Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Costume Design

Working Title: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Costume Design

State Role Title:N/A

Position Type:Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department: 100019 - School Theatre and Dance

Pay Rate:Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only positionNo

Is this a grant-funded positionNo

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated positionNo

Beginning Review Date:11/15/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginias beautiful Shenandoah Valley the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington D.C. and Richmond VA.

JMU is a selective public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21000 undergraduate and 1800 graduate students with over 1000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts science and technology and professional disciplines at the undergraduate masters and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The School of Theatre and Dance is in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and has approximately 300 students and offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Theatre Musical Theatre and Dance. Housed in the award-winning Forbes Center for the Performing Arts the School has a collegial environment and provides practice-based training within a liberal arts tradition.

The School of Theatre and Dance at James Madison University invites applications for a full-time 10-month tenure-track Assistant Professor of Costume Design to join our dynamic and collaborative faculty beginning August 2026.

We are seeking a vibrant theatre artist and educator with a strong professional background and a national and/or international portfolio in Costume Design as well as a commitment to student-centered teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate a pedagogical approach grounded in contemporary deliverables-based processes and an interest in evolving industry practices.

Our program integrates a rigorous liberal arts foundation with intensive artistic training and we are currently engaged in a collaborative redesign of our Theatre major. The incoming faculty member will have a meaningful voice in shaping this future and help lead the development of a design/technology curriculum alongside a passionate and forward-thinking faculty.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Teaching responsibilities may include:
Costume Design
Design Aspects
Stage Makeup
Advanced Design
Technical Costuming (basic advanced)
Introduction to Theatre for non-majors

In addition to teaching faculty are expected to:
Design at least two mainstage productions per academic year.
Participate in curriculum development and revision.
Engage in creative and/or scholarly research.
Actively mentor and advise students.
Contribute to a supportive and inclusive departmental environment.
Participate in student recruitment.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications
An MFA in costume design or related field by time of appointment.
Record of professional creative practice and/or academic scholarship in the discipline of costume design at the regional national and/or international level.
Evidence of strong costume technology and crafts skills.
Demonstrated ability to design for dance.
Commitment to liberal arts education and collaborative learning.
A developing or established record of creative or scholarly work consistent with the expectations of an R2 research institution.

Preferred Qualifications
Record of engaged and accomplished teaching at the undergraduate level.
Membership with USA829.
Demonstrated experience with makeup design.
Demonstrated experience of costume design in non-theatrical contexts (e.g. film/TV).
Demonstrated experience with sustainability of materials/resources for costume design.
Record of successful student mentorship.

Additional Posting Information:

Applicants should complete the application on the JMU career site and submit 1) a cover letter; 2) curriculum vitae; 3) teaching philosophy statement; 4) names and contact information of three professional references.
Review of applications will begin November 15 2025.
At the point of hiring the successful candidate will be required to send official transcripts.
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for this position.

JMUs Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information please visit of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age color disability gender identity or expression genetic information national origin parental status political affiliation race religion sex sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access inclusion and diversity for all students faculty staff constituents and programs believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: .

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at or You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office located at 752 Ott Street Harrisonburg VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.