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Information for Applicants

Why Work at Pratt

Pratt Institute offers a unique and dynamic work environment and culture for its employees, one infused with the creative energy and intellectual fervor of working artists and professionals, in an extraordinary campus setting in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and the Manhattan center on West 14th Street.

Pratt Institute is an equal opportunity employer that recognizes and values a diverse workforce’s benefits.

At Pratt Institute, diversity is represented by a mosaic of individuals from a variety of races, ethnicities, religions, gender expressions, sexualities, geographic backgrounds, cultures, ages, abilities, and socioeconomic groups. As a leading college of art and design devoted to a creative learning community, Pratt recognizes the strength that stems from a diversity of perspectives, values, ideas, backgrounds, styles, approaches, experiences, and beliefs.

You may find more information about working at Pratt through links on the Human Resources and Policies and Procedures web pages.

How to Apply for Jobs at Pratt

Faculty and staff career opportunities at Pratt Institute are posted online. You may create a profile, apply for jobs, track the status of your application, and manage your application.  

Please note: You must meet the minimum requirements listed, fill out all requested information, and attach the required documents. At a minimum, you must have a cover letter and resume. All applicants should be prepared to present five references, three of which are direct supervisors or managers.

Support

If you have technical difficulties with your application, you may contact the ATS vendor at 877.997.8807 or send an email to www.interfolio.com/help.

For HR support, you may send an email to HR@pratt.edu or call the main line at 718.687.5444.

Find Your Job Online

Pratt Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Pratt Institute aspires to be a campus that welcomes and encourages individuals of all backgrounds to contribute to our culture as their authentic selves. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Center for Equity and Inclusion work with partners across the Institute to create an equitable and inclusive environment at Pratt. We define equity as fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for every student, staff, and faculty member. We also define inclusion as the active involvement, engagement, and empowerment of each individual in our community.

Please email diversity@pratt.edu with any questions, comments, or concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pratt.

Since its founding in 1887, Pratt has prioritized diversity and inclusion, welcoming students, faculty, and staff from all walks of life while developing and sustaining pathways to more equitable workplaces and careers.

Pratt Institute DEI Dashboards

Recruiting and Hiring Procedures

Statement of Policy

This policy governs the recruiting and hiring process for faculty, administrators, and staff as set forth below. (Finalized link to come)

To Whom the Policy Applies 

New York. This policy applies to the recruiting and hiring process for the following positions at Pratt Institute in New York: (i) Administrators and Professionals, and (ii) positions covered under the collective bargaining agreements (“CBA”) between the Institute and Local 153, Local 311, Local 32BJ, & UFCT Local 1460 (hereinafter, “Bargaining Unit Positions”).

  • For Bargaining Unit Positions, please also refer to the applicable CBA for any provisions concerning job openings and hiring. Should this policy conflict with any of the provisions in a CBA, the CBA shall apply.
  • For current Institute employees seeking a transfer or promotion, please also refer to the Promotions and Transfers Policy. Should this policy conflict with any of the provisions in the Promotions and Transfers Policy, the Promotions and Transfers Policy shall apply. 


Note. This policy does not cover: (i) temporary employment opportunities or (ii) unpaid internship or volunteer opportunities. For these opportunities, please refer to Policies and Procedures.

Recruiting Process

For certain positions, the search will be conducted through a search committee made up of Pratt employees with knowledge and responsibilities related to the vacant position. Search committees will be utilized for all full-time faculty, division heads, directors, department heads, and other positions of a comparable level or with policymaking responsibilities. Search committees may also be utilized for other vacant positions as necessary and at the discretion of the hiring department.

A. Job Openings
Before a School or Unit seeks to create a new position or fill a vacant position, it should first consider its organizational, staffing, and budgetary needs. If the School or Unit decides to move forward, it shall then consult with, and receive the necessary approvals from, the appropriate HR officer, Budget Office, and the Office of the Provost. Once the necessary approvals are in place, the Human Resources Officer shall create or edit the job description in Interfolio, as appropriate. The job description should set forth the essential functions of the job, including, as appropriate, a summary of the position; required and/or preferred education, experience, skills, knowledge, and abilities; and any additional information. Salary information shall be included in all job descriptions and job postings.

The Human Resources Officer shall follow any necessary steps for position management in Interfolio.  These steps can vary depending on whether the position is new or vacant, or an Administrator/Professional or Bargaining Unit Position, and may require varying levels of budgetary and salary approval from the Budget Office and Human Resources.

B. Job Postings
Administrator and Professional Positions. Administrator and professional positions shall be posted for at least 10 business days: (i) on the Pratt Institute External Careers site. All internal applicants must follow the same process as external applicants.

*Schools or Units may ask the appropriate Human Resources Officer for a waiver of these posting requirements: (i) for certain executive and senior management positions (in accordance with applicable law), (ii) where recruitment has already occurred for an identical position within the past three months, (iii) on the occasion of an academic, scholarly, or business unit being incorporated into the Institute, (iv) where the search is being managed by an external search firm, or (v) as otherwise provided by applicable law. The Human Resources Officer must complete a waiver request form and submit it for approval to the AVP, Human Resources, or the AVP’s designee.

Bargaining Unit Positions. Unless otherwise provided by applicable law or CBA, the job description for an employment opening for a Bargaining Unit position shall be posted for at least five business days on the Pratt Institute External Careers site, if the School or Unit has decided to consider candidates for the position outside of Pratt Institute. Depending on the CBA, the School or Unit also may have certain additional notice and posting obligations.

Assistance. For assistance with the process of posting job openings, please contact the appropriate Human Resources Officer. In instances where the School or Unit may want to use a search firm to recruit for an open position, the Human Resources Officer shall contact the talent acquisition officer to obtain a list of approved search firms. The School or Unit may only engage a search firm from the approved list.

C. Affirmative Action Outreach and Equal Employment Opportunity
In accordance with applicable law and the Institute’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement, to assemble a qualified and diverse workforce, the Institute has made, and continues to make, the following outreach and recruitment efforts to attract qualified women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, veterans, and individuals with a disability:

Outreach and Recruiting Efforts. Employment positions are posted widely in print and electronic media outlets. Other outreach and recruitment efforts may include attending job fairs and career events, contacting professional associations and community-based organizations, as well as participating in mentoring programs.

EEO Tagline. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pratt Institute recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.

Pratt is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

Assistance. Schools and Units should consult with the appropriate Human Resources Officer for assistance with outreach and recruiting.

Job Application Process

Unless otherwise provided by applicable law or CBA, or unless the recruitment is being handled by an external search firm, all applicants for employment openings covered under this policy must apply through Interfolio, Pratt Institute’s administrator and staff applicant tracking system. As part of this process, the applicant will be required to complete an application form and attest to the accuracy of its contents.

In addition, in accordance with applicable law, the applicant will be asked to voluntarily self-identify his or her race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and veteran status through Interfolio. Submission of this information is voluntary and refusal to provide it will not subject the applicant to any adverse treatment. Responses will remain confidential within Institute Human Resources (HR), as applicable, and will be used only for purposes of reporting requirements. When reported in the aggregate, data will not identify any specific individuals.

Application Review and Phone Screens

An HR recruiter and/or representative from the School or Unit should conduct an initial review of the pool of applications (including attached cover letters and resumes) to determine which of the applicants meet the minimum qualifications of the position.  Where necessary and appropriate, the initial review also may include a phone screen to confirm whether the applicant meets the minimum qualifications of the position, as well as to establish a first impression, clarify an applicant’s credentials, confirm salary expectations, determine the applicant’s availability, and allow the applicant to ask questions about the position. Inquiries made during phone screens should comply with the guidelines discussed in the Interview Process section below.

Interview Process

A manager and/or representative from the School or Unit may schedule interviews with selected candidates. For Bargaining Unit positions, please refer to the applicable CBA for any specific provisions concerning interviews for open positions.

Interview questions should be job related, without any reference to protected status (as that term is defined in the EEO statement above). Below are some examples of acceptable and unacceptable interview inquiries:

  • Age 
    Unacceptable: Questions about age, date of birth, or dates of attendance or completion of school. 
    Acceptable: A statement that age will be verified for legal age requirements (e.g., are you at least 18 years of age? If not, can you submit a work permit upon hire?)
  • Birthplace or Citizenship
    Unacceptable: Questions about the birthplace or citizenship of an applicant, or regarding the applicant’s parents, spouse, or other relatives. 
    Acceptable: Are you authorized to work in the United States?
  • Caregiver Status
    Unacceptable: Questions regarding child care, the care of a relative with a disability, or the care of any other person with a disability who lives with the applicant.
  • Color or Race
    Unacceptable: Questions about the race of the applicant or the color of their skin.
  • Credit Standing or Criminal Record
    Unacceptable: Asking the applicant about their credit standing or criminal record.
  • Disability or Predisposing Genetic Characteristics
    Unacceptable: Asking if the applicant has any mental or physical conditions or other impairments, about the applicant’s general health, about any predisposing genetic characteristics, or if the applicant has ever received worker’s compensation benefits. 
    Acceptable: Is the applicant able to perform the essential functions of the position for which they have applied with or without reasonable accommodation?
  • Ethnicity or National Origin
    Unacceptable: Questions about the ethnicity or nationality of the applicant or the applicant’s spouse, parent, or other relatives; the applicant’s native tongue; how the applicant acquired the ability to read, write, or speak a foreign language. 
    Acceptable: Asking the applicant about foreign languages the applicant reads, speaks or writes, if job related.
  • Familial, Marital, Parental, Partnership, or Pregnancy Status
    Unacceptable: Questions regarding the name of a spouse/domestic partner, parent, or child (unless otherwise provided below); concerning the number or ages of children or dependents; about reproductive health decision making, pregnancy, childbearing or birth control; whether the applicant is a victim of domestic violence. 
    Acceptable: Statement of policy regarding work assignment of employees who are related. Asking for the names of the applicant’s relatives already employed by the Institute.
  • Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation
    Unacceptable: Questions about an applicant’s gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
  • Organizations
    Unacceptable: Asking the applicant to identify all organizations, clubs, societies, and lodges to which they belong. 
    Acceptable: Asking about membership in organizations that the applicant considers relevant to their ability to perform the job.
  • Prior Lawsuits 
    Unacceptable: Asking if the applicant has filed a past lawsuit, complaint, or charge.
  • Religion or Creed
    Unacceptable: Questions regarding the applicant’s religion, doctrine, or beliefs; religious days observed; if the applicant’s religion or creed prevents him or her from working weekends or holidays. 
    Acceptable: A statement of regular days, hours, or shifts to be worked.
  • Salary History
    Unacceptable: Inquiring about an applicant’s prior salary, benefits, or other compensation (collectively, “salary history”).
    Acceptable: Informing the applicant about the position’s proposed or anticipated salary or salary range; without inquiring about salary history, engaging in discussion with the applicant about their expectations with respect to salary, benefits, and other compensation; inquiring into the objective measure of the applicant’s productivity such as revenue, sales, or other production reports; considering an applicant’s salary history where the applicant disclosed their salary history voluntarily and without prompting.
  • Unemployment Status
    Unacceptable: Asking if the applicant is currently unemployed. 
    Acceptable: Asking if the applicant has a current and valid professional or occupational license; a certificate, registration, permit, or other credential; a minimum level of education or training; or a minimum level of professional, occupational, or field experience. Asking if the applicant is currently employed by the Institute.

Skills Testing

Hiring managers must confer with, and receive approval from, talent acquisition (TA) before requiring any pre-offer testing, which must be job related, consistent with business necessity, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law and CBA.

References

An HR coordinator and/or representative from the School or Unit may not check employment references until the applicant has completed the applicable authorization.  Upon receiving the completed authorization, the TA coordinator or representative may check references with the applicant’s prior employers before making the applicant a conditional offer of employment. However, to check references with the applicant’s current or most recent employer, the TA coordinator or representative must wait until after the applicant receives a conditional offer of employment, unless the applicant authorizes otherwise in written form.

Please take note that, when checking references, the HR coordinator and/or representative shall not inquire into the applicant’s salary history, unless the applicant has disclosed their salary history voluntarily and without prompting.