Asst Lighting Designer
About The Position
The Assistant Lighting Designer assists with the management, coordination, creation, and execution of lighting designs for San Francisco Opera’s seasonal productions and associated programming. The role works as a first or second assistant to guest Lighting Designers and/or the Resident Lighting Director, and coordinates lighting requirements between designers, the in-house Lighting Director, electrics staff, and other technical teams. It may also create or assist with designs for special events and non-mainstage productions. The position supports the production department’s repertory schedule, assists with changeovers and lighting focus, and represents the lighting team during assigned performances to help maintain design integrity. It creates and maintains lighting plots, paperwork, and archival information; supports onstage safety programs; and helps manage seasonal lighting assistants and interns. Additional duties include scheduling lightwalkers, maintaining department files, providing office and event support, and completing other assigned tasks.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university theater department, or equivalent work experience.
- Completion of an accredited VectorWorks training course or proven expertise.
- Three to five years of assistant lighting design experience in a professional, non-academic environment.
- Knowledge of modern stage lighting, theater production, intelligent lighting and moving lights, and light board programming.
- High skill with Lightwright, VectorWorks, Microsoft Suite, Moving Light Assistant software, and other relevant programs, systems, and platforms.
- Experience with conventional, LED, scroller, and intelligent light programming.
- Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
- Ability to use a stage intercom system, including headset and microphone, clearly.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to organize, prioritize, and complete varied tasks quickly and accurately.
- Ability to assist with coordinating day-to-day and weekly schedules.
- Ability to exercise good judgment and initiative.
- Ability to manage several equally prioritized projects and sustain productivity under pressure.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
- Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to interact professionally, confidentially, and tactfully with artists, staff, the public, and volunteers.
- Ability to sit at a computer and/or production desk for over eight hours per day, see clearly in low-light backstage and theater settings, and walk on complex stage settings to complete tasks such as lighting focus.
- Ability to perform the functions of the position safely.
Nice To Haves
- Repertory experience.
- Experience working in a professional environment with union team members, such as stage crew.
- General knowledge of and/or interest in projection design and related software.
Responsibilities
- Assist guest Lighting Designers and/or the Resident Lighting Director as a first or second assistant on assigned productions.
- Liaise between designers, electrics team members, and staff members.
- Work with the in-house Lighting Director and lighting and technical teams to review, research, determine, and communicate lighting design requirements for repertory productions, rental productions, and co-productions.
- Create lighting designs or assist with designs for special events, non-mainstage opera productions, and related programming as assigned.
- Help coordinate competing priorities within the production department’s repertory schedule.
- Provide project information to technical and electrics team members.
- Assist in supervising electrics focus during changeovers.
- Represent the lighting department during assigned performances to ensure design integrity, including calling or assisting with follow-spot cues and coverage.
- Create and maintain lighting plots, lighting paperwork, and archival information.
- Support and adhere to onstage safety programs, including mandated safety programs and risk assessments.
- Communicate lighting design needs clearly and concisely to other departments.
- Gain familiarity with the stagehand union Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Manage seasonal lighting assistants’ priorities and paperwork assignments in conjunction with the Lighting Director.
- Assist in managing lighting interns.
- Schedule and manage lightwalkers.
- Provide general office assistance and support, and prepare and maintain lighting department files as assigned.
- Support assigned non-mainstage events or projects when necessary.
- Assist with filming projects and other events.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
