About the Job
The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities invites applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in scenic design beginning fall semester 2024 (08/26/2024).

The department seeks an accomplished practicing theatre artist exploring design methods and research at the leading edge of the performing arts, and developing and/or sustaining a national or global profile as a performing arts scenic designer. This position includes both academic and production responsibilities in a department offering B.A., B.F.A., and M.F.A. degrees in a liberal arts setting.

Appointment will be 100%-time over the nine-month academic year (late-August to late-May), beginning academic year 2024/25 (08/26/2024 to 05/25/2025). This is a probationary (tenure-track) faculty appointment at the rank of assistant professor, consistent with collegiate and University policy.

Faculty in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts are expected to carry on an active creative research program, teach and advise undergraduate and graduate students, and contribute service appropriate for the rank of appointment to the department, college, University, and profession.


Specific responsibilities of this position include:
(1) Teach four courses per academic year at the undergraduate and graduate levels including but not limited to all levels of scenic design, rendering techniques, principles of design, design drafting, introduction to design & technology and other related coursework.
(2) Mentor and supervise undergraduate and graduate student projects, including thesis projects.
(3) Provide academic advisement to students.
(4) Mentor all scenic-related designers, artisans, and crew members for all departmental productions. May be occasionally required to design scenery for departmental productions.
(5) Contribute to curriculum development and refinement.
(6) Participate in committees and provide service to the department, college, university and profession.
(7) Work in a collegial fashion with faculty, staff, students and administration.
(8) Work with the production team to maintain the equipment, inventory and production budget necessary for a Theatre Arts and Dance Department at a Research One Public University

The Standards for Promotion and Tenure in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance are available at: http://www.academic.umn.edu/provost/faculty/tenure/pdf/CLA/7_12THAD.pdf

The Workload Principles and Guidelines for Regular Faculty in the College of Liberal Arts are available at: http://intranet.cla.umn.edu/faculty/FacultyWorkloadPrinciplesGuidelines.php




Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
1) M.A. or M.F.A. in Theatre Arts or Design/Technology (or a related field with an emphasis in Design/Technology), or equivalent professional experience as described below (*1).
2) At least one year of college- or university-level teaching experience or equivalent, as described below (*2).
3) Significant professional/academic experience as a scenic designer.
4) Computer assisted design proficiency in drafting and design software, 3-D modeling/rendering as well as traditional drawing and painting methods.
5) Demonstrated experience and effectiveness with instructional technology.
6) Demonstrated commitment to diversity and the needs of diverse learners.
7) Demonstrated experience and effectiveness in collaborative organization and project development.

EQUIVALENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND RECOGNITION:
In Lieu of the M.A. or M.F.A. in Theatre Arts or Design/Technology (or a related field with an emphasis in Design/Technology), the following may be considered in determining professional experience and recognition in scenic design: (*1) Demonstrated professional distinction in scholarly research and/or creative/performance work in scenic design and evidence of continued such distinction; (*2) Demonstrated effectiveness as a teacher at the undergraduate or graduate levels, whose instruction reflects familiarity with the current state of disciplinary thought in scenic design.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
1) Three years of teaching experience at the college- or University-level.
2) Demonstrated experience with multimedia technologies as they relate to projected scenery.
3) Demonstrated experience with scenic design across multiple genres (e.g. theater, dance and opera); also interested in candidates with experience in other areas including, but not limited to, performance art, installation art, museum exhibit design, architectural design, and industrial design.
4) Experience not only with standard design processes, but also with protracted, organic, collaborative design processes.
5) Experience designing with a variety of production budgets and in a variety of venues (LORT to store front).


Candidates will be evaluated according to the overall quality of their training and professional experience, their record of artistic achievement, the relevance of their research to the department's academic priorities, evidence of commitment to teaching and skills as a teacher, ability to attract first-rate graduate students, and strength of recommendations.

About the Department
Housed in a public research university located in a vibrant metropolitan area, the Theatre Arts & Dance department is a collaborative hub for education, research and training in the diverse field of Dance and Theatre. Our five unique programs share a commitment to collaboration and a balanced philosophy of training that combines an expansive liberal arts education with the rigorous study of performance on the stage and in the world.

https://cla.umn.edu/theatre

Established in 1868, the College of Liberal Arts supports the University of Minnesota's land-grant mission as home to disciplines in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
The College of Liberal Arts is committed to intellectual freedom, the pursuit of new knowledge, and the belief that the liberal arts are the foundation of academic learning. CLA prepares students to be independent and original thinkers, innovators in their chosen fields; to create meaning in their lives and in their life's work; and to become productive citizens and leaders in their communities and the world.

The College of Liberal Arts values diverse cultures, experiences, and perspectives as key to innovation and excellent education.
www.cla.umn.edu


Founded in 1851, the University of Minnesota, with its five campuses and more than 65,000 students, is one of the largest, most comprehensive universities in the United States, and ranks among the most prestigious research universities in the world. It is both a major research institution, with scholars of national and international reputation, and a state land-grant university, with a strong tradition of education and public engagement.