Technical Director

Payroll Title: Theatrical Production Supervisor 1

Job Code: 006140

Department Code (Name): DRAM (DRAMATIC ART/DANCE DEPARTMENT)

Percentage of Time: 100%

Union Code (Name): 99 Non-Represented

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff (Career)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Classified Indicator (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: Grade 20

Work Location: HSSB 1107

Working Days and Hours: M-F; 8am – 5pm, some evenings and weekends

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: In-Person

Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $29.55 – $32.63/hr.

Full Salary Range: Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $29.55 to $51.77/hr. The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $29.55 to $32.63/hr.

Benefits: Eligible for full benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and other optional benefits available

Special Instructions

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

To Apply, please visit here with cover letter and resume by November 4, 2023

Department Profile

The Department of Theater and Dance fosters an inclusive, vibrant and stimulating environment that encourages creative self-expression and critical thinking. Undergraduate programs include intensive, conservatory-style training for actors and dancers, as well as general degrees with a focus on Dance, Design, Directing, Playwriting, Theater and Community and Theater and Performance Studies. The department’s nationally recognized and highly ranked graduate program offers a diverse array of interdisciplinary approaches to performance research within a global orientation. The department provides a lively forum for faculty to integrate teaching and research, at the cutting edge of their areas of expertise. More information on the department can be found at www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties

• Under the direction of Production Manager, the Technical Director oversees all the technical elements and activities (except costumes) related to department’s season of theater and dance productions.
• Acts as liaison between designers and shops to ensure all designs are translated and executed properly.
• Creates working drawings from designer drawings and elevations for use in shops. Facilitates technical set-up, operation, and coordination of personnel for technical rehearsals for all mainstage productions.
• Recruits, schedules, trains, and supervises student lab production run crews for mainstage productions.
• Evaluates these student crews for grading purposes. Coordinates staff or student employee production supervisors for all mainstage productions.
• Oversees technical budgets and coordinates budgets with area supervisors.
• Coordinates production schedules with area supervisors.
• Hires and supervises career, limited, and student employees.
• Assists in different tech areas as needed and as time permits.
• In addition to mainstage related duties, the Technical Director helps coordinate (on a more minimal scale) the technical needs for classroom related productions.
• Trains Technical Teaching Assistants and works with them to ensure proper use of spaces and equipment.
• Recruits student lab production run crews for several classroom related productions.
• In addition, hires and supervises production crews for all facility rentals.
• May teach and supervise student scenic and lighting labs and evaluate their work for grading purposes.
• May supervise student assistants assigned to productions.
• Oversees safety and is responsible for use of safe practices in all technical areas. Assists with the coordination of Theater and Dance facility maintenance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• 1-3 years of practical technical theater experience (including demonstrated leadership experience).
• 1-3 years of demonstrated experience with theater operations, including budgeting, scheduling, scenic construction, rigging, lighting and sound.
• 1-3 years of experience with producing efficient and precise CAD drawings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Good verbal and interpersonal communication skills to communicate complex instructions and information to disparate constituencies, including staff, faculty, students, and theatrical audiences.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in small groups.
• Ability to lift heavy loads and maneuver stairs.
• Strong computer/office skills, including email and calendaring (Google suite), word processing and spreadsheet programs (Microsoft Office), and campus timekeeping software (Kronos) and purchasing programs (Gateway and Flexcard).

Special Conditions of Employment

Satisfactory conviction history background check
UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment
Maintain a valid CA driver’s license, a clean DMV record and enrollment in the DMV Employer Pull-Notice Program
Requires the ability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Employment may be contingent on medical approval to use a respirator.

Job Functions/Percentage of Time/Duties

Mainstage Productions (40%) – Serves as Technical Director for departmental season mainstage productions, including theater and dance. Includes budgeting, coordination, planning, safety, and execution of all technical activities (except for costumes) associated with each production. Work includes extensive collaboration and consultation with designers to ensure designs are successfully translated and realized. Responsible for the creation of working drawings from designer drawings and elevations for shop use. Attends weekly production meetings. Facilitates technical set-up, operation, and coordination of personnel for technical rehearsals. Hires or assigns, and supervises, a production supervisor for the run of each production. Assists in each technical area (scenic, properties, lighting, video, projection, and sound) as needed, and as time permits, to help ensure proper and successful execution of production needs.

Supervision/Communication/Safety (25%) – Supervises the Scene Shop Manager, Lighting and Sound Supervisor, and Sr. Scene Technician. Acts as a liaison and communication link between designers and each shop area to insure proper execution of each design. Works closely with each area head in areas of scheduling and planning, design details, labor, and budgeting. Coordinates the daily schedule of the Sr. Scene Tech who floats between different technical areas. In coordination with area supervisors, hires, trains, and supervises limited and student employees. Hires or assigns, trains, and supervises production crews for all facility rentals. May act as venue supervisor for departmental productions and facility rentals. Works with Fire Marshall and Environmental Health & Safety to ensure the use, and documentation, of safe practices in all technical areas.

Budgeting (15%) – Responsible for working within allocated production budgets. Responsible for providing accurate estimates and feedback on proposed designs, and working with designers to reach final design choices that can be attained within budget. Responsible for weekly updates on budgets. Works in conjunction with scene shop manager, and lighting and sound supervisor, to maintain area budgets for equipment, supplies, and labor.

Student Teaching and Supervision (10%) – Recruits, schedules, trains, and supervises Student Lab Run Crews for all mainstage productions (5-10 crew members per production). Evaluates related student lab work for grading purposes. May also teach student scenic or lighting lab classes as needed. Trains Technical Teaching Assistants to ensure safe and proper use of spaces and equipment. May on occasion be responsible for the training and supervision of Student Lab Run Crews for classroom related productions. In coordination with a designer or design faculty, may on occasion supervise student design assistants in the areas of scenic, properties, lighting, and/or sound.

Classroom Related Productions (5%) – Recruits and schedules production run crews for the yearly One Acts, the One Person Shows, and Theater Honors. May do the same for several dance classroom related productions. Consults with the Technical Teaching Assistants to ensure technical needs are being met adequately and safely for these productions. Helps as needed, and as time permits, to coordinate minimal technical needs for various classroom-related productions, including the hiring and training of production supervisors.

Other (5%) – Coordinates, with support staff, student prop check-out for class projects. Coordinates prop rentals for non-departmental requests. Assists with the coordination of Theater and Dance facility maintenance. Other duties as assigned.

Vaccinations Programs – Including SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19)

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs – With Interim Amendments.*

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals** must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.).

Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit:

UC Santa Barbara COVID-19 Information here
University of California Policy on Vaccinations – With Interim Amendments here
August 5, 2021 California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Order (Heath Care Worker Vaccine Requirement) here

* Note: UC will be updating the COVID-19 vaccination policy to systemwide opt-out program (May 25, 2023) https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2023/05/uc-updating-covid-19-vaccination-policy-to-systemwide-opt-out-program.html

** Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel, Students, or Trainees under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement

UC Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable Accommodations

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