Located in a historic neighborhood in the nation's capital, Georgetown offers rigorous academic programs, a global perspective, exciting ways to take advantage of Washington, D.C., and a commitment to social justice. Our community is a tight knit group of remarkable individuals interested in intellectual inquiry and making a difference in the world.

Requirements

The Technical Director of the Davis Performing Arts Center is based in Georgetown University's Department of Performing Arts , which fosters artistic excellence, interdisciplinary learning, socially engaged performance, and the spirit of collaboration. Home to the College's undergraduate degree programs in American Musical Culture and Theater & Performance Studies (TPST) as well as dozens of performing groups in music, theater, and dance, the Department, features a renowned faculty and close partnerships with leading arts organizations from the D.C. region and beyond.

The Technical Director (TD) is an Academic and Administrative Professional position reporting directly to the Production Manager of the Davis Performing Arts Center. The TD directly serves the Theater & Performance Studies Home Season and oversees the Scene Shop, taking an active role in builds and managing all staff and students working in the shop. The position of TD will oversee all technical aspects of production for TPST mainstage and studio productions (in a season of 4 mainstage productions, annually), and provide strategic support to special events in the Davis Center, modeling a professional approach to technical production and ensuring a safe and respectful work environment for student-centered learning and public engagement in a liberal arts university.

The TD will assess inventory and maintenance needs for equipment in the Scene Shop and two theatres and will be directly responsible for implementing repairs or upgrades with suppliers as needed. The TD is responsible for ensuring that the Davis Center theatres (one 235-seat proscenium theatre, and one 80-seat blackbox theatre) and their technical equipment are operated and maintained in a safe manner and in compliance with safety policies and procedures.

The TD's responsibilities include leadership of a production cohort and functioning as part of a collaborative team with other administrative and technical staff, including a Costume Shop Manager and Technical Advisor to student theater clubs. The incumbent is primarily responsible for technical coordination and realization of set, lighting, sound and projection designs for projects in the TPST Home Season in a timely manner and within allocated budgets (typically designed by professionals or students with faculty mentorship), as well as for special events.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as primary Scene Shop Manager, taking a hands-on lead in building and in supervising paid student shop crews-develop and implement a hands-on training program to build a student technical team to support staff in building scenery and hangs for the TPST Season.
• Maintain a safe and organized work environment in the scene shop. Address safety hazards with appropriate personnel promptly, ensure that the tools are in good working condition, track and inventory paints and other goods and order stock materials as needed.
• Schedule, supervise, and train student run crews (TPST 093: practicum) and educate students enrolled in the intro Production Practicum 091: Scene Shop.
• With the input of Production Manager and appropriate technical staff, analyze all designs submitted for production season to determine feasibility of execution within the allotted time, budget and personnel available.
• Create working drawings from the set designer's renderings, craft a build-and-installation plan, lead a team of students (work-study and practicum) and, when needed, overhire technicians to complete sets in a timely manner.
• Consult designers on choice of material, finish, and method of the build; purchase all material needed for the scenic and lighting/sound designs.
• Steward technical safety and load-ins leading up to and during rehearsal periods for TPST Season.
• Coordinate post-production strike and cleanup of all facilities, materials and equipment.
• Coordinate with the Technical Advisor (TA) to designate weekly times for student clubs to build in the Scene Shop, supervised by the TA, following protocols set by the TD
• Supervise and train crews, providing technical oversight, orientations, and targeted support for a range of interdisciplinary, visiting and presented events in the Davis Performing Arts Center.
• Participate in the Production cohort and feed a collaborative, respectful work climate that helps to support the educational and artistic values of the Theater & Performance Studies Program and Davis Center

Qualifications:

• BA or equivalent
• Minimum of five years relevant professional experience
• Ability to create and manage build/load-in schedules, to manage budgets, and to effectively build for a mid-sized season with auxiliary events;
• Commitment to mentoring and/or education
• Ability to multitask and collaborate
• Required expertise in current practices of the field, including:

• Stage carpentry, rigging, safe operation of fly systems; MIG welding, Auto CAD/ Vectorworks, audio, lighting, projection and automation/motor control; ability to lift 50+ pounds and climb 18-foot straight ladder; readiness to spec labor and materials ranging from scenery to soft goods, furniture to props. Word, Excel, Google Calendar and/or other calendar-based programs.

Preferred qualifications:

• MFA in Technical Direction or Theatrical Design.
• Experience teaching in a university and liberal arts setting.
• Expertise in lighting, props, multimedia or sound welcome

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF), with your application:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Contact Information for Three References