Teaching Assistant Professor, Music

UND Careers; Grand Forks (ND); On-site; USD 234,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND seeks a full-time Teaching Assistant Professor in Collaborative Piano for the spring 2027 semester. This non-tenure track position relies on funding and may renew as a 9-month appointment based on performance, enrollment, and budget.

The successful candidate will teach Keyboard Skills II, serve as collaborative pianist for musical theatre, and accompany students in music degree programs, with service duties across the department and community.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in music, music performance, or musical theatre completed by December 31, 2026.
• Demonstrated piano competencies including but not limited to video recordings of performances.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check.

Responsibilities

• Instructor of record, MUSC 136 – Keyboarding Skills II (two sections).
• Piano accompaniment, THEA 204/404 – Musical Theatre Acting.
• Piano accompaniment for musical productions: auditions, practices, productions.
• Piano accompaniment for student recitals, juries, and other significant performances.
• Service to the department, college, university, and community.

Skills

Keyboard skills

Piano accompaniment

Sight-reading

Collaborative piano

Music collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in music

DMA or PhD in Music

Job description

Salary/Position Classification

• $23,000+ 4.5 month contract, Dependent on Experience, Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• This position will work onsite at UND Grand Forks, ND campus

Purpose of Position

The Music and Theatre Arts Departments in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of North Dakota seek a full-time Teaching Assistant Professor in Collaborative Piano for the spring 2027 semester. This is a non-tenure track position, contingent upon the availability of funding and renewable as a 9-month position the following academic year given satisfactory job performance, enrollment demand, and budgetary support. As a trained pianist, the faculty member’s home department will be Music.

Established in 1883, the University of North Dakota is the oldest research university in North Dakota. Founded with a strong liberal arts foundation, it is the state’s flagship university and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as having very high research activity. UND offers degrees in more than 225 fields of study and enrolls nearly 16,000 students. It is the home of the state’s only School of Law and School of Medicine. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences has major initiatives in rural and public health, and Aerospace is home to one of the first and largest unmanned aerial vehicle programs in the world.

UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a vibrant college town of over 57,000 people located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota. Short commutes, a great public-school system, high quality medical facilities, low crime, ample parks and theaters, and a cost of living below that found in large American cities are some of Grand Forks’ advantages. Ranked as one of the top 5 Best Small College Towns, and America’s Best Hockey Town, Grand Forks offers stellar quality of life without the metropolitan hassles.

Duties & Responsibilities

The successful candidate will receive a contract for the spring semester that includes instruction of Keyboard Skills II (20%), 40% effort as collaborative pianist for the musical theatre program, and 30% effort for accompaniment of students enrolled in music degree programs.

All faculty are expected to contribute to service within the department, college, university, and community and to participate in the department’s recruitment and outreach initiatives. Service duties will account for 5% of effort.

UND and the College of Arts & Sciences value diverse perspectives and seek applicants who are committed to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.

Specific duties include:

• Instructor of record, MUSC 136 – Keyboarding Skills II (two sections)
• Piano accompaniment, THEA 204/404 – Musical Theatre Acting
• Piano accompaniment for musical productions: auditions, practices, productions
• Piano accompaniment for student recitals, juries, and other significant performances
• Service to the department, college, university, and community

Required Competencies

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to teach, inspire, and mentor students
• Effective interpersonal skills, including the strong ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and students
• Ability to work with and engage diverse students and colleagues within and outside the Departments of Music and Theatre Arts
• Ability to adapt to current methods of teaching, including online delivery
• Ability and willingness to adapt flexibly to the dynamic needs and rehearsal schedules of a joint music and theatre program
• Demonstrated fluency in keyboard skills, high-level sight-reading, and rapid repertoire acquisition, with proven effectiveness in collaborative rehearsal techniques across vocal, instrumental, and musical theatre genres

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree in music, music performance, or musical theatre completed by December 31, 2026
• Demonstrated piano competencies including but not limited to video recordings of performances
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identityand eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• DMA or PhD in Music completed by December 31, 2026
• Collaborative piano or piano performance degree specialty/concentration
• Experience teaching keyboarding classes at the college level
• Accompanying experience at the college level
• Experience collaborating with vocal and instrumental soloists
• Experience accompanying for musical theatre
• Demonstrated experience performing at a high level for regional or larger-scale audiences

Position is open until filled.

Questions can be directed to the Department Chair, Dr. Daphne Pedersen at ([e-mail]).