Job Description

The School of Drama within the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University invites applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position in the Costume Design Program. The Costume Design Program prepares students for careers in theater, television and film, opera, dance, and emerging forms of performance-based entertainment. Under the mentorship of world-class faculty, emphasis is placed on developing individual artists with active voices in collaborative creation. We combine established practice and innovative pedagogical and technological advancement across all subject areas with an intensive student-centered school production season. Our conservatory program prepares its students to be committed to the enrichment of multi-faceted art practices, and to champion interdisciplinary collaboration, to explore new forms of creative expression. As the first established degree-granting Drama program in the US, Carnegie Mellon has a long, rich history of preparing theater artists to be at the forefront of the entertainment industry.

Location: This position requires being physically located on the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania campus throughout the academic year.

Position Type: This position carries the academic rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in Costume Design (Tenure-Track). The position begins academic year 2027-28, with a commitment of nine months per year and an initial appointment of three years.

The person hired for this position will become an integral part of the dynamic conservatory at the School of Drama in the College of Fine Arts, working closely within a four-person costume design and costume production faculty team supported by six integral area staff members. This position is tenure-track and will quickly assume a major part in a collaborative, active, forward-focused program.

Expected teaching for both undergraduate and graduate populations will include a two-semester course in the History of Clothing, from a global, multi-cultural and broad socio-political viewpoint, and a course in Digital Drawing and/or Concept Character Illustration. Additional teaching would include courses determined in collaboration with other area faculty and School of Drama leadership.

Production is a registered course, and active mentorship through this process distinguishes the School of Drama at CMU. With few exceptions, the work on our productions is created, organized, and managed by our students. Each semester would include advisement on 2-3 productions.

Yearly course load would be either 3:2 or 2:3 plus advising.

We seek to hire a vital partner in building the next generation of the program. This person will have an instrumental voice in an ongoing forward-facing curricular review and be an essential contributor to the future of conservatory education at Carnegie Mellon University.

Ongoing professional engagement is expected, encouraged and supported, though physical presence for classroom activities must be prioritized.

Base salary is $70-80k commensurate with rank and experience, plus benefits.

Qualifications

Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

• An open and collaborative individual engaged with creating collegial teams within and across disciplines
• An MFA or relevant terminal degree is desired. Candidates without a terminal degree are encouraged to apply if they have equivalent professional and demonstrated teaching experience (even in non-traditional settings) that prepares them for the responsibilities of a tenure-track position
• Ongoing professional practice with a National and/or International presence
• Teaching and mentoring experience
• Portfolio exhibiting wide-ranging practices (both traditional and non-traditional), genres, and work in analogous fields representing the candidate as an engaged artist and educator

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following:

The Committee asks that you supply the following materials for the initial round of this search:

• A Cover Letter describing your qualifications and interest in the position; summarizing your experience, what you could bring to the program and how your growth as an artist and educator can continue to evolve as part of our community.
• A comprehensive Digital Portfolio or Website link.
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• A list of at least three current References with contact information.

Application Review Process:

Review of applications will begin immediately. The application process will close on October 30, 2026 Early application is encouraged.

The search committee is interested in attracting a varied pool of applicants; we encourage those that consider their qualifications to be unique and who can contribute to the costume design team to apply. Please ask additional questions via email, subject line “COSTUME SEARCH”, to administrative assistant Joyce Dellovade at joyced@andrew.cmu.edu

Are you interested in this exciting opportunity? Please apply!

Application Process

This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Carnegie Mellon University is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.