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The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, Davis invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor in Theatre and Dance to begin July 1, 2027. The Assistant Teaching Professor position is a full-time Academic Senate faculty position with potential for security of employment akin to tenure. Successful candidates will be artist scholars with expertise in dance practice and theatre and dance history, theory, or criticism. They will have experience as a producer and choreographer in live dance performance. They will be expected to engage our undergraduate students in production and to teach classes in our curriculum based on their expertise and strength. They will curate and produce our dance productions. They will demonstrate a record of, or will have demonstrated potential for, creative accomplishments and/or research publication, as well as collaborative, cross-disciplinary, performance-making processes. Our production mission intentionally supports unique voices and stories. The position is best viewed as an opportunity to engage with a vibrant culture of theatre and dance, involving committed, imaginative, and original interventions through performance.

The Department of Theatre and Dance currently produces three mainstage shows and one showcase during the academic year. Facilities include a 450-seat proscenium main stage, a 200-seat thrust stage, a flexible black box, and two studio spaces. There are four full-time professors, five classified staff, and several lecturers.

Qualifications
Qualified candidates will hold an MFA and/or Ph.D. (ideally in theatre, dance, or performance studies, though other degrees will be considered) and have 5 years of experience in dance practice, choreography, and production in university or professional settings. They must demonstrate ability to maintain a safe work environment and have experience with student supervision and instruction. Ideally, they will also have experience teaching dance and theatre practice, history, and/or theory. They should have a track record showing a commitment to collaboration and student success. The successful candidate will offer a clearly articulated vision of how their work will contribute to the University’s mission and the needs of our student population. Artist-scholars should be committed to fostering multiple modes of performance, collaboration across disciplines, and awareness of current pedological practices.

General Information
The UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance offers an interdisciplinary curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dance. The University of California, Davis is in a city known for its quality of life. Davis is within a two-hour drive of the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley, and the high Sierras, and is fifteen minutes away from the state capital, Sacramento.

Application should include
• A detailed cover letter that specifically addresses experience relevant to the position description
• A curriculum vitae that includes links to scholarly and creative work
• A statement of teaching philosophy addressing the role of theatre and dance in a liberal arts context
• A syllabus for a large lecture course in theatre/dance history or theory
• A syllabus for a dance practice course
• Contact information for three professional references (references for finalists will be contacted by the search committee with prior consent of the candidate).

Applications should be received by November 23, 2026, to ensure full consideration.
Applications should be submitted electronically through the online application form found at: meaningful link text

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, "Authorization to Release Information" into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and students. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service are embodied by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values. A variety of resources and programs are available to academics, staff, and students that reflect the core values reflected in our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400.

UC Davis is also a national leader in inclusive practice. There are numerous links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our administration, campus rankings, locations, campus safety, sustainability, visiting UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

The University of California and UC Davis are committed to offering a wide variety of benefits for employees. The University of California Employee benefits and UC Davis New Employee benefits webpages have additional information.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.