Costume Shop Technician (Performing Arts Technician I)

Job Position(s): Costume Shop Technician (Performing Arts Technician I)

California State University, Fullerton is hiring a Costume Shop Technician (Performing Arts Technician I) for its Theatre/Dance department in Fullerton, California. This role sits at the center of costume construction for live theatrical productions, working from designer sketches through to finished garments using pattern drafting, draping, and shop fabrication techniques. It suits a working costumer with hands-on construction experience who wants to build a career in a producing academic department with direct ties to the Southern California performing arts industry.

About the Role

The Costume Shop Technician supports Cal State Fullerton’s Theatre/Dance program, which stages productions across performance, design, and technical production disciplines in the heart of Orange County’s performing arts community. Day to day, this person works alongside the costume lab manager and costume designers to move productions from concept through build, while also managing the department’s costume rental operation and storage inventory. The work follows a standard academic production calendar, with shop hours running Monday through Friday.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft and drape original patterns from costume designer sketches to meet production specifications across period and contemporary theatrical productions.
• Construct finished costumes using professional shop equipment, applying working knowledge of historical dress and garment construction methods appropriate to each production’s design requirements.
• Operate and maintain all costume shop equipment, including stitching machines and pressing tools, and manage shop stock and supply inventories.
• Coordinate all costume rentals for the department, managing outgoing and incoming stock and maintaining accurate records of rental inventory.
• Work with shop personnel to maintain, clean, and store costume elements across all active and archived productions.
• Support the costume lab manager in organizing and maintaining all costume storage areas to production-ready standard.

What You Bring

• A minimum of one year of experience in costume construction within a theater, repertory, or stock company production environment.
• Proficiency in pattern drafting and draping with the ability to translate design drawings into constructed garments.
• Working knowledge of materials sourcing, supply selection, and managing a materials budget for specific productions.
• Foundational knowledge of historical periods as they relate to costume design and theatrical production.
• Applicable college coursework or professional training in costume construction or a related performing arts technical discipline.

Why This Role

Cal State Fullerton’s Theatre/Dance program operates with proximity to both the Los Angeles film and television industries and Orange County’s active performing arts and theme park production sectors, giving shop staff real-world adjacent production experience. This is a full-time, probationary staff position within Unit 9 of the CSUEU, with a hiring salary range of $3,721 to $4,574 per month, not anticipated to exceed that range depending on qualifications. For a costume technician looking for stable, production-focused work in a department that treats craft seriously, this is a substantive staff role rather than a seasonal or project position.

Apply now for the Costume Shop Technician (Performing Arts Technician I) position at California State University, Fullerton and bring your construction skills into a department that builds real productions.