Scenic Designer

LF Studios•Blue Ash, OH

About The Position

LF Studios is seeking a Scenic Designer to create practical, buildable scenic environments around animatronic figures, including rock work, scenic flats, bases, platforms, set pieces, and props. This is a hands-on design role focused on taking scenery from concept through fabrication and installation, rather than an engineering role. The designer will preserve creative intent while addressing construction, structural interfaces, handling, packing, shipping, and on-site reassembly. As the first member of a new Scenic Design team within the Surface Design department, the Scenic Designer will help establish standards for scenic work at LF Studios. The role involves developing digital models and fabrication release packages, coordinating with Engineering and other teams, and supporting shop builds and field installations. LF Studios designs and fabricates animatronic figures, sculpted elements, exhibits, and interactive experiences for theme parks, museums, science centers, and branded spaces internationally.

Requirements

Experience designing scenic structures that were built and installed.
Hands-on background in one or more of rockwork, scenic flats, technical theater, or woodworking.
Proficiency in at least one CAD tool, such as Fusion 360, and one mesh tool, such as Blender, Maya, or ZBrush, with comfort moving models between them.
Working knowledge of fabrication methods and materials and how they affect design decisions.
Practical understanding of structure, weight, handling, packing, and shipping.
A portfolio showing scenic work from concept through a finished, built piece.
Authorization to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Surface design experience with shells, digital models, or figure skins for animatronics or themed entertainment.
Theme park, museum, exhibit, retail, or live-event scenic experience.
Familiarity with SOLIDWORKS and PDM, 3D printing (FDM, SLA, SLS), and CNC or robotic milling.
Shop experience building designed work, including carpentry, metalwork, foam carving, or hard coat.
Experience preparing crating and shipping plans or supporting on-site installations.
A passion for themed entertainment, scenic art, and immersive storytelling.

Responsibilities

Develop scenic elements from client concepts, sculpts, and art direction while preserving creative intent and accounting for fabrication methods, materials, and budget.
Build digital models in CAD and mesh environments, keeping scenery in context with figures, mechanisms, and show layout.
Lay out internal structure, including framing, steel or wood substructure, and mounting points, for engineering review.
Coordinate interfaces with figures and mechanisms, including clearances, range of motion, access panels, cable paths, and service access.
Select construction methods and materials, including hardcoat and foam rock work, flats, wood and metal framing, and 3D-printed or milled parts.
Divide scenery into sections appropriate for fabrication, handling, crating, and shipping, with seams, keys, and hardware that support clean on-site reassembly.
Produce fabrication release packages, including drawings, models, output files, cut lists, and bills of materials.
Document assembly sequences, lifting and handling points, and installation interfaces.
Work with Engineering, Fabrication, Finishing, and project managers from project kickoff through installation.
Support shop builds and field installations, and feed lessons learned back into scenic standards.