Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Department of Theatre and Dance support Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The College of Fine and Performing Arts comprises the departments of Art/Art History, Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance, housed in eight buildings with five performance spaces, including a Performing Arts Center overlooking Bellingham Bay. The College also is home to the Music Library and Western Gallery and Public Art Collection, one of the top ten outdoor sculpture collections in the country.

The Department of Theatre and Dance invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Theatre beginning September 16, 2027.

We are seeking a dynamic, collaborative, energetic, creative, and empathetic artist-teacher who wants to be part of an undergraduate-focused theatre department which combines the strengths of a liberal arts program with the rigor of professional practice. The successful candidate will share in our department and university’s strong commitment to cultivate inclusive and equitable learning and creative environments.

The responsibilities of this position include teaching introductory and advanced courses in theatre and performance, primarily Introduction to Theatre, Directing, and Theatre Education, and may include other courses to support our curriculum. This person will be directing productions in our department’s mainstage season, and will be a principal contributor to our vibrant theatre department, collaborating with fellow faculty, mentoring students, and making a significant positive contribution to the life of our department. The teaching load is between 27 and 30 credits spread over three quarters in the academic year.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of activity in the practice of theatre and/or theatre scholarship. They will be passionate about working with undergraduate students in a liberal arts environment and will be expected to fulfill recruiting, advising, teaching, and mentoring responsibilities that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

They will participate in service activities for the department, college, and university, and will maintain an ongoing practice of creative and/or scholarly activity in the discipline.

• One of the following:
  • MFA in Acting, Performance, Directing, Playwrighting or closely related field at time of application; or
  • PhD in Theatre Arts or closely related field at time of application
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of students and employees with diverse cultural backgrounds and social identities
• Evidence of successful teaching experience in higher education, and/or commensurate professional experience
• Record of creative activity and/or scholarship related to theatre arts
• Demonstrated effective skills in collaboration and communication

• Demonstrated experience in and enthusiasm for teaching Directing, Theatre Education, and a large Introduction to Theatre survey course to majors and non-majors
• Additional demonstrated expertise in an area of the candidate’s interest related to theatre.
• Evidence of successful experience in directing
• Evidence of successful creative activity in professional venues
• The ability to work and collaborate across disciplines: outside the arts, across campus, and in the community
• Experience in curriculum development
• A dedication to a liberal arts educational model compatible with the mission of WWU

Salary

The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $69,000-$74,000, with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $69,000-$86,000, with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments.

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the entire salary range provided above reflects the anticipated full salary range in the position at the given rank, with progression in ranks occurring as outlined in the University’s tenure and promotion process, per the collective bargaining agreement.

Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines. Salary and start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position. 

Bargaining Unit

 United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Application materials must be submitted via WWU’s PageUp system and include the following:

1. Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Statement of teaching philosophy
4. Accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion statement
   Submit a one-page document discussing your ability and commitment to work effectively with underrepresented students and to foster and promote an environment of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion; you may draw upon your personal as well as professional experience in developing this statement. For more information about Western’s commitment to this movement, please see Western President’s page on Advancing Inclusion and Diversity. 
5. Portfolio of your creative and/or scholarly accomplishments (this may consist of a document containing a hyperlink or digital materials).
6. Names and contact information for three professional references. References will only be contacted for finalist candidates.

Inquiries may be directed to the Theatre and Dance Search Committee Chair, Prof. Evan Mueller, at Evan.Mueller@wwu.edu. 

Application review begins September 16, 2026. Position closes November 10, 2026 and applications will no longer be accepted after that date.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes a sexual misconduct background check.