Job opening – Department of Theatre and Film: Assistant Professor Without Review: Performance Practice

The Department of Theatre and Film at UBC-Vancouver invites applications for a limited-term position in Performance Practice at the rank of Assistant Professor Without Review to commence July 1, 2027. We are seeking a dynamic and engaged collaborator who will help us build upon and evolve UBC’s decades-long commitment to excellence in the training of actors and directors. The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal for up to two additional years, subject to funding and performance review. Situated on the beautiful Point Grey campus on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people in the culturally diverse city of Vancouver, the Department of Theatre and Film offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs in both Theatre and Film and in both studies and practice. The full complement of degrees offered in the department includes 3 BFAs, 2 BAs, 3 MFAs, 2 MAs, 2 PhDs. For information about the Department, please visit theatrefilm.ubc.ca.

Area of Specialization: Performance Practice. The candidate’s teaching will be situated within the BFA Acting program. Their teaching will provide opportunities for students to develop skills in alignment with the program’s commitment to expanding dynamic embodied expressivity and honing rigorous approaches to activating texts in live and mediated performance. This would involve teaching classes in acting (theatre and TV/film), movement, and/or voice, according to the candidate’s specialties, as well as the possibility of directing and/or devising departmental productions. 

The successful candidate should have a terminal degree (PhD or MFA preferred) by the start of the appointment, practical expertise in performance practice as demonstrated through professional accomplishments, and evidence of excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level. In exceptional cases, consideration may be given to applicants with a non-terminal graduate degree in combination with expertise in performance practice, a stellar record of professional accomplishments, and strong university classroom teaching experience. While experience with service at the university level will be valued, it is not required. We are seeking a colleague who is generous, collaborative, and eager to engage thoughtfully with each member of our diverse student body.

The teaching expectation for this position is five different three-credit courses offered over eight months: Winter term one (September – December) and Winter term two (January – April). Typically, this would mean teaching three courses in one term and two courses in the other. Alongside teaching, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake service duties as assigned by the Head.

We are currently undergoing a curriculum renewal, and as we rethink actor training for the 21st century and work towards creating an inclusive, culturally-conscious studio environment, we welcome candidates with different approaches and expertise. We will consider all experience that engages actors and other artists in questions of embodiment, impulse, and action in the context of performance training. 

The expected pay range for this position is $7,725/month – $9,000/month; salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. This position is subject to final budgetary approval.

Please submit your application through the following website: https://thfl.air.arts.ubc.ca/?p=2991

Applicants should be prepared to upload in the following order:

• an application letter
• a curriculum vitae
• a teaching statement (including evidence of teaching ability and effectiveness)
• a research/creative activity statement (a description of current and proposed research/creative activities)
• a brief (1-2 page) statement describing your current and future commitments or interests related to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization (EDID)
• the names and contact details for three referees who could be called upon to supply confidential letters of reference on request.

The application deadline is October 31, 2026. Applications received after that date cannot be considered. Shortlisted candidates can expect to visit the UBC campus in early 2027 for an interview.

Inquiries about the position may be addressed to: Professor Kirsty Johnston, Head, Department of Theatre and Film, University of British Columbia (email: thfl.head@ubc.ca). For questions about the application process, please contact Department Administrator Cam Cronin (email: cam.cronin@ubc.ca).

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.