Term Faculty Lighting Design

Emerson College; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Emerson College in Boston invites applications for a full-time Term Faculty in Lighting Design. The successful candidate will design lighting for live performances and teach across the BFA Design and Stage Management program.

The role requires MFA or equivalent, with 3–5 years professional experience, and a passion for mentoring emerging designers. The position is in-person on Emerson's Boston campus, with a 3/3 teaching load, advising responsibilities, and opportunities to advance based on

Qualifications

• MFA in Lighting Design or undergrad in Design with 3–5 years professional lighting experience.
• Experience in LORT, regional, or commercial theatre lighting.
• Experience teaching lighting design at the college level and mentoring students.

Responsibilities

• Teach courses in the BFA Design and Stage Management curriculum (Foundations of Stage Design, Drafting I & II, Electrics, Programming).
• Provide academic advising and recruitment/retention initiatives.
• Provide leadership to the lighting concentration and participate in service.

Skills

Lighting design

Teaching experience

Collegiate instruction

Collaboration

Education

MFA in Lighting Design

Bachelor in Design

Tools

Hand Drafting

AutoCAD

Vectorworks

Lightwright

EOS

Capture

Light Converse

Job description

Join ourcommunityand experienceEmerson College!

The BFA program in Design and Stage Management and the Department of Performing Arts invite applications for a full-time Term Faculty in Lighting Design. We seek a creative, accomplished, and deeply engaged lighting designer and educator with experience in the field of lighting for live performances (theatre, opera, dance, or concert) and adjacent fields (film, TV, corporate, or museums) to join our community. The appointment begins August 19, 2027, with a mandatory 2-day orientation on August 19 & 20, 2027.

The Department of Performing Arts is home to one of the nation's leading undergraduate programs in theatrical performance and production, with 97 full- and part-time faculty members and staff and 550 students across all disciplines. The department offers BFAs in Acting; Design and Stage Management; Musical Theatre; Playwriting, Directing, and Dramaturgy; and Theatre Education and Performance – and an MA in Theatre Education and Applied Theatre. Emerson Stage presents up to nine fully staged productions annually in five theaters, with additional production opportunities available to our students through ArtsEmerson, our nationally and internationally recognized professional presenting company.

This is an in-person teaching position based at Emerson's Boston campus.

Term faculty appointments are renewable and begin with a one-year contract, with the opportunity to advance to longer multi-year terms based on periodic performance review.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

This position carries a 3/3 course load, teaching 6 classes over the academic year. Primary teaching responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to, the following courses in our Design and Stage Management BFA curriculum:

• Foundations of Stage Design
• Drafting I and II (Hand Drafting and Vectorworks)
• Electrics
• Programming

Additional service responsibilities will include:

• Academic advising
• Recruitment, interviews of perspective students, and retention Initiatives
• Support and mentorship for senior showcase curriculum
• Provide leadership to the lighting concentration
• Other service as assigned by the area and department

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will hold an MFA in Lighting Design or an undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree in Design accompanied by at least 3-5 years professional experience. Candidates should demonstrate their professional practice through LORT, regional, or commercial theatrical lighting design and related fields. Experience with or knowledge of United Scenic Artist, Local 829 is preferred but not required.

Candidates must have experience teaching lighting design and production at the college level and a passion for helping emerging designers develop both their artistic voices and technical confidence. We are especially interested in educators who can bring the realities of professional practice into the classroom connecting collaboration, technology, craftsmanship, and storytelling.

Expertise in the following areas is expected:

• Drafting (Hand Drafting, Autocad, and VectorWorks)
• Lightwright, EOS, and Workflow Best Practices
• Industry Digital Visualizations Software (i.e. Capture, Light Converse, and Augmented)
• Programming
• Production Electrics
• Projection and video experience is a plus

Emerson College is the nation’s only four-year institution dedicated exclusively to undergraduate majors and master’s degrees in communication, arts, and media. It is located in the dynamic, multicultural city of Boston, close to major sports teams, arts institutions, performing arts venues, research centers, and industry partners. Emerson also has campuses in Los Angeles and the Netherlands. At Emerson College, we seek individuals who bring innovation, creativity, and impact to our curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular offerings.

Emerson College believes the best way to achieve excellence is to foster a campus climate where everyone can thrive. As a community of artists, practitioners, scholars, and storytellers, we continually strive to cultivate a collaborative community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talented individuals from varied beliefs, backgrounds, and perspectives. Emerson College’s core values are creativity, innovation, inclusion, curiosity, equity, expression, and collaboration.

Base salary for this appointment, as set by the CBA, will be $81,723 annually, commensurate with experience and rank of position. Additional salary, supplements, and/or stipends may be available and applicable.