Assistant Professor of Theatre

Western Washington University with over 15000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school is nationally recognized for its educational programs students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham Washington a coastal community of 90000 overlooking Bellingham Bay the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes Bremerton Everett Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes such as being named one of the top public masters-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success increasing our Washington impact and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship research and creative activity. Westerns greatest strength is the outstanding students faculty staff and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can pursuit of this excellence individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff faculty administration student and external constituents. Further individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic societal environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Department of Theatre and Dance support Westerns mission which states that together with our students staff and faculty we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women people of color people with disabilities veterans and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The College of Fine and Performing Arts comprises the departments of Art/Art History Design Music and Theatre and Dance housed in eight buildings with five performance spaces including a Performing Arts Center overlooking Bellingham Bay. The College also is home to the Music Library and Western Gallery and Public Art Collection one of the top ten outdoor sculpture collections in the country.

The Department of Theatre and Dance invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Theatre beginning September 16 2027.

We are seeking a dynamic collaborative energetic creative and empathetic artist-teacher who wants to be part of an undergraduate-focused theatre department which combines the strengths of a liberal arts program with the rigor of professional practice. The successful candidate will share in our department and universitys strong commitment to cultivate inclusive and equitable learning and creative environments.

The responsibilities of this position include teaching introductory and advanced courses in theatre and performance primarily Introduction to Theatre Directing and Theatre Education and may include other courses to support our curriculum. This person will be directing productions in our departments mainstage season and will be a principal contributor to our vibrant theatre department collaborating with fellow faculty mentoring students and making a significant positive contribution to the life of our department. The teaching load is between 27 and 30 credits spread over three quarters in the academic year.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of activity in the practice of theatre and/or theatre scholarship. They will be passionate about working with undergraduate students in a liberal arts environment and will be expected to fulfill recruiting advising teaching and mentoring responsibilities that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

They will participate in service activities for the department college and university and will maintain an ongoing practice of creative and/or scholarly activity in the discipline.

• One of the following:
  • MFA in Acting Performance Directing Playwrighting or closely related field at time of application; or
  • PhD in Theatre Arts or closely related field at time of application
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of students and employees with diverse cultural backgrounds and social identities
• Evidence of successful teaching experience in higher education and/or commensurate professional experience
• Record of creative activity and/or scholarship related to theatre arts
• Demonstrated effective skills in collaboration and communication

• Demonstrated experience in and enthusiasm for teaching Directing Theatre Education and a large Introduction to Theatre survey course to majors and non-majors
• Additional demonstrated expertise in an area of the candidates interest related to theatre.
• Evidence of successful experience in directing
• Evidence of successful creative activity in professional venues
• The ability to work and collaborate across disciplines: outside the arts across campus and in the community
• Experience in curriculum development
• A dedication to a liberal arts educational model compatible with the mission of WWU

Salary

The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment tenure-track is generally between $69000-$74000 with placement within the positions salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $69000-$86000 with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments.

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110 the entire salary range provided above reflects the anticipated full salary range in the position at the given rank with progression in ranks occurring as outlined in the Universitys tenure and promotion process per the collective bargaining agreement.

Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines. Salary and start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

Bargaining Unit

United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Application materials must be submitted via WWUs PageUp system and include the following:

1. Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Statement of teaching philosophy
4. Accessibility diversity equity and inclusion statement
   Submit a one-page document discussing your ability and commitment to work effectively with underrepresented students and to foster and promote an environment of accessibility diversity equity and inclusion; you may draw upon your personal as well as professional experience in developing this statement. For more information about Westerns commitment to this movement please see Western Presidents page on Advancing Inclusion and Diversity.
5. Portfolio of your creative and/or scholarly accomplishments (this may consist of a document containing a hyperlink or digital materials).
6. Names and contact information for three professional references. References will only be contacted for finalist candidates.

Inquiries may be directed to the Theatre and Dance Search Committee Chair Prof. Evan Mueller at .

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. Employment-based visa sponsorship may be considered depending on the candidates current immigration status; however the University is unable to sponsor new H1B petitions or cover associated filing or processing fees at this time.

Application review begins September 16 2026. Position closes November 10 2026 and applications will no longer be accepted after that date.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity compliance with applicable laws WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race ethnicity color national origin age citizenship or immigration status pregnancy use of protective leave genetic status sex sexual orientation gender identity gender expression marital status creed religion veteran or military status disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law in its programs or activities including employment admissions and educational programs. See WWUs Policies onProhibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance Title IX and ADA Coordinator Western Washington University Old Main 126 (MS 9021) 516 High Street Bellingham WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay);

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation please contactHuman Resources Disability Services 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Westerns campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use crime prevention the reporting of crimes sexual assault and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at . The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.