| Position Title: |
University Theatre Designer/Production Coordinator and Venue Manager (10 months) |
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| Location: |
Big Rapids (Main Campus) |
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| Department: |
33507 - Williams Auditorium
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| Advertised Salary: |
$50,000 to $55,000; Salary commensurate with education, experiences and other requirements. |
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Benefits:
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Comprehensive benefit package (health care, vacation, etc.). Please see the following link for a list of benefits offered with this position.
Admin / Admin Temp Benefit Plans
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| FLSA: |
Exempt |
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| Temporary/Continuing: |
Continuing |
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| Part-Time/Full-Time: |
Full-Time |
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| Union Group: |
N/A |
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| Term of Position: |
10 Month |
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| At Will/Just Cause: |
Just Cause |
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| Summary of Position: |
Ferris State University invites applications for a full-time 10-month University Theatre Designer/Production Coordinator & Venue Manager to join our team in supporting University Theatre productions and Williams Auditorium operations. This dual-role position offers a unique opportunity for a theatre professional to engage in scenic, lighting, and sound design for University Theatre productions and management of the daily operations, including technical and front-of-house aspects of a busy campus venue. This position includes venue scheduling, budget management, and supervision of part-time technical staff and student employees.
We seek a candidate with hands-on experience in theatre design and venue operations who thrives in collaborative environments and is committed to supporting diverse student populations through the arts.
The anticipated start date of this position is December 2025 at the earliest. However, this is estimated and can be revised if needed. |
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| Position Type: |
Staff |
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| Required Education: |
Bachelor’s degree in theatre design, technical theatre, performing arts management, or related field.
The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. Equivalency for education is two years of full-time related work experience equals one year of education. |
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| Required Work Experience: |
Experience in the theatrical arts of creating sets, originating the production lighting, and/or sound design, technical direction, and scene shop management at the college or professional level. |
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| Required Licenses and Certifications: |
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| Physical Demands: |
- Office Environment
- Bending
- Carrying
- Electrical Hazards
- Moving
- Reaching
- Sitting
- Twisting
- Balancing
- Climbing
- Driving
- Heights
- Lifting
- Pulling/Pushing
- Repetitive movement
- Standing
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| Additional Education/Experiences to be Considered: |
Master’s degree in theatre design, technical theatre, arts administration, or related field.
Experience with venue management and operations.
Experience with budgets, ushering, box office, and other front-of-house duties.
Experience managing direct reports.
Experience working with students. |
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| Essential Duties/Responsibilities: |
Theatre Designer:
•Conceive and create sets, including research, sketches, ground plans, models, working drawings, and renderings.
•Responsible for developing, designing, and creating properties; developing prop schedules and dressing the set.
•Serve as the Scenic Charge Artist, including mixing colors and selecting appropriate painting techniques.
•Conceive and create the light design, including developing the light plot, instrument schedule, color selection, composing lighting cues, and producing sketches or renderings as needed.
•Create sound design and reinforcement for University Theatre productions, responsible for creating and managing all aspects of a production's soundscape, selecting and creating sound effects, music, and the reinforcement of actors' voices.
•Attend and engage in production meetings and provide research and/or drawings.
•Actively participate in the scene shop and its management, including building scenery, painting, and gathering props.
•Collaborate in the creation and distribution of University Theatre publicity.
•Serve as Production Coordinator for University Theatre productions, which includes recruiting, organizing, and training production run crews.
Venue Manager
•Schedule, coordinate, and manage technical and event services for all Williams Auditorium events produced by campus entities and public users.
•Provide proper vetting of technical riders for university-contracted events to ensure the university’s obligations are met.
•Manage all front-of-house operations.
•Supervise, train, and evaluate part-time technical staff and student workers (technical crew, box office, and event staff).
•Manage the upkeep, inventory, and improvement of technical equipment and facilities.
•Budget manager for University Theatre and Williams Auditorium, responsible for labor budget, purchasing, invoicing, and accounting.
•Maintain flexibility in work schedule, including evenings and weekends, to ensure access.
•Operate university motor or personal vehicles safely while carrying out job responsibilities.
•Cultivate an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically.
•Support, promote, and develop university student enrollment and retention initiatives.
•Any other duties assigned within the position classification area. |
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| Marginal Duties/Responsibilities: |
•Serve on college and university committees, as assigned.
•Be a resource person to various producing entities on campus and collaborate with other event space managers and IT/AV to provide additional support and equipment as needed. |
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| Skills and Abilities: |
•Perform independent decision-making within the parameters of university policies.
•Manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and maintain budgets.
•Build and paint scenery using a variety of theatre arts techniques.
•Create a functioning set, lighting, and sound for Theatre Area productions.
•Create working drawings, ground plans, light plots, and prop schedules.
•Clear communication skills, both written and verbal.
•Effective interpersonal skills.
•Demonstrated successful experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
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| Required Documents: |
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript 1
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| Optional Documents: |
Unofficial Transcript 2 |
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| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
Unofficial Transcript 1 (REQUIRED): Applicants must attach a copy of unofficial transcript of Bachelor’s degree in theatre design, technical theatre, performing arts management, or related field if applicable. If you do not have a transcript, please write a justification explaining how your work experience is equivalent to the required education and attach that justification in lieu of the transcript. Transcript must include: Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be required to submit an official transcript (if applicable).
Unofficial Transcript 2 (OPTIONAL): Attach a copy of unofficial transcript of Master’s degree in theatre design, technical theatre, arts administration, or related field if applicable as described in Required Education section. Transcript must include: Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be required to submit an official transcript. |
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Initial Application Review Date:
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October 14, 2025 |
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| Open Until Position is Filled?: |
Yes |
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Posting Close Date:
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| EEO Statement: |
Ferris State University, an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, is committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within its community. Ferris offers employment opportunities to qualified candidates seeking careers in a student-focused environment that values opportunity, collaboration, diversity and educational excellence. Learn more about the Ferris Mission and community at ferris.edu. The University actively seeks applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups. For more information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement. |
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Click here to learn more about working at FSU and KCAD. |
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