The Department of Theatre at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is pleased to invite applications for a full-time Teaching Assistant/Associate Professor specializing in Costume Technology with a proposed starting day of August 16, 2025.
A successful candidate will join a team of 9 faculty and staff members across both the BFA and MFA programs in Costume Design and Technology. In addition to teaching, this individual will also serve as Chair of the Costume BFA program.
The ideal candidate demonstrates a commitment to teaching recognized theater industry standards as well as innovative approaches to problem solving in equitable and inclusive educational environments within our community of students, educators, and creative collaborators.
This individual should be a skilled communicator with the capacity to facilitate conversations between fellow faculty and students across all areas of study. A successful candidate will be interested in fostering cross-college collaborations and relationships to develop and maintain a diverse student population.
Within the department, the successful candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of the intertwined work and creative processes of both costume design as well as costume production, wardrobe, and management. They should be able to present a strong record of work with specializations in Draping and Patternmaking and experience in one or more of the following: Tailoring, Costume Management, Design, or Crafts.
Duties include teaching, academic advising, BFA recruitment, and program administration. Teaching responsibilities include three classes per semester in costume production from introductory level to advanced. Class subjects such as (but not limited to): Draping, Flat Patterning, Costume History, Styles and Research, and Seminar Courses rotate in alternating semesters.
Minimum Qualifications
- MFA in Costume Production or equivalent terminal degree in Theatre or related field or substantial professional working history
- Teaching experience or supervisory experience with emerging artists and students in training
Preferred Qualifications
- 3-5 years of experience in costume production areas in professional or educational setting
- Teaching experience at the college level for three or more years
- 3 or more years supervisory experience, such as leading a team as a Theatrical Draper, Tailor, Pattern Maker
- Innovative course creation reflective of inclusive practices and using modern approaches
- Demonstrated commitment to applying DEIA values to working practices
Appointment Information
This is a full-time, non-tenure track (specialized faculty) appointment on an academic year (nine-month) service basis paid over twelve months, carrying an initial appointment of a one-year contract with potential for renewal based on performance. Multi-year contracts typically follow promotion within this path. This appointment is supported by NTFC Local 6546. The expected start date is August 16, 2025. The previously determined salary range for the position is $64,000-$69,000 at the Assistant Teaching Professor level and $74,000-$79,000 at the Associate Teaching Professor level. Final salary offered will be determined by an assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, collective bargaining agreements, and budget constraints. Work authorization sponsorship is available for this position.
Application Procedures & Deadline Information
For full consideration, please create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload the following by January 16, 2025:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Statement of teaching philosophy
- Statement of demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Three references with contact information
All required information must be submitted to http://jobs.illinois.edu for your application to be considered.
For further information about this specific position, please contact J.W. Morrissette, search committee chair, at jwmorris@illinois.edu, or Micki Hallam, HR Coordinator at mhallam@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application system or job board, please contact 217-333-2137.
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The Department of Theatre at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign includes 24 full time faculty members, 12 Krannert Center Design and Technical faculty members, 3 academic staff, 7 campus affiliated faculty members, 130 undergraduates and more than 60 graduate students. The department offers BFA and MFA programs in acting; theatre studies; and design, technology and management. There are also MA and PhD programs in theatre studies. The department and its production programs are housed in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, a state of the art, multi-venue facility that operates collaboratively within an artistic structure comprised of theatre, dance, music, opera, and professional touring performances. Theatre faculty members work closely with Krannert Center staff and the faculties of the Department of Dance and the School of Music’s Lyric Theatre Program.
Illinois Theatre faculty and students also work within a rich campus environment for research and community-partnered learning, supported by an array of top-tier centers, institutes, and academic departments. As the flagship campus within the state university system, Illinois is a Research I university, and one of the first institutions to receive the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement. The Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area, located between Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis, is among Illinois’ fastest growing communities, and boasts a strong network of community justice and arts organizations.
