Professor in Scenic and Lighting Design

Position Description

Cornell University's Department of Performing and Media Arts seeks an Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Scenic and Lighting Design for a tenure-track position beginning July 1, 2027.

We are looking for a dynamic and innovative designer to instruct and mentor undergraduate students in our major and minor in Performing and Media Arts. Our interdisciplinary department teaches theory and practice in theatre, film, dance, performance, installation, and devised work, in increasingly unique and experimental ways. We offer B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in a liberal arts environment that allows a wide range of students to study and explore live and mediated forms of creativity, expression, and collaboration.

Our ideal candidate will have experience teaching and working across different areas (i.e. scenic and lighting design; scenic and projection design; live and mediated performance). The successful candidate will teach the equivalent of two courses each semester, some of which may be as a designer on departmental productions. The candidate’s courses, to be determined by departmental needs and the individual’s particular area(s) of expertise, might include Production Design, Set Design, Worldbuilding, Lighting for Theatre and Dance, Lighting for Film, and/or Projection Design. Teaching responsibilities will also include mentorship of students in various roles in department-generated and student-generated productions.

We are interested in recruiting candidates who have demonstrated an ongoing, successful engagement with the highest standards of teaching and professional creative activity, consistent with the expectations for excellence in a Research I university. To that end, colleagues are expected to continue developing their professional career beyond Cornell with a national and/or international profile.

The Department of Performing and Media Arts is committed to the development of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity. More information is available at

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter describing their practice, successful collaborations, and approach to teaching rooted in inclusive pedagogies. Candidates should also provide a curriculum vitae, a design portfolio, and three letters of recommendation.

Candidate must have either an MFA or Ph.D officially awarded no later than July 1, 2026. The deadline for applications is October 25, 2026.

Pay Range

[Pay Range: $110,800 - $240,000]

Actual salary offers in the College of Arts and Sciences will be based on education, experience, discipline, and relevant skills.

Disclosure

Consistent with Cornell's practice, appointments to academic positions require candidates to disclose relevant information about their prior employment including whether they have been found to have violated institutional or employer policies related to or governing unlawful discrimination and harassment, academic and research misconduct, or financial misconduct.

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of "... any person ... any study." No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual's genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Pay Ranges

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)
• Unique applicable skills.