University of South Florida
Job Description
Position:
Assistant Professor, Scenic Design. This position is a 9-month tenure earning faculty position with a start date of August 2026.
Salary:
Competitive and commensurate with experience
Organizational summary: The School of Theatre and Dance embraces, inspires, educates, and educates students in all of their capacities as explorative and thoughtful artists who impact their local and global communities. The faculty of the School of Theatre and Dance is comprised of professional creatives, whose work has international reach. Students experience a guest artist series coupled with one-of-a-kind study abroad program in Paris, and research opportunities in dance medicine and science. Graduates of the dance program go on to enjoy success with the likes of Broadway, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Dance Company, Kate Weare Dance Company, Disney World, Busch Gardens, and Norwegian Cruise Lines; they perform, design and direct for television and film, become artistic and managing directors, high school teachers, college professors, choreographers, arts in health/somatic practitioners, healthcare professionals, and technical professionals. The USF School of Theater and Dance fosters and cultivates adaptable thinkers, intelligent, compassionate leaders and creative risk takers who will impact the arts field and beyond
As the creative center of the University of South Florida, the College of Design, Art & Performance provides an enriched, creative, and professional environment for tomorrow's leaders in architecture, design, art, art history, dance, music, and theatre. The college is home to the university's arts district, Contemporary Art Museum, Graphicstudio and the Florida Center for Community Design. The college embraces opportunities to embed new and existing arts programming in the rapidly growing regional communities and serves as an integral engine for socioeconomic progress through its research, advocacy, and engagement.
Responsibilities
Duties:
Faculty in the School of Theater and Dance are required to maintain an active research agenda and annually report on progress toward promotion and tenure. As an R1 AAU University, creative activity and research will be expected to be at a national and international level. Teaching responsibilities will generally include 2 assignments per semester, comprised of a combination of designing major productions and course work. The service profile will be comprised of mentoring students, work on School, College, and/or University committees, professional memberships, and curricular development.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications : Terminal Degree in related field, or significant equivalent professional experience. Ability to teach scenic design and other design courses, as per your experience and effectively mentor young designers. Ability to design scenery for main stage productions in theatre, dance, and in other Interdisciplinary interests in multiple styles of theatre spaces.
Preferred Qualifications:
Terminal degree with emphasis in Scenic Design. Incorporation of projections into design and knowledge of projection software and implementation. Teaching experience in scene painting, CAD, and other emerging technologies. Experience in designing for touring to varied spaces, designing for site specific and outdoor locations, themed/entertainment design, immersive theatre, and other genres. National and/or international professional design credits in theatre, dance and /or music. Interdisciplinary research involving technology, and/or art, music, and health sciences. Must meet university criteria for appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor.
Applicants MUST provide the following documents when completing the application: Letter of interest Curriculum vitae Links to an online portfolio of work examples. If the works require passwords for viewing, please include them. Files that cannot be easily accessed may not be reviewed.
About Us
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.
Position:
Assistant Professor, Scenic Design. This position is a 9-month tenure earning faculty position with a start date of August 2026.
Salary:
Competitive and commensurate with experience
Organizational summary: The School of Theatre and Dance embraces, inspires, educates, and educates students in all of their capacities as explorative and thoughtful artists who impact their local and global communities. The faculty of the School of Theatre and Dance is comprised of professional creatives, whose work has international reach. Students experience a guest artist series coupled with one-of-a-kind study abroad program in Paris, and research opportunities in dance medicine and science. Graduates of the dance program go on to enjoy success with the likes of Broadway, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Dance Company, Kate Weare Dance Company, Disney World, Busch Gardens, and Norwegian Cruise Lines; they perform, design and direct for television and film, become artistic and managing directors, high school teachers, college professors, choreographers, arts in health/somatic practitioners, healthcare professionals, and technical professionals. The USF School of Theater and Dance fosters and cultivates adaptable thinkers, intelligent, compassionate leaders and creative risk takers who will impact the arts field and beyond
As the creative center of the University of South Florida, the College of Design, Art & Performance provides an enriched, creative, and professional environment for tomorrow's leaders in architecture, design, art, art history, dance, music, and theatre. The college is home to the university's arts district, Contemporary Art Museum, Graphicstudio and the Florida Center for Community Design. The college embraces opportunities to embed new and existing arts programming in the rapidly growing regional communities and serves as an integral engine for socioeconomic progress through its research, advocacy, and engagement.
Responsibilities
Duties:
Faculty in the School of Theater and Dance are required to maintain an active research agenda and annually report on progress toward promotion and tenure. As an R1 AAU University, creative activity and research will be expected to be at a national and international level. Teaching responsibilities will generally include 2 assignments per semester, comprised of a combination of designing major productions and course work. The service profile will be comprised of mentoring students, work on School, College, and/or University committees, professional memberships, and curricular development.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications : Terminal Degree in related field, or significant equivalent professional experience. Ability to teach scenic design and other design courses, as per your experience and effectively mentor young designers. Ability to design scenery for main stage productions in theatre, dance, and in other Interdisciplinary interests in multiple styles of theatre spaces.
Preferred Qualifications:
Terminal degree with emphasis in Scenic Design. Incorporation of projections into design and knowledge of projection software and implementation. Teaching experience in scene painting, CAD, and other emerging technologies. Experience in designing for touring to varied spaces, designing for site specific and outdoor locations, themed/entertainment design, immersive theatre, and other genres. National and/or international professional design credits in theatre, dance and /or music. Interdisciplinary research involving technology, and/or art, music, and health sciences. Must meet university criteria for appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor.
Applicants MUST provide the following documents when completing the application: Letter of interest Curriculum vitae Links to an online portfolio of work examples. If the works require passwords for viewing, please include them. Files that cannot be easily accessed may not be reviewed.
About Us
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.