Property Master
Department of Drama – University of Alberta
Competition No. – S110117424
Posting Date – May 10, 2012
Closing Date – Jun 01, 2012

Position Type – Full Time – Operating Funded
Salary Range – $4,207 to $5,766 per month
Grade – 09
Hours – 35

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: www.hrs.ualberta.ca.

This recurring term position works annually from approximately mid-August to mid-June.

Since its inception in the 1940s, the University of Alberta’s Department of Drama has been a visionary leader in Canadian theatre, recognized as one of the foremost university theatre programs in Canada. The first university in Canada to have a Playwright-in-Residence, the Department of Drama is home to a roster of expert faculty members with extensive professional credentials. With five undergraduate programs (B.A and B.F.A specializations), five graduate-level programs (M.A and M.F.A specializations) and English Canada’s first PhD in Performance Studies, the Department of Drama continues to develop emerging artists into members of the professional theatre community.

The Property Master forms part of a team of highly experienced theatre production professionals that mentor students as they learn in an apprenticeship-style manner within a busy production environment. The Department produces a season (Studio Theatre) of six public productions within the Timms Centre for the Arts – an outstanding theatre facility which contains a main-stage (proscenium configuration with full fly tower), black box theatre, fully equipped workshops, and large rehearsal hall. Another 20 small scale productions are produced in theatres and studios in the Timms and the adjoining Fine Arts Building.

Reporting to the Production Manager, the Property Master is primarily responsible for the construction and maintenance of the properties for the Department’s public presentations within the Studio Theatre season, and provides assistance to many other productions culminating out of classes within the Department. The Property Master provides direct demonstration to students within the BFA Design, Technical and Stage Management programs.

Duties

• Works effectively with creative and production team members (students, faculty and professionals) during design development and implementation processes
• Assists faculty in developing ideas to enable design concept; this may require research, developing prototypes or interpreting sketches into workable drawings or techniques
• Budgets, sources and fabricates hand props, special effects, furnishings and set dressing as well as expendable prop items
• Oversees the costing of hand and furniture properties for productions to ensure it stays within the budget
• Monitors, maintains and repairs the property shop equipment and facilities; develops stock lists as necessary to keep the area fully equipped
• Maintains and repairs hand and furniture property collection
• Demonstrates property construction techniques to students; ensures proper safety procedures and protective equipment are properly used
• Ensures that the running crew for properties is properly trained to fulfill the requirements of each production
• Manages upkeep of and access to hand and furniture property inventory
• Acts as consultant to faculty, staff and students in the area of properties
• Performs other related duties with respect to productions and administration

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma in Theatre Arts including training in technical theatre; undergraduate degree preferred; equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered
• Five years experience as a head of properties within a theatrical setting including supervision and budgetary control responsibilities
• Demonstrated mastery of various types of power tools, woodworking tools, rigging equipment, theatrical systems, and computer equipment, and a strong knowledge of risk assessment procedures for each
• Ability to lift upwards of 50 lbs regularly
• Demonstrated ability to multitask
• Ability to consistently meet deadlines, create accurate cost projections as well as monitor progress and supervise students and/or staff
• First Aid Certificate training; CPR training an asset
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with attention to detail
• Experience working within a post-secondary learning environment an asset

How to Apply:
Please visit: http://www.careers.ualberta.ca/Competition/S110117424/