Bloomington Service Maintenance
Job Specs

JOB TITLE AND LEVEL: Costume Construction Specialist / SM39

JOB CODE: 002144

DATE: July 2010

JOB PURPOSE:

This is technical and skilled work in the creation and maintenance of costumes and related accessories for dramatic and musical productions.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assists in the organization and assignment of costumes for all opera and ballet productions; maintains stock of costumes; selects costumes for performances.

Assists in drafting a variety of patterns for performances based on designer's sketches; cuts fabric and creates instructional techniques for building costumes; develops flat patterns.

Fabricates complex, sophisticated, or detailed costumes for opera and ballet productions.

Assists in instructing and directing hourly/student stitchers and other workers; assists in monitoring job performance and ensuring that deadlines are met.

Schedules fittings for new, used, and rented costumes; assists with fittings of costumes on performers; determines and produces any necessary adjustments.

Participates in shopping trips for materials for costumes; assists in selecting and purchasing all needed fabrics, materials, and supplies.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of historical period costumes, designs, and patterns and the methods, materials, and equipment used in the construction and reconstruction of stage costumes and related accessories.

Demonstrated knowledge of textiles, dyeing, pattern drafting, cutting, draping, sewing, trimming, and altering theatrical costumes.

Ability to use costume shop equipment such as steam irons, domestic, commercial and industrial sewing machines, washers, dryers, dye vats, grommet machines, and glue guns.

Ability to work quickly and accurately from sketches and designs in creating costumes and accessories.

Ability to supervise and instruct hourly/student costume workers.

Ability to plan and execute work in order to meet the time and budget constraints of productions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education:  High School Diploma. BA/BFA in apparel design/construction, theater, clothing and textiles, or related field with one (1) year experience theatre costume production OR four (4) years verifiable experience in the theatre costume production experience.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Sitting, standing, walking, climbing/ladders, squatting/kneeling, reaching, grasping, pushing/pulling, twisting/bending, lifting/carrying up to 25 lbs multiple times per shift, fingering, talking, hearing, and seeing.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Spends majority of time indoors. Risk of bodily injury from mechanical parts and hand held tools/equipment. 

The intent of this job specification is to provide a representative summary of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position.  Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this specification.