Assistant Chair, Electronic Production and Design

Berklee College of Music; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA seeks an Assistant Chair of the Electronic Production and Design Department to lead academic administration and shape the direction of a premier music technology program. The role requires hands-on leadership, collaboration with faculty and staff, and a commitment to student-centered education in electronic music, sound design, and immersive technologies.

You will oversee scheduling, program development, faculty evaluation, and departmental initiatives

Responsibilities

• Represent the department and division as an administrative leader on and off campus.
• Assist the Chair and faculty in advancing departmental goals and initiatives and in carrying out assigned projects.
• Oversee day‑to‑day departmental operations, including policies, faculty meetings, course scheduling, enrollment, and student placement needs.
• Coordinate guest artists, workshops, and departmental programming, including summer programs.

Skills

Leadership

Academic administration

Communication

Project coordination

Job description

Job Description:Berklee College of Music is seeking applications for the position of Assistant Chair of the Electronic Production and Design Department . As one of the leading music technology programs in the world, Electronic Production and Design offers a curriculum that's grounded in electronic music production, sound design, sound for visual media and immersive technologies, electronic music performance, new musical instrument design, and creative coding. We offer an undergraduate major (EPD), a Sound Design for Video Games specialization, an Electronic Digital Instrument (EDI) Principal Instrument Program, an Electronic Performance major and minor, an intermedia arts institute, and three summer programs. Our curriculum emphasizes the innovative use of technology, informed by research, creative practice, and developments in the field, preparing students for a broad range of creative and professional pathways.

The Electronic Production and Design Department includes 35+ faculty members. Many of the faculty provide classroom instruction and directed study specifically for EPD majors, while others teach music technology courses across the college, including the core technology class that is taken by all Berklee students.

The Assistant Chair will work under the direction and supervision of the Chair and serve as an academic administrator within the department. The ideal candidate will have advanced expertise in electronic music and sound design, along with significant experience in several of the following areas: emerging music technologies, contemporary electronic music production, modular synthesis, video game and immersive sound design, new musical instrument design, and creative coding.

They will be a highly engaged, hands‑on leader with strong managerial and organizational skills who takes an active role in the day-to-day operations of the department. They will be an excellent communicator and collaborative problem‑solver, working closely with the chair, faculty, staff, and students to address needs, coordinate priorities, and ensure the department runs effectively. The ideal candidate will be student‑centered, approachable, and responsive, with a strong understanding of higher education, undergraduate curriculum, and the evolving needs of students and faculty.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Service to the Institution and to the ProfessionRepresent the department and division as an administrative leader on and off campus.Serve on the Academic Leadership Council, division committees, and other college committees as needed.Participate in auditions A&I and Berklee Global trips, as appropriate.Maintain active professional and/or scholarly engagement in music, sound design, music technology, or related fields.
• Departmental AdministrationAssist the Chair and faculty in advancing departmental goals, priorities, and initiatives and in carrying out assigned projects and responsibilities.Oversee departmental operations and provide leadership in the absence of the Chair.Support day‑to‑day departmental operations, including communicating policies and procedures, facilitating faculty meetings, and collaborating on course scheduling, registration, enrollment, and student placement needs.Foster communication and collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and other areas of the college to support departmental priorities and initiatives.Coordinate guest artists, workshops, special events, and other departmental programming, working with faculty and college partners on scheduling, logistics, and implementation.Manage and support departmental summer programs, coordinating faculty, curriculum and program content, guest artists, scheduling, preparation, and logistics, while providing hands‑on, on‑site support throughout the programs.Assist with student‑facing departmental responsibilities, including major admissions, juries, and other academic processes as needed.
• Faculty Support and Academic AdministrationSupport the Chair in faculty development, evaluation, and departmental personnel processes, while the Chair retains primary responsibility for formal performance reviews, promotion recommendations, and other personnel decisions.Provide observations and feedback to the Chair regarding faculty teaching, curriculum, departmental participation, and other areas as appropriate.Assist with faculty onboarding and ongoing support, particularly for part‑time faculty, helping faculty understand departmental curriculum, expectations, policies, procedures, and resources.Collaborate with the Chair on course scheduling and faculty teaching needs.Support faculty and course coordinators in the implementation of curriculum and in maintaining consistency and quality across departmental offerings.Help identify faculty development needs and opportunities and bring recommendations to the Chair.Participate in departmental searches, reviews, committees, and other faculty processes as assigned by the Chair.
• Student Advising, Recr