Assistant Professor of Technical Direction

Advertising Summary

VCUarts is excited to announce a one-year temporary opportunity for an Assistant Professor of Technical Direction who will be responsible for teaching technical direction related classes in the BFA/BA Theatre curriculum including Stagecraft, Structural Design, Rigging and related subjects.

School Of The Arts MBU

Theatre

Ranked by US News & World Report as a top-five arts and design school, VCUarts (arts.vcu.edu) includes over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students with nationally recognized programs in design, visual and performing arts, and has an annual budget of $38 million and an endowment of more than $13.5 million. Students are taught by over 175 full‑time teaching and research faculty members and the school is supported by over 50 staff members that assist in daily processes.

The School includes two campuses; one in Richmond and one in Doha, Qatar. The Richmond campus is located on the university’s 75‑acre Monroe Park campus situated in the city’s historic Fan District. Ultimately, the work of the School of the Arts extends globally with partnerships throughout the world and across fields as diverse as the humanities, health care, and business.

August 16, 2026 through May 15, 2027

Richmond, Virginia

This is a one-year temporary position that will end on May 15, 2027.

The Assistant Professor of Technical Direction will be responsible for:

• Teaching technical direction related classes in the BFA/BA curriculum including Stagecraft, Structural Design, Rigging and related subjects
• Mentoring student technical directors and student carpentry and props crews
• Overseeing the planning, construction, installation and strike of scenery for Department of Theatre and Dance production
• Managing the scene shop
• Advising and collaborating on scheduling production seasons
• Preparing work calls and production calendars
• Planning budgeting and purchasing for scenic materials and other technical considerations for current and future seasons
• Coordinating build schedules
• Coordinating and maintaining a safe and properly stocked sceneshop
• Preparing, organizing and supervising the scene shop for classes in stagecraft and related technical courses
• Service to the school and department and working collaboratively with theatre and dance faculty, students, and guest artists.

• MFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Technical Direction/Theatre or professional experience, academic credentials, and technical skills that equate to a terminal degree in Theatre.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary technologies and practices.
• Teaching experience at the university level beyond the GTA/TA level is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of projections is a plus.
• Independent, strong project management skills and excellent organizational skills with the ability to organize resources, budget management, establish priorities, and manage deadlines.
• Experience overseeing a scene shop and/or comparable production facility and experience supervising support staff/hourly employees/student workers is strongly preferred.
• An emphasis will be placed on those who are able to help students transition from academia to the professional world.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Commensurate with experience

All full‑time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax‑deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well‑being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Exempt

40

No

Yes

Fully Onsite

Ineligible

9 months

Contact Name:
Arts HR

Contact Email: artshr