Lecturer/Technical Director

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued-and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

About the Department of Theater

The Department of Theater produces high-caliber, artistic creations on stage, telling human stories that connect audiences and performers in our increasingly media-centric world. We model and practice professional theater-making at every level of our teaching and production process. The Department offers a BA major, a minor, and a Multicultural Theater Certificate, as well as MFA programs in Directing, Dramaturgy, and Design. Our productions are a laboratory for our students, and we welcome campus community members to be artists and audiences with us.

Job Description

The Department of Theater is searching for a full-time Non-Tenure Track Lecturer/Technical Director. The successful candidate will be an important part of a team imagining the next generation of theater training in a dynamic, collegial department. The Technical Director supports the department's mission, overseeing the department scene shop and all scenic construction in order to deliver quality scenery safely, within resources, and on time for 4-6 mainstage shows. The Technical Director also teaches courses in stagecraft and theater technology, as well as mentoring students in these disciplines. The Technical Director supervises the scene shop staff, including student workers, and collaborates closely with other departments and areas.

Essential functions and requirements:

• Embrace collaboration with the Production Manager and professional production staff, coordinating scenic work within production and season priorities.
• Work alongside BA and MFA students, to train and mentor them in a collaborative, hands-on working environment.
• Manage and supervise scene shop staff.
• Work closely with the scenic design professor and student and guest scenic designers during all stages of the design process.
• Transform designer ideas into technical drawings, advising and collaborating with designers as to feasibility, within financial, human and time resources.
• Oversee graduate and undergraduate student workers.
• Oversee the scene shop budget, including timely ordering and purchasing of materials and equipment.
• Track and report all expenses, following UMass budget management procedures, in collaboration with the Managing Director and Business Manager.
• Prioritize sustainability and reuse in all aspects of scenic construction and implementation.
• Create project-management plans and timelines for the construction and implementation of scenic elements related to mainstage shows and other auxiliary events.
• Teach a course every semester in stagecraft, theater technology, or a related field, in a way that supports and enriches the department's BA curriculum.
• Foster a culture of safety in the shop, instructing students and staff on safe procedures in all aspects of theater technology.
• Attend and participate in necessary production meetings, design runs, technical rehearsals, and work calls to ensure the safe and efficient implementation of scenery for department productions.
• Consult with the faculty, staff, and Chair on long-term capital improvements.
• Attend all faculty meetings and vote on department initiatives while keeping current with trends in the field.

Requirements

Required:

• A MFA in Technical Theater or other related terminal degree and a minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience.
• Proficiency in interpreting designer's sketches, models and drawings, with the demonstrated ability to draft and produce technical drawings using industry standard software.
• Proficiency in all aspects of scenic construction and implementation including carpentry, stage rigging, soft goods, welding/metal fabrication, 3D printing, automation, and prop making.

Preferred:

• Demonstrated teaching experience in stagecraft or technical theater

Salary Information

The University of Massachusetts Amherst expects to pay within an approximate range between $65,550 and $77,473 for this position. The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors, including faculty rank and required or relevant certifications, when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Please note:

• The low-end of the pay range in all faculty searches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the minimum salary for the rank included in the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass Amherst/MTA/NEA.
• The high-end of the pay range reflects an increase above the median of salaries at this rank within the department for faculty who may have multiple years of faculty experience.

Application Instructions

Please upload your cover letter, resume and/or curriculum vitae, along with a completed application and contact information for 3 professional references who are willing to provide letters of reference upon request.

Priority Deadline: December 15, 2025

Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Applications received after the priority deadline may not receive full consideration.

Additional Information

This position will start on September 1, 2026. The initial appointment period will be two years. Reappointments in the first four years are at the Dean's discretion and will be contingent upon both funding availability and satisfactory performance.

This position is a 9-month academic year appointment at 100% FTE with full benefits.

For more information on living, working, and learning in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts please visit:

https://www.umass.edu/faculty-development/prospective-faculty

Position is dependent on available funding.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.