Job Description

Purpose of Position
The Music and Theatre Arts Departments in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of North Dakota seek a full-time Teaching Assistant Professor in Collaborative Piano for the spring 2027 semester. This is a non-tenure track position, contingent upon the availability of funding and renewable as a 9-month position the following academic year given satisfactory job performance, enrollment demand, and budgetary support. As a trained pianist, the faculty member’s home department will be Music.

Established in 1883, the University of North Dakota is the oldest research university in North Dakota. Founded with a strong liberal arts foundation, it is the state’s flagship university and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as having very high research activity. UND offers degrees in more than 225 fields of study and enrolls nearly 16,000 students. It is the home of the state’s only School of Law and School of Medicine. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences has major initiatives in rural and public health, and Aerospace is home to one of the first and largest unmanned aerial vehicle programs in the world.

UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a vibrant college town of over 57,000 people located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota. Short commutes, a great public-school system, high quality medical facilities, low crime, ample parks and theaters, and a cost of living below that found in large American cities are some of Grand Forks’ advantages. Ranked as one of the top 5 Best Small College Towns, and America’s Best Hockey Town, Grand Forks offers stellar quality of life without the metropolitan hassles.

Duties & Responsibilities
The successful candidate will receive a contract for the spring semester that includes instruction of Keyboard Skills II (20%), 40% effort as collaborative pianist for the musical theater program, and 30% effort for accompaniment of students enrolled in music degree programs.

All faculty are expected to contribute to service within the department, college, university, and community and to participate in the department’s recruitment and outreach initiatives. Service duties will account for 5% of effort.

UND and the College of Arts & Sciences value diverse perspectives and seek applicants who are committed to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.

Specific duties include:

Instructor of record, MUSC 136 – Keyboarding Skills II (two sections)

Piano accompaniment, THEA 204/404 – Musical Theatre Acting

Piano accompaniment for musical productions: auditions, practices, productions

Piano accompaniment for student recitals, juries, and other significant performances

Service to the department, college, university, and community

Required Competencies
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to teach, inspire, and mentor students
Effective interpersonal skills, including the strong ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and students
Ability to work with and engage diverse students and colleagues within and outside the Departments of Music and Theatre Arts
Ability to adapt to current methods of teaching, including online delivery
Ability and willingness to adapt flexibly to the dynamic needs and rehearsal schedules of a joint music and theatre program
Demonstrated fluency in keyboard skills, high-level sight-reading, and rapid repertoire acquisition, with proven effectiveness in collaborative rehearsal techniques across vocal, instrumental, and musical theatre genres
Minimum Requirements
Master’s degree in music, music performance, or musical theatre completed by December 31, 2026
Demonstrated piano competencies including but not limited to video recordings of performances
Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check