University Assistant Position in the ‘Extended Reality Lab’ in the Department of Industrial Design

The University of Arts Linz, with 1,400 students from 60 countries, is an international university with state-of-the-art facilities located in the centre of the city. It operates in the dynamic field of tension between independent, artistic, and applied, business-oriented design as well as research. The focus is on interactivity, digitalisation, sustainability, and interdisciplinary, practice-oriented work.

We are inviting applications for a full-time University Assistant (100% employment) to join our team in the Department of Industrial Design and support the further development of our Extended Reality Lab, starting in autumn.

The Extended Reality Lab investigates new approaches to design at the intersection of physical and virtual reality. Through physical-virtual prototyping and simulated usage contexts, the Lab enables future products, interfaces, and forms of interaction to be experienced, adapted, and evaluated in context early in the design process. Its goal is to explore innovation potential more efficiently while developing new methods, tools, and workflows for design practice, research, and education.

A key area of collaboration in the coming years will be the research objectives of the FWF-funded Emerging Fields project ‘Twist, Shift x Shake – Diversabilities for Art and Design’, or TSxS for short. The project investigates what new forms of knowledge art and design can generate when diverse abilities are not treated as exceptions but understood as a methodological resource. Working in mixed-ability teams, a hub and four specialised x.labs jointly develop new objects, methods, and theoretical approaches at the intersection of design, art, technology, and critical disability studies.

The employment contract is for a fixed term until 30 September 2031. 
The minimum gross monthly salary is €3,776.10, paid 14 times per year, in accordance with Section 49(3) of the collective bargaining agreement.

Areas of responsibility

• Supporting the operation and further development of the Extended Reality Lab in coordination with the professors of the Industrial Design departments
• Independent teaching (number of semester hours per week (SWS) depends on the extent of employment and qualifications)
• Supervision of university projects in the Extended Reality Lab
• Independently and collaboratively contributing to the planning, preparation, implementation, documentation, and publication of the Lab’s research activities
• Planning and conducting research activities within the TSxS research project through the simulation of usage contexts and the use of physical-virtual prototypes
• Contributing to reports for funding agencies and research projects, including deliverable tracking and KPI monitoring
• Communication and coordination of research activities with the Perception Lab of Industrial Design and the x.Labs involved in the TSxS research project
• Assisting with the organisation and administration of study programmes
• Participation in university committees
• Independent research or artistic activity

Essential qualifications

The Extended Reality Lab is situated at the intersection of design, technology, and research, and therefore welcomes candidates with diverse educational backgrounds. 
We are looking for candidates with either a background in design and proven expertise in digital and extended reality technologies, or a background in technology combined with strong design and methodological skills.

• University or higher education degree in, for example:

industrial design, interaction design, human-computer interaction, creative technologies, computer science, media technology, or a comparable field of study in design and/or technology

• The technological areas of expertise may include, for example: XR/VR/MR, physical computing, creative coding, Unity/Unreal, 3D/realtime technologies, sensing/tracking, interactive prototypes, etc.
• Openness to exploratory projects and new areas of research
• Strong organisational, coordination, and communication skills
• Teamwork skills, a collaborative mindset, and a high level of reliability
• Excellent German and English skills, both written and spoken
• Gender and diversity competence

Desired qualifications

• Teaching experience at the university level
• Experience in scientific research projects
• Experience in working on externally funded research projects
• Strong interpersonal skills, a genuine interest in working with people, and a positive, engaged personality
• A proactive, solution-oriented, and meticulous approach to work
• Enthusiasm for working collaboratively in diverse and mixed-ability teams
• Knowledge of design-specific processes and working methods

What we offer

• Diverse and varied range of responsibilities
• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• A dynamic teaching and research environment with a wide variety of design and art events
• Workplace in the centre of Linz – easily accessible by public transportation
• Professional development opportunities (internal professional development programme, subsidies for external training, international professional development opportunities)
• Childcare service (hourly) for children aged 15 months to 3 years

The University of Arts Linz pursues a discrimination-critical hiring policy and is committed to equal opportunities and diversity. The University strives to increase the proportion of women among the academic, artistic, and general university staff, especially in leadership positions, and therefore explicitly invites qualified women to apply. In the case of equal qualifications, women shall be given priority. Applications from transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, people with migration experience and/or migrant backgrounds, and disabled people are expressly encouraged.

Applicants are not entitled to compensation for travel and accommodation expenses incurred as a result of the admission process.

Please submit your written application (including a cover letter, CV, certificates, and a portfolio demonstrating your research areas and/or project experience) in digital form to ufg.bewerbung913@kunstuni-linz.at by no later than 7 October 2026.
By submitting your application, you expressly agree that the data you provide will be processed and used as part of the university's internal application process.

Mag.^a Brigitte Hütter MSc 
Rector