Technical Director and Assistant Professor of Practice

Details • Blacksburg, VA

10d • $55,000 - $65,000

About The Position

The Theatre and Cinema program in the School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech, a growing program emphasizing traditional and emerging technologies in theatre and cinema practice, seeks a dynamic, energetic, and creative theatre practitioner to execute, teach, and mentor students in Technical Design and Production. Fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, our program is committed to collaborative theatre making, with a focus on artistic integrity and professionalism. The successful candidate will be a professional theatre craftsperson with a passion for teaching and the ability to contribute significantly to the production, education, and engagement missions of the program and the school. This is an academic year (9-month) non-tenure track faculty position with an initial contract of three years with the opportunity for renewal. Duties and responsibilities will generally include: 1) the maintenance, supervision, and execution of seasonal theatrical productions, with particular attention to the function and realization of scenery and scenic designs in collaboration with faculty, staff, and students, and 2) the teaching and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. A more comprehensive list of duties and responsibilities includes the following: Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students on the planning, management, implementation, and safety of all phases of production, particularly those related to scenic and technical elements, for four mainstage productions and possible workshops. Provide cost analyses, construction drawings, and build schedules. Teach 2-3 undergraduate and/or graduate courses (including individualized production studios) per semester in stagecraft, technical design, and production. Supervise undergraduate and graduate students in the scene shop. Participate in all technical rehearsals, production meetings, and work calls for productions as needed, which may take place on nights and weekends. Engage in program-related service, such as recruitment, structural committees, and season planning. Recruit students and serve as primary advisor for students in the MFA in the Theatre Arts: Technical Direction program. The School of Performing Arts (SOPA) is one of four schools (along with the Schools of Architecture, Visual Arts, and Design) in the newly formed College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD), which launched in July 2022. SOPA offers programs in music, theatre, and cinema at the graduate and undergraduate level. Programs are delivered in Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District, which concentrates 11 performance spaces within a three-block area on the Blacksburg campus. Performance venues range from the 1,300-seat Moss Arts Center to a 101-seat experimental theatre. The College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Tech affirms our collective responsibility to encourage, build, and embrace the polyculturism of our world. We do this by acknowledging and addressing our past, recognizing our current responsibility, and acting in the interests of building and sustaining communities that are truly safe, supportive, and inclusive for all. Our commitment is to engage in these processes continually and proactively for the benefit of our students, staff, and faculty across the college and the communities around the world we aim to serve.

Requirements

• An MFA in Theatre with coursework specifically related to technical theatre production and scenery.
• Professional experience working as a Technical Director or managing in a related area.
• Advanced knowledge and familiarity with the tools, equipment and systems associated with technical theatre production in a scene shop.
• Proficiency in current carpentry and metalworking practices.
• Demonstrated proficiency in safe theatrical stage-rigging practices.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD or Vectorworks, and CNC Tool pathing software.
• Demonstrated knowledge and use of Creative Conners or similar automation systems.
• Willingness and dexterity to safely work in a construction environment, operate hand and power tools, and personnel lifts.

Nice To Haves

• Basic knowledge and familiarity with lighting, sound, and projection technology.
• Knowledge of structural analysis to ensure structural integrity and safety of scenic elements.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mechanical and automated scenic design for the integration of moving scenic elements.
• ETCP Certification in Theatre Rigging.
• Knowledge and familiarity with OSHA 1910 General Industry, NFPA 101, NEC, and ADA (Successful completion of OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 is a plus).
• Academic experience teaching technical theatre production.
• Strong skills in verbal and written communication, particularly technical writing.
• Evidence of proficiency in production budgeting and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students on the planning, management, implementation, and safety of all phases of production, particularly those related to scenic and technical elements, for four mainstage productions and possible workshops.
• Provide cost analyses, construction drawings, and build schedules.
• Teach 2-3 undergraduate and/or graduate courses (including individualized production studios) per semester in stagecraft, technical design, and production. Supervise undergraduate and graduate students in the scene shop.
• Participate in all technical rehearsals, production meetings, and work calls for productions as needed, which may take place on nights and weekends.
• Engage in program-related service, such as recruitment, structural committees, and season planning.
• Recruit students and serve as primary advisor for students in the MFA in the Theatre Arts: Technical Direction program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees