Description

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled


Portland State University


Position Details
Position Details Proposed Start Date09/16/2026RankC - Assistant ProfessorWorking TitleAssistant Professor of ActingPosition NumberD99239RepresentationAU - AAUP Faculty TypeTenure TrackFixed Term End Date:Position FTE1.0Term of Service9 month

Position Summary Brief Description of PSU/School/DeptThe School of Music & Theater is located in the Portland cultural district, home of the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, the Portland Art Museum, and the Northwest Film Center. It maintains close ties with the major musical institutions of the city, and students have many opportunities to interact with professionals in the community. Faculty members in the School of Music & Theater are internationally recognized performers, directors, designers, conductors, composers and scholars.

Portland State University is not only the largest institution of higher education in Oregon, but with a 25% minority student population, it is also the most diverse. The urban location and mission of the University allows students to pursue innovative options in their theatrical and musical education. The city is noted for its numerous cafes, pubs, theaters, restaurants, bookstores, and its public transportation. Hiking, mountain biking, skiing, sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking are all accessible within minutes of Portland.Position SummaryThe Portland State University School of Music & Theater seeks a full-time, tenure-track artist-teacher at the Assistant Professor level to lead the acting area, teach introductory through advanced courses in acting, plus core major and elective courses such as Introduction to Theater and Script Analysis.

The successful candidate will bring vision, rigor, and innovation to the program. They should have a primary specialization in acting, the ability to teach a range of acting styles and methodologies at all levels, significant professional experience, a record of outstanding teaching, and strong knowledge of dramatic literature from the Greeks through Shakespeare to contemporary works. We particularly value candidates who integrate the conventional canon with theater of the Global Majority, non-Western performance traditions, and/or experimental approaches to performance.Primary ActivityI - InstructionalMinimum Qualifications ● MFA in acting or related field● Demonstrated higher-education teaching experience in acting and/or related areas● Significant acting experience in a variety of professional theaters● Experience and training in Global Majority, non-Western performance traditions, and/or experimental approaches to performance● Experience in and ability to teach at least two to three additional performance specialties, such as:

1. Movement (Viewpoints, Suzuki, clowning, dance, etc.)
2. Voice and speech (Fitzmaurice, Skinner, Berry, or comparable systems)
3. Intimacy direction
4. Acting for the camera
5. Musical Theater
6. Stage combat
7. Dialects

Preferred Qualifications ● Experience and training in directing and/or producing● Demonstrated interest in working with a broad range of student populations● Experience collaborating across music, dance, film, and/or digital media● Demonstrated leadership and administrative potential

Key Cultural Competencies

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement
• Adheres to all PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental StewardshipContributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.Professional Standards of ConductAt Portland State University, all employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner which maintains a safe, respectful, and productive environment for faculty, students, administrators, and staff. It is the responsibility of every member of the Portland State University community to conduct themselves in accordance with our PSU Professional Standards of ConductTotal Compensation Range & Benefits StatementSalary is dependent on several factors, and new employees will typically start around the Q1 level to allow for later growth within the salary band. PSU has a structured process for determining starting compensation, taking into account years of related experience, applicable skills, knowledge and abilities, market parity, and internal equity. The starting annual salary for this position will be $74,016 but may be negotiated above this rate dependent upon the factors above, the budget of the hiring department, and approval from HR.

An excellent benefits package includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools.

Please visit our total compensation calculator to see the full value of our benefits package.



Supplemental Questions

Reference Requests

Reference Requests Accept ReferencesYesMinimum Number of References3Maximum Number of References3Cutoff DateSpecial Instruction for Reference ProviderPlease submit/upload a professional letter of reference for the applicant by 1/9/2026. Thank you.



Applicant Documents

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * What is your highest degree earned?

   (Open Ended Question)

2. * Please name the specific field/discipline in which you received your degree.

   (Open Ended Question)

3. * Do you have experience in teaching Acting in a higher education setting?
   • Yes
   • No
4. * How did you first find out about this position?
   • PSU website
   • Indeed
   • Chronicle of Higher Education
   • Higher Ed Jobs
   • HERCJobs
   • Referral
   • Professional Listserv- please specify in comment box in the next question
   • Professional Journal- please specify in comment box in the next question
   • Other- please specify in comment box in the next question
5. If you selected Other, please describe.

   (Open Ended Question)

PI280010700