academic duties.