Assistant Professor of Teaching Theatre and Dance

Salary range: Off-scale salaries and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience. A reasonable estimated salary range for this position is $108,100-$132,700, inclusive of the salary scale and off-scale salary components.

Open date: October 13, 2026

Next review date: Monday, Nov 23, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Thursday, Dec 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, Davis invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor in Theatre and Dance to begin July 1, 2027. The Assistant Teaching Professor position is a full-time Academic Senate faculty position with potential for security of employment akin to tenure. Successful candidates will be artist scholars with expertise in dance practice and theatre and dance history, theory, or criticism.

They will have experience as a producer and choreographer in live dance performance. They will be expected to engage our undergraduate students in production and to teach classes in our curriculum based on their expertise and strength. They will curate and produce our dance productions. They will demonstrate a record of, or will have demonstrated potential for, creative accomplishments and/or research publication, as well as collaborative, cross-disciplinary, performance-making processes.

Our production mission intentionally supports unique voices and stories. The position is best viewed as an opportunity to engage with a vibrant culture of theatre and dance, involving committed, imaginative, and original interventions through performance.

The Department of Theatre and Dance currently produces three mainstage shows and one showcase during the academic year. Facilities include a 450-seat proscenium main stage, a 200-seat thrust stage, a flexible black box, and two studio spaces. There are four full-time professors, five classified staff, and several lecturers.

Qualified candidates will hold an MFA and/or Ph.D. (ideally in theatre, dance, or performance studies, though other degrees will be considered) and have 5 years of experience in dance practice, choreography, and production in university or professional settings. They must demonstrate ability to maintain a safe work environment and have experience with student supervision and instruction. Ideally, they will also have experience teaching dance and theatre practice, history, and/or theory.

They should have a track record showing a commitment to collaboration and student success. The successful candidate will offer a clearly articulated vision of how their work will contribute to the University's mission and the needs of our student population. Artist-scholars should be committed to fostering multiple modes of performance, collaboration across disciplines, and awareness of current pedagogical practices.

The UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance offers an interdisciplinary curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dance. The University of California, Davis is in a city known for its quality of life. Davis is within a two-hour drive of the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley, and the high Sierras, and is fifteen minutes away from the state capital, Sacramento.

• A detailed cover letter that specifically addresses experience relevant to the position description
• A curriculum vitae that includes links to scholarly and creative work
• A statement of teaching philosophy addressing the role of theatre and dance in a liberal arts context
• A syllabus for a large lecture course in theatre/dance history or theory
• A syllabus for a dance practice course
• Contact information for three professional references (references for finalists will be contacted by the search committee with prior consent of the candidate)

Applications should be received by November 23, 2026, to ensure full consideration.

MFA and/or Ph.D. (ideally in theatre, dance, or performance studies, though other degrees will be considered) and have 5 years of experience in…