Post-MFA Scholar in Playwriting and New Work Creation

The Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts, within the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University, seeks a full-time, Post-MFA Artist and Scholar specializing in playwriting and the creation of new work for a two-year appointment beginning August 2025.

We invite applications from emerging playwrights and theatre-makers who have earned an MFA in playwriting or a related discipline within the last three years.

Performance Objectives

The successful candidate will:

• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in playwriting and new work creation.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students, fostering their creative and academic growth.
• Maintain an active practice of new work creation, including public presentations or performances.
• Participate actively in the university and department community.
• Develop curriculum and course content that reflects innovative and contemporary approaches to playwriting.
• Present work to the department community
• Participate as an active member of the department community

Education and Experience Requirements

Required:

• MFA in Playwriting or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated commitment to new work creation and student mentorship.

Desired:

• Experience in screenwriting.
• Experience teaching in a higher education setting
• Experience in curriculum development.
• Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to Ohio State’s Shared Values

How to Apply

To be considered, please submit your application electronically via Workday.

Application materials must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate artist statement, and teaching statements, and samples of your creative work. Review of applications will begin on June 1, 2025.

Required:

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach up to FIVE documents in the Application Documents section. Please provide the following:

• Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1–2-page letter that offers an overview of your work, a brief summary of your academic and professional background, and why you are interested in this opportunity
• Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae)/Resume: Detailed overview of your scholarly and professional experience, including your teaching and mentoring experience, and service
• Attachment 3: Artist Statement: Summary of your past accomplishments, current work, and proposal for your future creative work as a faculty member.
• Attachment 4: Teaching Statement: A statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring.
• Attachment 5: A pdf with active links to three work samples (and passwords if applicable)

Applicants will be asked for names and contact information for three reference letters at a later date.

The salary for this position is $61,008 per year.

The College

With more than 80 majors and 100 minors, the College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the university. The Arts and Sciences provides extraordinary opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, blending creativity and analysis to truly be at the forefront of thought. The breadth and depth of knowledge in the college gives students and researchers the critical thinking and adaptability essential for a lifetime of success.

Department Information

The Ohio State University Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts is situated in the arts district of the university where a dynamic community of faculty, staff, and students have access to many cultural resources including the Wexner Center for the Arts, the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum and many other resources and opportunities. The Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts is a vibrant, active department dedicated to the education and training of filmmakers, theatre artists, scholars, and teachers in an atmosphere conducive to creative scholarship, production and performance. The department conducts research and creative projects which contribute to the enrichment of the university and to the fields of theatre, film and media arts at large.

The University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers and recently ranked No. 4 on Forbes’ list of best U.S. employers for diversity. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

The Ohio State University’s Shared Values include Excellence and Impact, Diversity and Innovation, Inclusion and Equity, Care and Compassion, and Integrity and Respect. Our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University.

In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is an NSF ADVANCE institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).

Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. Beyond its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.