Costume Operations Assistant

Arizona Opera is looking to add the position of Costume Operations Assistant to its 2025/26 Season team. This position reports directly to the Costume Shop Manager and provides hand-on experience supporting both administrative and day-to-day operations of the costume shop. This role is ideal for students or emerging professionals interested in learning about costume shop management, production processes, and arts administration in a professional opera setting.

Arizona Opera is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal access and opportunity to anyone who qualifies, regardless of sex, race, age, color, religion, mental or physical disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, and/or military status. Arizona Opera is committed to racial equity and to dismantling historic barriers of oppression.

We encourage applicants who may not meet every qualification listed below. Your skills, passion, and potential could make you the perfect addition to our team.

Job Title: Costume Operations Assistant

Department: Production

Reports To: Costume Shop Manager

Job Type: Flexible, seasonal, 9-month. Non-exempt.

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Engagement

• Internship start date is flexible and negotiable.
• This is a flexible, non-exempt position. Compensation is hourly. Hours may vary based on production and performance schedules.
  
  

Qualifications

• Pursuing or recently completed a degree in theatre, fashion technology, arts administration, or a related field.
• Interest in costume production and administrative processes.
• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft 365, is necessary.
• Strong communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Reliable transportation to Phoenix and potentially to Tucson for select events or performances.
• Ability to follow production standards and safety protocols.
  
  

Expectations

• Provide administrative support to the Costume Shop Manager, including assistance with costume piece lists, wardrobe plots, running paperwork, invoices, and budget tracking.
• Help manage costume rentals: pulling costume pieces, updating rental paperwork, assembling rental packages, and photographing and inventorying items.
• Assist in scheduling and coordinating shop staff, overhire, and performer fittings.
• Aid in receiving and processing incoming performer measurements.
• Attend and take notes during fittings and other costume-related meetings.
• Support professional correspondence with outside vendors and cultivate positive working relationships.
• Assist with general shop activities including strike, pulling/restocking costume pieces, organizing shop supplies, and maintaining fitting rooms.
• Collaborate closely with the Costume Shop Manager to anticipate shop and staff needs.
  
  

Physical Demands and Work Conditions

• Work takes place in costume shop, backstage environments, and an offsite warehouse.
• Non-temperature-controlled warehouse.
• Extended periods standing, sitting at a desk or sewing machine.
• Ability to lift and carry heavy costume pieces during load-in, load-out, and performances.
• Ability to climb ladders and stepstools safely.
• Typical schedule is flexible and varies weekly; may include evenings, weekends, and travel to Tucson during tech or performance weeks.
  
  

Compensation

• Job Type: Flexible, seasonal, 9-month, Non-Exempt
• Pay Rate: ~$19.50/hour
  
  

To Apply

Applicants for this position should email a cover letter, resume, and references.

Send to ATTN: Costume Operations Assistant at production@azopera.org.

For more details on this posting, please email Shelby Joiner, Costume Shop Manager, at sjoiner@azopera.org.

This posting will remain open until the right candidate is found. Please apply early.

Interviews will be conducted on an ongoing basis.

About Arizona Opera and The Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard Costume Artisan Workshop

Arizona Opera elevates the transformative power of storytelling through music—cultivating community and strengthening a state and people as adventurous and diverse as the place they call home. Our vision is to be an industry leader in artistic vitality, delivery of civic value, audience expansion, institutional strength, and sustainability.

The Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard Costume Artisan Workshop’s mission is to create a vibrant and inclusive environment where creativity thrives, and every interaction is a memorable experience. Rooted in our commitment to professionalism and mutual respect, we adhere to a set of core principles that guide our daily operations, ranging from maintaining respectful communication to upholding consistent shop standards. Through these principles, we strive to not only meet but exceed the expectations of our productions and create a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates creativity, professionalism, and collaboration.

For more information about Arizona Opera, visit our website.

Reports To

Costume Shop Manager

Job Category

Production