The Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at Tufts University invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track Assistant Teaching Professor with a specialization in Technical Direction with an anticipated start date in late August, 2026. Given the Department’s commitment to both student and faculty success, we are confident that our new faculty member will find an intellectual and creative home at Tufts as well as an enthusiastic and engaged classroom environment.
This is an academic year, benefited 2-year position and is renewable contingent upon performance. Assistant Teaching Professors at Tufts University are unionized), with the potential for long-term careers with promotional advancement within the Teaching Professor ranks.
Responsibilities for this faculty position include: teaching the equivalent of six courses per year, to be divided between course design and instruction (in technical theatre and other areas of the candidate’s expertise) and technical direction of the Department’s mainstage productions; creating and working within scenic production budgets; supervising the Assistant Technical Director and student scene shop employees; maintaining theatre facilities; undergraduate mentoring and advising; and departmental and university service.
Qualifications
M.F.A. in Technical Theatre or significant professional experience (minimum of four years) as a technical director or assistant technical director. A strong commitment to undergraduate teaching is required. Other qualifications include: comprehensive knowledge of scenic materials and construction techniques, including welding and rigging; AutoCAD and/or Vectorworks proficiency; experience in safe and effective supervision of scene shop staff; experience with scheduling and the creation and tracking of production budgets; excellent communication skills; collaborative approach. Preference given to candidates with a track record of mentorship in a university or professional setting.
Application Instructions
All applications are submitted via Interfolio, at
https://apply.interfolio.com/175489. Applicants should upload a cover letter, CV, a portfolio of representative work, and the names and contact information of three references. The cover letter should explain the candidate’s interest in the position and describe past teaching and mentorship experience, inside or outside the university setting. We encourage candidates to speak to the ways that they create inclusive classroom, scene shop, and rehearsal spaces in their teaching and mentoring practice. The portfolio might include some or all of the following: a budget breakdown, construction drawings, photographs of in-process and completed work, past course syllabi if available, and other materials that demonstrate the candidate’s abilities to meet the responsibilities of the job. References will only be contacted for candidates who advance in the search.
Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2025, and continue until the position is filled. Zoom interviews are planned for mid-December and campus visits are planned for late January. Please address any questions to Department Administrator, Lindsey Cooke (
lindsey.cooke@tufts.edu).
Offers are contingent upon completion of a successful background check.
