University of Illinois Chicago. Image credit: Wikimedia/Hied5 licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Following our previous look at an opening for a Junior Architectural Designer at Spacial AI, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for a Director of the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois Chicago.
The role, based in Chicago, calls for an individual who will “work with the School faculty and staff to realize the mission of the School.” Among the key responsibilities for the role will be strengthening connections between the school and professional offices, supporting the school’s mission of “graduating future architects who can challenge and elevate the broader culture of practice.” Among the requirements for the role are a terminal degree in architecture and an international record of creative/scholarly achievement.
Related on Archinect: Chicago Architecture Biennial starts today: 8 highlights not to miss. Image credit: Wikimedia user ajay_suresh licensed under CC BY 2.0Why the role interests us
The open role at UIC offers us the opportunity to explore some of the latest notable developments emerging from the school and its students and faculty. Most recently, in September, the 2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial opened, curated by UIC School of Architecture director Florencia Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said the exhibition was “an opportunity to gather global experiences, ideas, and projects that create an archive of contemporary architecture to inform decision making, education, debate, and collective thinking about the world we design.”
Rodriguez’s curation of the 2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial was the latest example of strong engagement by the school in major architecture events. In 2023, a team from UIC’s College of Architecture and Design debuted plastic fabrication works at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale while UIC assistant professor Faheem Majeed served as Art Director of the 2023 Chicago Architecture Biennial.
Related on Archinect: University of Illinois Chicago faculty selected for leading roles at Venice and Chicago architecture biennials. Image credit: Lawrence Sumulong
Elsewhere, UIC’s student-led publication Fresh Meat Journal 15 was among initiatives funded by a 2025 grant from the Graham Foundation. At the beginning of this year, UIC faculty member Alexander Eisenschmidt was awarded a Housing Design Education Award at the ACSA Architectural Education Awards.
In 2024, meanwhile, researchers at UIC predicted that nearly half of all American cities will experience “massive” depopulation trends by 2100. Lead author Sybil Derrible told Scientific American: “The takeaway is that we need to shift away from growth-based planning, which is going to require an enormous cultural shift in the planning and engineering of cities.”
Related on Archinect: UIC researchers predict nearly half of all American cities will experience ‘massive’ depopulation trends by 2100. Image: meesh/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)Further reading for interested candidates
Job Highlights is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Meet Your Next Employer series profiles and interviews interesting studios with open positions currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.
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