What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Professor of Practice in Costume Design/Costume Shop Manager position at Beloit College?
Beloit College Department of Performing and Applied Arts (PART) seeks an Assistant Professor of Practice in Costume Design/Costume Shop Manager beginning August 2025. PART is an innovative program in the School of Media and the Arts (SOMA). PART's mission seeks to merge theatre, dance, and music into ground-breaking interdisciplinary performances. We seek an individual who is interested in experimental approaches to design and performance. A designer whose artistic interests can also lead to collaborations that include film and digital media is also encouraged to apply.
This non-tenure track, full-time position provides costume designs for productions for the Department of Performing and Applied Arts, manages the costume shop, hires, trains and supervises student workers, tracks the costume shop budget, and manages the Neese Historic Garment Collection. The individual will also teach 3-4 classes relevant to the study of performance costuming and collaboration. The individual may also be responsible for teaching the Performing and Applied Arts capstone professional development seminar. Currently, this position designs costumes or oversees student designers for two plays or devised performances and oversees the costumes of the annual dance concert over the academic year. Costume designs include research, design presentations, and realization of costume production, working within a defined budget for all costume shop student employees and supplies. They will also serve with other department members on our season selection committee. Credentials and experience:
- MFA with emphasis on Costume Design
- Ability to teach across disciplines in the areas of fashion, fashion history, clothing across cultures, or other textile arts areas of expertise
- Experience and knowledge to create and produce designs for productions in a range of periods and styles
- Experience in collaborative design for devised productions, which may also include film and/or devised media
- Experience in shop management, costume construction, draping, pattern making, millinery, and makeup design
The successful candidate for this position will have:
- Ability to develop, and to contribute to, learning and work environments welcoming to people from a variety of backgrounds and experience;
- Ability to understand and appreciate the mission of a residential, liberal arts college and to work and collaborate positively with faculty, staff, students, alums, and the general public in a variety of situations;
- Ability to supervise and train student employees including organizing, prioritizing and scheduling work assignments;
- Experience in college teaching;
- Professional costuming experience in both traditional and experimental and/or devised productions (preferred);
- Professional make-up and/or hair experience in film or digital media (preferred); and,
- Research that values interdisciplinary processes and diverse perspectives (preferred).
Applicants should email the following materials to Amy Sarno by May 5, 2025:
- Cover Letter
- CV
- Contact information for three professional references
- Sample portfolio or website link that demonstrates costume design and production. Please submit as a PDF of up to 6 standard pages.
Beloit College aspires to be a fair and inclusive institution. We recognize our aspiration as ongoing, involving collective commitment and accountability. We encourage all interested individuals meeting the criteria of the described position to apply. Located in a diverse community close to Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, Beloit is a selective undergraduate liberal arts college that attracts students from across the United States and the world. The college emphasizes excellence in teaching, learning beyond the traditional classroom, international perspectives, and collaborative research among students and faculty. It is recognized as one of the Colleges That Change Lives. AA/EEO
