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Posted: 27-Aug-24
Location: Towson, Maryland
Employment Type:
Organization Type:
Required Education:
Assistant Professor Scenic Design
Theatre Arts
College of Fine Arts and Communication
COFAC-3817
Position:
The College of Fine Arts and Communication invites applications for a tenure-track, 9-month Assistant Professor of Scenic Design position in the Department of Theatre Arts beginning August 2025.
Qualifications:
MFA in Theatre or related field required with a concentration in Scenic Design. A demonstrated record of effective teaching. A record of successful scenic design. Candidates should show the potential for ongoing creative or scholarly work.
Candidates with a demonstrated record of successful college-level teaching and whose work demonstrates a commitment to issues of social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion in theatre are particularly encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities:
Faculty assigned an instructional workload of six (6) course units per academic year for the first year. Beginning the second year, the workload reverts to the standard instructional workload of seven to eight (7-8) course units with reassigned time for design and production preparation.
The scenic design faculty member is responsible for teaching introductory courses in theatre design, scenic design, scenic painting, property design and craftwork, and other related courses, as well as engaged and proactive mentorship. The successful candidate will serve as scenic designer or mentor of student designers for all departmental theatre productions. Additionally, the scenic designer will work with the technical director to oversee the design and execution of properties and scenic painting of all departmental productions.
Demonstrated implementation of digital design techniques is essential. Skill with related digital technology (digital fabrication, projections and multimedia design) is strongly preferred. Candidates must be able to work in a wide variety of computer applications including CAD and imaging software. Knowledge of alternative design applications such as film, industrials, trade shows, other live events, as well as costume and lighting design is also a plus.
Other duties include participating in recruitment and retention activities, academic advising, and department, college, university, and committee service. Candidates are expected to pursue ongoing professional creative work, research, and/or scholarship.
The Department:
The NAST accredited Theatre program at Towson University offers a BA/BS in Theatre and a BFA in Acting with 20 full-time faculty/staff. On average the fully supported department season consists of 4 plays rotating between the Mainstage Theatre (a hybrid proscenium/short thrust theatre, w/turntable, seating 325) and the Studio Theatre (a black box theatre with 120 seats, based on configuration). The Marder Theatre is a black box theatre hosting smaller workshop productions (4-5 per year) directed by students, faculty or guests. These shows are designed to be low impact on the technical staff and offer a training ground for students to experiment with stock scenery, costumes and a repertory lighting plot.
Towson University:
Towson University (www.towson.edu) was founded in 1866, is recognized by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the top public universities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, is Baltimore’s largest university, and is the largest public, comprehensive institution in the University of Maryland System. TU enrolls over 19,000 undergraduates and more than 3,000 graduate students across six academic colleges (business, education, fine arts, health professions, liberal arts, science & mathematics), has of 900 full-time faculty, and offers 65 bachelor’s 42 master’s, and 4 doctoral programs. Our centrally located campus sits on 330 rolling green acres and is 10 miles north of Baltimore, 45 miles north of Washington D.C., and 95 miles south of Philadelphia.
Application Process:
Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Submit the following with your application: A letter of application addressing the candidate’s unique profile in relation to this position, a current CV with the names of at least three references and contact information (letters of recommendation may be requested from candidates who continue to a later stage of the process), Unofficial transcripts of institutions of higher learning, a one-page teaching philosophy statement that addresses the candidate’s approach to teaching and design and describes demonstrated experience teaching or mentoring diverse, underserved students, including students of color and non-traditional students and a functioning web-link to a design portfolio including complete design and preparation materials for one realized production with production photographs.
Click here to apply. Please note that the search number for which you are applying is COFAC-3817
Criminal Background Investigation is required for the hired candidate and the results may impact employment.
The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and neighbors has been our top priority and the focus of every one of our decisions since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the University System of Maryland (USM) has strongly encouraged full COVID vaccination and up-to-date booster shots (when eligible) for all faculty, staff, and students at all schools in the USM as both a reasonable and necessary means of protecting our health and safety.
Please be sure to visit the Applicant Data Form to complete a voluntary on-line form. All data collected are for internal, state, and/or federal reporting and will not be used for other purposes.
Towson University is an equal opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity, as detailed in A More Inclusive TU: Advancing Equity and Diversity (2020 – 25). TU is a national leader in inclusive excellence, the only institution in Maryland with zero achievement gap, and 68% growth in minority enrollment over the past 5 years. We encourage application from a variety of (dis)abilities, cultural, ethnic, race, sex, gender identity/expression, national origin, age, veteran status, color, religious, socio-economic, sexual orientation and belief backgrounds.