Performing Arts Teacher & Stage Design & Technical Director

The Northwest School is an independent day and boarding school. We serve students in grades 6 to 12 on an urban campus in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. We provide an interdisciplinary liberal arts education that nurtures compassionate, globally aware and environmentally conscious individuals who find joy in learning and are ready to inspire and innovate in our interconnected world. 

Northwest fosters a warm, inclusive community dedicated to our school values. We believe that a diverse community enriches our institution, making it more creative and dynamic. The Northwest School is committed to building a faculty and student body that reflects the diversity of the broader society. We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply. 

The Northwest School seeks a Stage Design & Technology Teacher & Technical Director with professional experience in teaching, theatrical design, and technical direction.  This position requires someone who works well with students from 6th-12th grade and can foster mentoring relationships among students in multi-level classroom environments. 

This is a 10-month .75 FTE teaching faculty position, comprised of .5 FTE teaching responsibilities and .25 FTE technical director responsibilities specific to Northwest School theatre arts productions. 

.5 FTE Teaching: One section of Middle School Stage Design & Technology, one section of Upper School Stage Design & Technology 

Courses cover the fundamentals of design and technical work in the theater through classroom instruction and practical application. Students will demonstrate their learning in at least one of these areas by participating in at least one school theatre production.

Skills taught within these courses include: 

• Scenic design, carpentry, painting, and prop construction 
• Use of CAD software 
• Lighting design and lightboard operation 
• Sound design and soundboard operation 
• Stage management  
• Front of house roles 
• Backstage crew roles 

Successful instruction includes: 

• Creating clearly articulated and sequenced lesson plans that build on students’ prior knowledge. 
• Engaging students individually and in group settings. 
• Assessing student learning via formal and informal assessments. 
• Delivering feedback that is substantive, informative, and drives student learning. 
• Enforcing applicable safety practices in the theatre/classroom environment. 
• Utilizing classroom management strategies that uphold the mission and values of our community. 
• Working with members of team to ensure vertical and horizontal alignment of Theatre Curriculum. 

.25 Technical Director: Support all MS and US Theatre productions 

This includes: 

• Serve as Technical Director for all school theatre productions. Work with theatre director(s) and Costume Design teacher to organize, design and manage the technical aspects of performances, including load-in and strikes of sets. Support student stage managers/assistant directors, backstage crew, and front of house team, etc. in carrying out these roles. 
• Complete additiona