Assistant Professor of Lighting

professional communities within a large tier 1 research university. We seek an artist-educator to join our faculty as a full-time Assistant Professor of Lighting Design. This is a 9‑month appointment on a three‑year renewable contract; non‑tenure‑track faculty make up the standard faculty model in the College of Fine Arts. We seek a creative, collaborative teacher who foregrounds artistic experimentation and design innovation while sustaining rigorous craft training and inclusive pedagogy. The successful candidate will mentor student designers across undergraduate and graduate programs, contribute to a lively production season, and help advance the School's curricular goals and forward‑thinking approaches to design training.

Qualifications

The
candidate should possess expertise and knowledge
of the techniques, design
strategies, intellectual discourse, history and current practices of lighting
for the stage. The successful
candidate will be well-prepared to teach students
at all levels (graduate and undergraduate) in studio and seminar courses, and
be able to
provide strong evidence of ability to collaborate with co-educators,
as well as be able to provide evidence of an established or emerging
national
profile in lighting design. The successful
candidate should also have a significant professional lighting design portfolio
demonstrating artistic accomplishment, and should have demonstrative
communication and administrative skills.
An MFA in Lighting Design or
a closely related field, or equivalent
professional experience.

The
candidate is also expected to have:

• Strong production
  experience (in live theatre and if
  possible, dance) and evidence of impact
  in the field.
• A record of college-level/pre-professional
  teaching
  experience that demonstrates evidence of excellent mentorship and innovative pedagogy.
• Evidence of successful teaching or
  mentorship at the collegiate or
  pre‑professional level.
• Experience with digital lighting workflows and automated
  systems.
• Proficiency
  with industry software (e.g., Vectorworks, Lightwright, ETC EOS family) and
  familiarity with contemporary workflow best
  practices.
• Demonstrated
  commitment to inclusive pedagogy and mentoring students from diverse
  backgrounds.
• Active
  professional
  networks and a record of regional/national/international
  engagement.

BU
SOT prepares students to think critically and work
collaboratively about
theatre, its practice, and its impact on the communities it serves. The
successful candidate should be able to foster
excellence and creative agency
from a culturally and artistically informed position. The ability to foster and
build upon interdepartmental
connections is a strength of BU and central to BU
SOT's mission as a theatre school within a major research university. The
candidate will
ideally demonstrate excellence in interdisciplinary teaching
informed by both experimentation and research and be adept at building
connections with other university programs, schools and centers.

Boston University's
School of Theatre is a vibrant center for creative
inquiry and professional
preparation within a leading private research university. We offer rigorous BFA
and MFA programs across
performance, design, production, and management, blending
hands‑on practice with critical study, collaborative projects, and
interdisciplinary engagement. Our faculty are active artists and scholars with
national and international profiles; students benefit from
direct mentorship,
regular public performances, and partnerships across the College of Fine Arts
and the wider University.

The School
produces a
lively, diversified season of productions in multiple performance
spaces-ranging from intimate studio work to fully realized
mainstage
shows-giving students practical, real‑world experience in every stage of
production. Our facilities include contemporary design
studios and
well‑equipped scene and costume workshops, supported by professional technical
staff and student‑run crews.

Situated in the
cultural and theatrical hub of Boston, the School connects learners with a
broad network of regional companies, festivals, and arts
institutions, and
maintains close collaborations with the School of Music. Our graduates are
collaborative, reflective artists who combine
creative rigor with professional
readiness to help shape the future of performance.

Applying and Materials and Review
Process

Please submit the
following as a single PDF or clearly labeled files via the application portal or email directly to the business
manager, Michael Swartz-Flores swartzmc@bu.edu :

• Cover letter describing teaching philosophy,
  creative
  practice, and fit with BU's program
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching statement (including approaches to mentorship,
  equity, and assessment)
• Portfolio of design work (digital link preferred)
• Contact information for three professional
  references

Review of applications
will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants
are encouraged to
apply early. Finalists will be asked to participate in an
in-person interview and to present a portfolio, give a sample lecture or critique,
and meet with students and faculty; on‑campus visit expenses will be
reimbursed.

No
email applications please.

Preference
will be given to applications received by November 1^st, 2026, for
first round interviews. Applications will be
considered until the position is
filled.

Since
its founding in 1839, Boston University has embraced a mission of openness and access,
becoming one of the first universities in the nation to welcome all students of ability
regardless of race, gender,
or creed. That tradition shapes our enduring
commitment to
academic freedom, free inquiry, and the robust exchange of ideas. Please
visit https://www.bu.edu/values/
to learn more about our shared values.

We
seek scholars who will contribute to our community of teachers and researchers through
excellence in innovative
scholarship, engaged teaching, and participation in
the intellectual
life of the University. Boston University provides an
environment where faculty and
students work together across disciplines, perspectives, and experiences to
advance knowledge
and address society's most pressing challenges.

Boston
University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will
receive consideration
for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, age, national
origin, ethnicity,
disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic
protected by law
or identified in the University's Notice of
Non-Discrimination. Retaliation is
also prohibited.
We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Under Massachusetts law, we may not require
or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment.

Boston
University,
consistent with the AAU's Principles on Preventing Sexual
Harassment, conducts
background checks for final candidates for certain
faculty and staff positions.
As part
of this process, we ask current and past employers of the last seven years
whether there
has been a substantiated finding of sexual misconduct under their policies. To
move forward,
final candidates must complete
and sign an "Authorization to Release
Information" form
after receiving an offer to enable this background check.