At The New School, we redefine the boundaries of education, creativity, and innovation. Founded in 1919 and located in the heart of New York City, we are home to over 9,000 students from over 100 countries, offering more than 135 degree and diploma programs across our renowned colleges, including Parsons School of Design, The New School for Social Research, Eugene Lang college of Liberal Arts, Parsons Paris, and the College of Performing Arts. Our progressive, interdisciplinary approach has earned us recognition as one of the most forward-thinking institutions in the world.
POSITION/ROLE OVERVIEW
Parsons, Mannes, Jazz, Drama at The New School is seeking a highly qualified Seasonal Capstone Props supervisor to assist the Props Department for the duration of the School of Drama’s Capstone Festival. The Capstone Festival features graduating students’ self-written and directed theatrical productions as capstone projects for the Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Theatre and Performance degree program.
The Seasonal Capstone Props Supervisor will lead all builds, alterations, and sourcing for the capstone festival. They may be delegated to oversee inventory, overhire crew, and provide direct production support as needed. The Seasonal Capstone Props supervisor acts as the primary point of continuity across all Capstone productions, coordinating multi-show prop workflows, and managing cross-departmental communication to ensure consistency of design interpretation, safety standards, and festival-wide prop integration.
The ideal candidate is an organized, collaborative professional who can take initiative, manage independent projects, and thrive in a fast-paced, highly team-oriented environment. The Seasonal Capstone Props Supervisor reports to the Props Supervisor.
This is an FLSA nonexempt hourly (30 hours per week) temporary position with a desired start date of January 31st 2027, and an end date of April 16th, 2027. This position may be renewed pending institutional need and availability of funding.
CORE CAPABILITIES, PRIMARY DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as the Capstone Festival’s Props Department primary point of contact, ensuring alignment of prop needs, schedules, and resource-sharing across all Capstone productions
Act as lead artisan on show builds and alterations for the Capstone Festival, overseeing overhire props artisans as scheduled
Collaborate closely with set designer and students to fulfill each Capstone production’s needs
Read all rehearsal reports, and keep all props-related communication up-to-date
Develop familiarity with show scripts, prop lists, and project specific paperwork
Attend all Capstone production meetings
Act as the designated Production representative during tech rehearsals
Oversee Capstone Festival-specific logistics including rapid-turnover prop changes between productions, maintaining shared prop spaces, and managing festival-wide prop storage and repurposing strategies
Travel to vendors or storage locations to procure and cart supplies and materials as needed
Assist departmental leadership with tracking project-related spending, supporting the expense reconciliation process as needed
Additional responsibilities as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS
Two years previous experience in theatrical properties required
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
The ability to work productively, graciously, and professionally under strict time and space constraints
Comfortable with power tools and heights
Strong carpentry, sewing, and upholstery skills
Experienced or able to learn and develop fluency in The New School’s suite of applications including Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Workday, and Adobe Photoshop
Demonstrated managerial or supervisory experience is highly preferred, particularly in a production or arts-focused environment.
Demonstrated commitment to Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and the transformative power of the arts and education
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Driver’s license and…