About this template
The Graphic Design & UX/UI template is an academic CV built for profiles whose careers span design studios and design-research labs. Its Outfit typography and violet accent signal a contemporary sensibility without sacrificing ATS readability. The layout reserves a dedicated header slot for a portfolio URL — often overlooked by classical academic CVs and yet decisive for design hires where the work itself outweighs the bibliography. It parses through Workday, Lever and the recruitment platforms of leading design schools (RCA, Parsons, Pratt, Rhode Island School of Design, ENSCI, ENSAD, HEAD, ECAL, Aalto ARTS).
Who is it for?
It fits adjunct and tenure-track design faculty, PhD candidates at RCA School of Communication, Carnegie Mellon HCII or EnsadLab, UX researchers working in industrial labs (Google UX Research, IBM Design, Microsoft Research, Frog Design, IDEO), and senior practitioners opening a second academic career. The template also serves applications for industry-sponsored chairs in design innovation and competitions for CR/DR positions at design-research institutes.
How to use it
Four blocks structure the document — Design research (publications in Design Issues, Design Studies, She Ji, DRS conferences), Portfolio (URL and 4-6 flagship projects), Teaching (seminars, studios, thesis juries), Awards and residencies. Prefer the phrasing 'design-research project' to 'graphic deliverable' for academic coherence. Useful long-tail queries: 'design researcher CV', 'PhD design studies resume', 'RCA tenure-track CV', 'UX research academic portfolio', 'design faculty job market CV'.
Frequently asked questions
How do I integrate a portfolio URL without breaking the layout?
The template header reserves a dedicated slot for the portfolio URL, placed just below the name and above the contact details. Use a short link (Behance, your own domain, an institutional folio) and avoid URL shorteners (bit.ly) which some ATS pipelines flag as tracking. If you maintain multiple sector-specific portfolios, point to a hub page rather than listing three disjoint links.
Should I distinguish industry projects from design research?
Yes — this is fundamental for design-school search committees and for tenure-track decisions at RCA, Pratt or Parsons. The Research section should host projects with a formalised methodological protocol and academic dissemination (article, paper, monograph). Pure industry projects belong in the Portfolio section, with client and production context. The distinction is what separates a design practitioner from a design researcher in the eyes of the committee.
Does the template work for an ECAL or HEAD faculty application?
Yes. Swiss design schools value clean modern sans-serif CV typography, and the Outfit grid aligns with their own graphic charters. For these applications, expand the Teaching section with detailed semester breakdowns (BFA, MFA, Master Design Research) and specify modules taught in English — both HEAD and ECAL recruit primarily bilingual. Adjunct teaching at ECAL, HEAD or ZHdK pre-tenure is a strong signal of regional embeddedness.
