University Lecturer in Theatre Design

Title:
University Lecturer in Theatre Design

Department:
Theater

Reports To:
Director of Theatre Technology & Performing Arts

Position Type:
Faculty

Position Summary:
The Theatre Program at New Jersey
Institute of Technology seeks a dynamic and experienced Theatre Design member
to join our team. The successful candidate will specialize in 2-4 areas of
design (such as scenic design, lighting design, costume design, sound design,
props design) and will be responsible for teaching a variety of introductory to
intermediate design courses as well as general design courses such as Design
Fundamentals, Theatre As Technology, Design Thinking, and Period Styles. The
focus in these classes is conceptual as well as operational/experiential. This
continuum of the conceptual/cerebral understanding of the skill along with
providing experience in the applied aspects of design is foundational to the
program's pedagogy. This position is best filled by a practicing professional
designer who also has interest/experience in teaching.

In addition to teaching, this
instructional staff member will serve as a Designer and Mentor for student
productions throughout the year, providing guidance and support to aspiring
student designers. The ideal candidate will have a passion for teaching and a
strong commitment to student success. A typical semester load will include
teaching three courses and one production design assignment. In addition, service
in the form of recruitment to the university and theatre program is encouraged.

The Theatre Program at NJIT is in a
moment of evolution as it not only is bringing a design specialist into its
full-time staff, but the overall curriculum is also in the process of evolving
toward a focus on design. As a result, this instructional staff member will
play a vital role in shaping that new vision and trajectory. The Theatre
Program at NJIT is uniquely situated in a polytech setting, which gives
opportunities for our program to bridge the gap from our theatrical and
creative techniques to other programs like Architecture and Engineering. This
position is on campus and teaches face-to-face.

Essential Functions: Functions include, but are not
limited to, training/educating students in appropriate skills and concepts,
employing creative pedagogy that effectively teaches students with varying
backgrounds and skill sets, providing feedback that is clear and actionable so
the student can progress throughout the semester, maintaining attendance
records, and submitting grades. They will also design for main stage
productions and mentor students in roles of design leadership when appropriate.
Additionally, this person will collaborate with the Director of the Program on
the continued evolution of the program and how design can play a vital and
vibrant role within the theatre program and NJIT overall. The ideal candidate
is a curious and creative problem solver, organized, and highly communicative.

Prerequisite Qualifications:
- MFA in Theatre Design (or similar
degree) or equivalent experience.
- At least five years professional
experience in multiple fields of design (scenic, costume, lighting, props,
sound, etc) in the theatre.
- Excellent communication and
interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively
with students, faculty, and staff.
- Passion for teaching and mentoring
students.
- At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Preferred Qualifications:
-At least two years experience
teaching and/or mentoring young designers and/or students.
-Prior teaching experience at the
collegiate level.
-Demonstrated experience with
current drawing, rendering, and drafting practices and software, including but
not limited to: Hand drafting, traditional drawing & painting, Vectorworks.
Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate, AutoCAD, and SketchUp.

Bargaining Unit:
PSA

FLSA:
Exempt
Full-Time

Special Instructions to
Applicants:
Must include Full CV, Theatrical
Design Resume, Portfolio, Cover Letter, and a brief (1-2 page) Philosophy of
Teaching and Designing Statement attached.