Assistant Professor in Residence in Technical Direction

Updated: over 2 years ago
Location: Storrs Mansfield, CONNECTICUT
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

INTRODUCTION
The Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Residence in Technical Direction. The successful candidate will bring a passion for theater as well as creating, collaborating, and teaching. The position will be a nine-month faculty appointment and is a non-tenure track position. The position has an anticipated start date of September 1, 2021.
The successful candidate will teach a 1/1 course load in the Drama BFA and MFA Design & Technical Theater program and will provide production support for the Connecticut Repertory Theater (CRT) and the Department of Music's Opera productions as the Technical Director of CRT and the Production Manager of UConn Opera. This includes four Main Stage Productions, two Studio Productions, and two Opera productions.
Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state's flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.
The UConn Storrs campus is in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historic experiences. UConn is ranked as the top public university in New England, and among the top 25 public universities nationwide.
The University of Connecticut's Department of Dramatic Arts offers BFA degrees in Design/Technical Theatre, Acting, and Puppet Arts, and a BA degree in Theatre Studies. The Department offers an MFA in Theatre with concentrations in Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction, Acting, Puppet Arts, and Arts Leadership and Cultural Management. Its MFA programs in performance and design/tech are rated among the top six by the University/Resident Theatre Association. The unique, internationally acclaimed MFA Program in Puppet Arts offers training and experience for students across the department in innovative puppet and object performance. There are twenty-five members of the full-time faculty and an additional 7 staff members. The Connecticut Repertory Theatre prepares students by blending education and industry. Created as a training ground, and modeled on a stand-alone LORT/regional theatre, CRT produces four Main Stage productions per academic year (two in the 486-seat, proscenium-stage Harriet Jorgensen Theatre and two in the 241-seat, thrust-stage Nafe Katter Theatre) and two Studio productions in the 116-seat Studio Theatre. CRT has a professional staff of ten, several of whom also teach periodically. Also housed within the School of Fine Arts are the Department of Art & Art History, the Department of Music, the Department of Digital Media and Design, the William Benton Museum of Art, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.
For more information regarding the Department of Dramatic Arts, visit www.drama.uconn.edu
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Teach a 1/1 course load Drama BFA and MFA Design & Technical Theater program.
• Supervise Technical Direction Graduate Assistants and undergraduate student labor in the Scene Shop.
• Mentor and advise Graduate and Undergraduate students on their production assignments as Technical Directors.
• Maintain and ensure that University and Department Health and Safety policies are up to date and followed.
• Create, adjust, and maintain materials and labor budgets for the Scene Shop as well as work schedules.
• Collaborate and coordinate with faculty and guest directors as well as all areas of technical production and design.
• Coordinate with the head of the music department in the role of Production Manager of their two Opera productions.
• Help to ensure the overall success of the Department of Dramatic Arts by performing any other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  • MFA in Technical Direction or related terminal degree
  • 3 years of experience teaching at the university level
  • Demonstrated proficiency in AutoCAD and or 3D modeling software
  • Strong and effective communication and collaboration skills as well as organization, flexibility, problem-solving, budgeting, and ability to perform under pressure
  • The ability to read and understand floor plans, design sketches, blueprints, construction plans, and the ability to produce working drawings
  • Advanced carpentry and metalworking skills and knowledge and the proper use of standard theatrical scene shop equipment
  • The ability to lift and carry materials weighing between up to 51 pounds on a daily basis
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • 3 years of professional experience in Technical Direction at a Regional Theater or equivalent level
  • Autodesk Certification in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting
  • 2 years of teaching experience at the graduate level
  • Experience designing for and operating CNC routers for scenic construction
  • Experience designing and operating scenic automation systems
  • Technical and managerial experience in Opera productions
APPOINTMENT TERMS:
This is a full-time, 9-month, non-tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2021. The successful candidate's academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. The salary for this position is $45,000.
TO APPLY:
Please upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.
Please apply online and submit the following application materials:
• A cover letter specifically addressing your credentials relative to the minimum and preferred qualifications listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information of three professional references
• A one-page statement of teaching statement (including teaching experience, commitment to effective learning and mentorship of students, etc.)
• One-page commitment to diversity statement articulating the candidate's previous practices centered on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. For fullest consideration please submit your application by August 23, 2021.
If you have any questions related to the search, please send a detailed inquiry to Nisha Joshee Hardnett, Administrative Coordinator, at [email protected] with #495526 Dramatic Arts TD Search in the subject line.
The Department of Dramatic Arts is resolutely committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable environment for all members of our community. With that affirmation in mind, historically underrepresented and/or marginalized groups of all held identities, including but not limited to, applicants with accessibility needs, women, candidates of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, are actively encouraged to apply, and your offerings of continued accountability are welcomed.
At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.
Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.
This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.
This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on September 16, 2021. 
All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.
The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University's teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn's ranking as one of the nation's top research universities. UConn's faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.


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Internal Number: 495526-2276_1629281261

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