Resident Assistant Professor of Costume Design

The Department of Theater & Performance Studies (TPS) at Occidental College invites applications for a Resident Assistant Professor of Costume Design with appointment to begin August 16, 2025. The appointment period is annually from August 16-May 16 (9 month academic year) and the initial contract is for 2 years. Upon review, the contract may be extended in 3-5 year terms, subject to Union contract guidelines. MFA in Costume Design/Technology or commensurate experience required.

The Department of Theater & Performance Studies (TPS) seeks to provide students with a holistic experience in performance practice, history, and analysis, and we use our productions as laboratories to test and deepen the work in our classrooms and studios. We are searching for a highly collaborative specialist in theatrical Costume Design, and this faculty member will:

• Design for three mainstage productions, and/or supervise designs by students or guest designers.
• Teach between 2-3 classes in an annual year. These courses include costume design, costume construction, stage makeup, period styles, and other design courses as needed.
• Train and assist students completing costume production lab hours and student/casual labor staff who build the costumes for three TPS productions and support assorted student and class generated projects;
• Maintain equipment and stock in the costume shop and the storage areas of the TPS Department;
• Manage the costume shop by working with costume designers (student, faculty, and guest artist) to build, rent, and purchase materials and costumes for our productions, working within the budgets established for each production.
• Possibly teach in the First Year Seminar program, if they would like to.
• Mentor student costume designers and serve on senior comprehensive project committees
• Attend department faculty meetings and participate in the department’s events and planning

This faculty member will participate in the life of the department working with the faculty and staff to maintain the excellence, rigor, and ingenuity of the program. Occidental faculty are committed teacher-scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students in classrooms, labs, studios, and mentored projects. They teach broadly in the curriculum of their department, advise and mentor students, establish themselves as exceptional researchers and practitioners in their fields, and provide departmental, college-wide, and external service. As a small institution, faculty across disciplines build community with one another and occasionally collaborate in team-teaching and research projects. Located within the vibrant city of Los Angeles, Occidental is committed to a community-engaged curriculum—faculty build fieldwork, visits to local museums and cultural organizations, and long-standing partnerships into their courses. Occidental is also committed to undergraduate research, regularly mentoring students in Occidental’s hallmark summer research program. We seek an innovative teacher, scholar, mentor, and colleague who wishes to work in such an environment and who shares these commitments to a community-grounded and research-intensive curriculum

Required Qualifications

• MFA in Costume Design or Costume Technology by start date August 16, 2025, or commensurate experience
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
• Ability and interest in mentoring student designers
• Ability to balance excellent teaching with designing
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the College
• Demonstrated ability to:
  – Design and realize costumes for a range of historical periods and production styles and to do this on time and on budget- Teach costume technology and design classes- Supervise student and professional staff- Work with budgets of time, money, and labor

  – Multitask

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional expertise in other areas of theater, fashion, design and technology are welcome

Application Deadline and Instructions

To be assured full consideration, your application materials must be received by midnight Eastern time (9:00PM PST) on January 21, 2025. Applicants must submit a complete application package to INTERFOLIO (https://apply.interfolio.com/158287), and can address questions to theatersearch@oxy.edu.

A complete application includes all of the following:

• 2-3pg Cover Letter in which you describe the education, experience, and/or skills you possess that are relevant to the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Include in the letter a teaching statement (1 paragraph) that addresses your approach to the studio and advancing equitable opportunities, an artist statement (1-2 paragraphs) addressing your goals and approach to your design work, and a statement on collaboration (1 paragraph).
• Curriculum Vitae
• Link to an online portfolio that includes professional costume design work for scripted theater and, if applicable, costume design in an academic setting
• A list of 3 references and contact information