Faculty of Practice, Theatre, Scenic and Lighting Design

Wilkes University • Wilkes Barre, PA

70d

About The Position

The Wilkes University Division of Performing Arts seeks highly qualified applicants for a full-time, non-tenure-track Faculty of Practice position in Theatre Scenic and Lighting Design, beginning in Fall 2026 pending available funding. The Wilkes University Theatre program offers a BFA in Musical Theatre, a BA in Theatre Arts, and a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology, as well as minors in Theatre, Music, and Dance. Appointments are made on a 9-month basis and are renewed annually. Faculty of Practice are afforded all privileges of other full-time faculty, including rights to vote and participate in faculty governance and the protection of academic freedom. In addition to teaching, faculty are expected to participate in service activities at the department, college, and university levels, including developing the curriculum of the BFA degree in the Design and Technology program and will also be responsible for advising and mentoring undergraduate students. Wilkes University is an independent, comprehensive university dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts, sciences, and selected professional programs. The University has approximately 2,000 students at the undergraduate level and over 1,500 full time equivalent students at the graduate and first professional levels. Its institutional focus is on developing strong mentoring relationships with each of its students and contributing vitally to economic development of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a revitalized city that is located on the lovely Susquehanna River and is within two and one-half hours driving distance of New York City and Philadelphia.

Requirements

• MFA in Theatre Design or a related terminal degree.
• Demonstrated scenic and lighting design experience in both professional and university settings.
• Minimum two years of university-level teaching in scenic and/or lighting design.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Scenic painting and properties management.
• Experience with Design software, such as CAD and Vectorworks.
• Experience with Lighting programming and technologies, including moving lights, projection, and digital visualization.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, directors, choreographers, and designers.
• Excellent communication and organizational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design scenic elements and lighting elements for mainstage productions.
• Teach courses each academic year in scenic design, lighting design, and related areas aligned with the candidate's expertise.
• Play a key role in developing and growing the Design and Technology BFA, including student recruitment and mentoring.
• Oversee student assistants in scenic painting and props for productions.
• Actively participate in all aspects of the production process, including technical rehearsals, strikes, and ongoing production work.
• Collaborate with a full-time Technical Director and Assistant Technical Director.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees