Title: Assistant Professor of Theatre

VP Area: Provost - UMW

Department: College of Arts and Sciences

Campus Location: Main Campus

Advertised Range: $60,000 - $62,000

(A final salary offer will be determined by the selected candidate's qualifications, and is not is not negotiable beyond what is advertised.)

Job Summary/Basic Functions

The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Mary Washington is now accepting applications for a full time, tenure track position of Assistant Professor of Scenic Design beginning August of 2027. The successful candidate will contribute to the department’s dynamic production program through scenic design, technical direction, and construction of departmental productions in conjunction and collaboration with fellow faculty designers and directors, students, guest artists, and support staff. Additionally, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the department through curriculum development, effective teaching, recruitment, advising, student mentorship, and service to the university, college, and department. 

MFA in scenic design, or equivalent professional training and experience is required. Facility with Vectorworks or AutoCAD is required. Maintaining understanding in contemporary professional standards and practices is expected. Candidates must be committed to excellence in undergraduate teaching at the introductory level, both within the discipline and general education curriculum, as well as in upper-level design and technology classes. The Department is particularly interested in candidates who recognize the unique opportunities of a design position in a liberal arts environment and who are excited to contribute to a vibrant program with strong production values. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a high level of dedication to effective teaching and high-impact learning in an inclusive environment that embraces diverse talents and backgrounds. The successful candidate can look forward to joining a department recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best with a growing number of majors and a vibrant, respected production program, and which is building a new multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art theatre facility.

Please submit the following items for consideration for this position electronically through the UMW careers website:

• Letter of application
• CV/resume
• Teaching Statement
• Contact information for three professional references
• A PDF of at least twenty representative samples of design work or a link to an online portfolio

For information on UMW Theatre, visit https://cas.umw.edu/theatre.

Deadline for receipt of materials is December 15, 2026.

Required KSAs/Competencies/Qualifications

• Scenic design credits in the professional theatre.
  
• Knowledge of construction techniques.
  
• Willingness to teach general education and specialized courses in theatre.
  
• Commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching at the introductory level, as well as design and technology at the upper level.

Required Experience:

• Experience as a scenic painter, designer or properties manager.
  

Required Education:

• MFA in Scene Design from an accredited college/university or equivalent experience in a related field.

Required Licensure:

None

Additional Considerations:

• Additional expertise in another area of design.
  
• Experience with or willingness to learn emerging technologies in the discipline.
  
• Experience teaching undergraduate students.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position. To be considered for this position a state application must be received through the online employment system at https://jobs.umw.edu/. Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications or resumes will not be accepted.

Excluding current UMW employees, selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a criminal history background check. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks. 

Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions. For more information, please visit http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/.

The University of Mary Washington adheres to the principle of equal opportunity. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, parental status (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors in recruiting, admitting, enrolling students or hiring and promoting faculty and staff members. Complaints of discrimination should be directed to the EEO officer of the University.

UMW Values Veterans: UMW is a proud member of the Commonwealth of Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program, authorized under the Code of Virginia (§2.2-2001.2). We are committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified Veterans and their spouses. Veterans who are hired into state positions may be eligible for additional leave accruals based on their total years of service in the military, National Guard or Reserve. For more information please visit: https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeebenefits.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process (AHP). To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly Certificate of Disability or COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS) or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.