Associate or Full Professor in Scoring for the Screen

Faculty Position in Scoring for the Screen

The Department of Radio/Television/Film explores the history, theory, and production of media-from cinema to television to sound design to interactive media and emerging technologies. We value originality, critical analysis, creativity, and vision in both scholarly research and creative work. Our programs, courses, and research opportunities focus on the history of film, television, sound, and interactive media as well as the critical analysis of media texts, technologies, and cultures. Our faculty explore the social and cultural impact of media-and use media to convey their own messages to the world. All are dedicated to integrating the theory and the practice of media, participating in interdisciplinary dialogue, and fostering a spirit of creativity and collaboration. This prepares students who are eager to pursue careers in the media industries as writers, directors, producers, and managers who inspire, persuade, and educate their audiences.

The Department, in joint effort with the Department of Music Studies in the Bienen School of Music, aims to build a new focus on musicians in the film and television industry. The schools seek to jointly hire an accomplished creative at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in scoring for the screen. Radio/Television/Film has launched a new curricular track in "Composing for the Screen" and holds the state-of-the-art Hobson-Lucas Recording Studio designed to support recording processes. MFA students in the department's Documentary Media and Writing for the Screen and Stage MFA programs often collaborate with student musicians in the Bienen School of Music for their films. This senior faculty member would address this collaborative student demand across programs, offer courses that complement current composition and music technology offerings, as well as courses that may appeal to a broad range of students, and facilitate exciting initiatives, such as: an ongoing series of cross-school film screenings with live music; a program pairing student filmmakers with student composers; shared events featuring top composers and other music professionals for film, TV, videogames, and other forms of media; industry outreach and professional development for musicians, composers, and sound artists.

This position is 100% in person and located on Northwestern University's Evanston campus in the greater Chicago area.

Employment term: This is a full-time continuing senior faculty appointment, service of 9 months paid over 12. The hire would be subject to Northwestern's tenure approval process.

Salary Range: At the rank of Associate is $120,000-$138,000, at the rank of Full Professor it is $140,000-$160,000, competitive based upon experience.

Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate including years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal comparators; and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Preferred Start: September 1, 2027.

Closing Date: October 16, 2026. Review of applications will begin on October 19, 2026.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Research and creative work in the area of scoring for the screen

• Undergraduate and graduate student instruction

• Supervision of student thesis projects

• Service to the department, school, university, and profession

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree appropriate to the field, i.e. MFA in film and media production, DMA or PhD in music composition, or similar credentials, and/or equivalent industry experience

Application Documents:

For full consideration, please be sure to include the following materials in your application:

• Cover letter describing relevant interests, preparation, and experience; candidates should specifically address how previous experiences relate to qualifications for the role and how they see themselves contributing to both the School of Communication and the Bienen School of Music

• Current CV, including links to creative works

• Statement on teaching philosophy and creative practice

• Three (3) contacts for letters of recommendation, of which at least one should address teaching qualifications

Forward questions regarding the position to the search chair, Professor Jacob Smith (jacob-smith@northwestern.edu). For more information about the Department, please visit the department's website.

The Schools:

The School of Communication has five departments and offers a suite of interdisciplinary undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs. The departments span the communication arts and sciences including the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Communication Studies, the Department of Performance Studies, and the Department of Theatre (which includes music theatre and dance). The school offers instruction to roughly 900 undergraduate majors and 650 graduate and professional students. Founded nearly 150 years ago, the School has been a leader in developing the communication disciplines and professions, and continues to be a center of excellence in the communication arts and sciences. Our current Dean is E. Patrick Johnson.

Northwestern University's Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music ranks as one of the nation's leading music institutions. For more than a century, the Bienen School has offered a unique combination of conservatory-level musical training with the academic rigor of a top-tier research institution. Through exceptional training and dedicated, collaborative teaching, Bienen faculty prepare students to excel in the ever-changing music world and forge new paths in both the performance and academic arenas.

The University:

Northwestern University is one of the nation's largest private research universities. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, the main campus is in Evanston and the medical campus is 12 miles south in downtown Chicago. There is continuing expansion of University facilities and programs, particularly in the sciences and medicine. A variety of cultural, social, and recreational activities abound on and near each campus. We are committed to supporting a strong campus community.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at Northwestern Benefits to learn more.

Please read ALL instructions and make preparations before proceeding to the application page:

• Applications will only be accepted via online submission (see link below).
• Please prepare all documents in advance as Adobe PDF files, and please be sure all information is entered correctly and accurately (especially names and email addresses), as there will be no opportunity for online revision after your application has been submitted.
• Please also prepare a list of names and email addresses for your external academic references; your references will be contacted directly by the online system and invited to upload their letters on your behalf.
• All required fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk and must be filled before clicking the "Submit" button.
• Be aware that incomplete applications cannot be saved.

Applications accepted here: Apply for Job

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.