Technical Director for Middle and Upper School Drama

The Brearley School, an independent girls’ school serving over 770 students K-12, welcomes candidates for a half-time position as Technical Director for Middle and Upper School beginning August 2025.

We invite interested candidates to apply by completing an application and uploading a cover letter and resume at https://www.brearley.org/about/employment-opportunities. Additionally, candidates should submit a PDF portfolio including examples of their completed work from three productions on which they served as set or lighting designer.

Responsibilities include:

• design sets for three Upper School mainstage productions in collaboration with Drama Department faculty
• working with members of the Department and student technicians to execute the build of those sets
• mentor student stage and lighting crews during build, dress rehearsals, and all mainstage performances
• supervise and equip the scene shop throughout the year
• advise and support Drama faculty on set construction and lighting for smaller productions
• develop and maintain safety protocols for student drama tech club members
• manage and optimize scenery, lighting, audio, and rigging for Brearlet’s Assembly Hall throughout the school year, including scheduling needed inspections and maintenance
• collaborate with members of the Technology and Facilities Departments in the upkeep of Brearley’s Assembly Hall
• keep abreast of innovations in technical theater practices, tools, and technologies

The ideal candidate will:

• have a bachelor’s degree Theater Technology/Design and relevant experience in set and lighting design, construction, and production management
• have experience with ETC lighting systems, QLab, and stage rigging
• have experience with and enthusiasm for teaching or mentoring students in technical theater
• demonstrate excitement about working collaboratively and in consultation with Drama faculty
• be passionate about taking apart and reverse engineering how things work
• demonstrate strong skills in written and oral communication of technical issues to non-technical people
• be a highly motivated self-starter with a passion for learning and helping others
• be a creative thinker and a stickler for aesthetics, quality, and accuracy.
• bring to their work a collegial spirit and a sense of humor

About the School

Founded in 1884, Brearley's mission has long combined outstanding academics with an insistence on a larger purpose: A passionate exchange of ideas within the School's walls that prepares girls of adventurous intellect and diverse backgrounds to put their knowledge and habits of mind to meaningful use in the wider world.

A center of intellectual exuberance, the School offers an extraordinary program to girls from across and beyond New York City, attracting and developing a dynamic and committed faculty, who, along with a talented staff, instill in Brearley students a love of learning, an ability to think critically and creatively, a deep curiosity about the world and a pioneering spirit. We believe that a Brearley education is not for oneself alone. Every member of our community plays a vital role in shaping the School today and for the future, cultivating the joy of lifelong learning and lasting friendships, the confidence to pursue one’s ambitions and a commitment to the greater good. In pursuit of this goal, we actively strive to build, nurture and sustain a diverse faculty and student body. We are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable and antiracist/antibias school community, and we expect faculty, staff, students, parents and trustees to pursue meaningful change through deliberate and measurable actions.

Brearley recently announced a “Free Tuition” program for families with incomes of $100,000 or less and without significant assets. Learn more by visiting our website.

About the Drama Department

The Brearley Drama Department is a small, highly collaborative department that teaches academic courses across the Middle and Upper Schools. The Department values the rehearsal process and gives students the opportunity to perform at all grade levels. Over the course of the year, the Department puts up as many as fourteen productions, including three Upper School mainstage shows crewed by students in our robust technical theatre program. The Department’s productions take place in the School’s Assembly Hall, a space with a proscenium stage and lighting rig. At the heart of our program is a passionate and dedicated group of student thespians whom we support and advise.

Salary

In 2025-2026, the total half-time salary for this position ranges from 28,000 to 36,000 depending on years of experience.

Benefits

Benefits offered to eligible employees a retirement plan that includes a school contribution starting at 10% of salary with no mandatory employee contribution; breakfast and lunch without charge; support for professional growth and development; and the opportunity to participate in a community based on collaboration, mutual care, and a commitment to the greater good.

The Brearley School is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to hiring exceptional, dedicated teachers of diverse backgrounds. We consider qualified individuals for employment with the School regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or any other state or federally-protected classification.