Assistant/Associate Professor of Theatre

Assistant/Associate Professor of Theatre 
Type: Full-time
Date Available: July 1,2025
Status: Review start date is January 20, 2025, but all applications will continue to be received and reviewed until the position is filled.

Position Summary

Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), a private Christian institution located in West Palm Beach, Florida, seeks an inspiring Assistant/Associate Professor of Theatre. The entrepreneurial candidate will further enhance the excellence and vitality of the Department of Theatre in accordance with the University mission and have expertise in at least three of the following technical theatre areas; lighting design, lighting production, scenic design, stage management, stagecraft, properties, audio/visual and overall technical theatre. This program of study is located in the College of the Arts, which includes Cinema, Communication, Dance, Gaming and Interactive Design, Graphic Design, Journalism, Music, Public Relations, Sports Broadcasting, Visual Art, and the Preparatory Department, a non-academic initiative offering K-12 instruction in music, dance, and children’s theatre. Typical teaching load is four courses each semester and this position reports to the Chair of the Department of Theatre. Rank is commensurate with credentials and experience.

Required Qualifications

• An earned M.F.A. in Theatre or commensurate professional experience
• Record of successful teaching, service, and scholarly/creative activity appropriate to rank of Assistant or Associate Professor
• Demonstrated excellence in interpersonal and communication skills, as well as conflict resolution
• Commitment to shared governance and consensus building within a university setting
• Experience with and commitment to building community across and with programs, departments and schools

Preferred Qualifications

• An earned Ph.D. or M.F.A. in Theatre Professional theatre production experience
• Knowledge of, and experience with, theatrical lighting production and/or design
• Demonstrable history of leading technical theatre crews

Summary of Job Duties

• According to expertise, primary focus in theatre coursework. Courses taught may include, Lighting and Sound Production, Principles of Design, Stage Management, and Participation in Production among others 
• In collaboration with Artistic Director, Technical Director, and Production Manager, the position will lead staff and student production crews
• Participate in University service, recruitment, faculty development programs, and student advising 
• Contribute to scholarly and/or proprietary creative activity
• Integrate Christian faith and pedagogy
• Other duties as assigned by the Dean

The successful candidate will possess the soft skills and hard standards to work effectively with an increasingly diverse array of students and colleagues and will have a demonstrated commitment to creating, fostering and sustaining a culture that celebrates entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration in and out of the classroom. This person will excel in attention to detail, effective oral and written communication, consensus building, creative problem solving, professionalism, and intrinsic work ethic. The self-motivated person will bring the inspiration and enthusiasm required to advance creative momentum, ensuring the Department’s achievements are broadcast widely and strategically.

The Department of Theatre offers B.A. and B.F.A. degrees and produces up to five mainstage productions and three children’s theatre productions annually. The department employs numerous staff, full-time and adjunct faculty, and regularly works with professional guest artists and designers as well as frequently partnering with the Kravis Center for Performing Arts for National Tour workshops and guest speakers. Positioned in the College of the Arts, the theatre program is housed in the Fern Street Theatre located in West Palm Beach’s Rosemary Square.  

The Institution

Founded in 1968, Palm Beach Atlantic University is an interdenominational Christian institution with over 3,800 students in 60 academic undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. PBA’s programs are framed by a Christian worldview that is guided by accomplished experts and delivered in the breathtaking setting of West Palm Beach, Florida. PBA’s graduates launch lives of character, meaning, and accomplishment. From its presence in the academic curriculum, to weekly chapel, to service learning and mission trips, the faith-based foundation shapes the student experience and prepares them with the kind of ethical, principled outlook that today’s employers value.

Palm Beach Atlantic University’s offerings are proven and respected by top employers and elite graduate institutions. Its programs, such as the Frederick M. Supper Honors Program, offer distinctive, elevated learning opportunities. In addition, PBA’s six Centers of Excellence deepen students’ knowledge and skills and add dimension to the learning experience through distinctive programming, travel, fellowship, internship and networking opportunities. Finally, through PBA’s unique Workship Program, students are able to improve communities locally, around South Florida or in countries across the globe by building homes for those in need, assisting with natural disaster recovery efforts, tutoring and mentoring students in after school programs, and packing meals for families living in underserved communities. To date, PBA students have volunteered 4 million hours of service through Workship. In Fall 2020, the Wordship Program joined the PBA traditions of Worship and Workship to cultivate a practice of using our words wisely to edify others, including those with whom we disagree, as a form of worship. These three practices are the foundational, three-legged stool upon which the integration of faith and academics rests. In an effort to further recognize and celebrate our differences, the Council for Intercultural Engagement was created to foster a climate of trust and respect as it helps students, faculty, staff, and alumni to think differently about various cultures and diversity through a variety of unique perspectives.

Students attending PBA find a fun, energetic and opportunity-rich destination with 40+ student-run clubs providing the chance to develop important teamwork and leadership skills. PBA offers some of the finest learning resources and facilities with state-of-the-art medical simulation labs, an 86,000 square-foot Warren Library, and the John & Sheila Rinker Sports Center and is part of PBA’s 78-acre Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Complex.

For more information about the university go to www.pba.edu  

Location

Living in West Palm Beach, Florida, residents are surrounded by the unparalleled opportunities of South Florida. In addition to the natural beauty of its location on the Intracoastal Waterway, PBA offers endless professional opportunities, world-class cultural outlets, and exceptional shopping districts just minutes from campus.

One can find outdoor recreation at the Everglades, Lake Trail or MacArthur Beach State Park and more than 50 miles of pristine beaches nearby. Residents can also play a round of golf at any of the area’s more than 160 golf courses, catch the pro sports action of the NFL’s Dolphins, NBA’s Heat, MLB’s Marlins and NHL’s Panthers or take in a concert or musical at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. West Palm Beach is also home to an eclectic and appetizing food scene, with cuisines representing everything from Caribbean and Cuban to Asian, German and Portuguese. With nearly 20 churches of various denominations located just minutes from the PBA campus, employees have an outstanding opportunity to become involved in a local faith community.

West Palm Beach is a city of approximately 100,000 located within Palm Beach County, which has 1.5 million residents. Located along Florida’s Atlantic Ocean coast, West Palm Beach offers appealing weather and year-round access to smooth-sand beaches and some of the nation’s most enticing waterways and is located a short drive to some of Florida's fabulous cities: Fort Lauderdale is 1 hour away; Miami is 1.5 hours; Key Largo is 2 hours, and Orlando is 2.5 hours away. Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is located less than three miles from PBA’s campus, and was recently ranked #1 in the U.S. for shortest overall wait times at TSA checkpoints. West Palm Beach is also a stop on the Brightline passenger high-speed rail system that connects Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando.

Application process

Applications for faculty/academic administration positions must include:

• A letter of application Resume or curriculum vitae Unofficial copies of all transcripts Three letters of professional reference or a list of three professional references Statement of your teaching philosophy Statement indicating how you have previously or intend to intentionally integrate a Christian theistic worldview in the teaching/learning process Completed & signed Faculty Applicant Questionnaire

Please visit Employment | PBA • Palm Beach Atlantic University to complete the application process.