Technical Director (Events)

Van Wyck & Van Wyck•New York, NY

2d•$150,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

Van Wyck & Van Wyck is seeking a Technical Director to own technical vision, standards, and execution across all events and special projects. This is a senior, hands-on technical leadership role for someone who can move fluidly between drafting CAD floorplans, reviewing a rigging plot, calculating an electrical load, and mentoring project team members. The Technical Director partners with the design team from the earliest concept stage to assess technical feasibility, sets the technical standards that Production Managers and on-site staff execute against, and serves as the final technical authority on complex builds. This person reports to the [President of Van Wyck & Van Wyck / COO — confirm] and works closely with event teams and the company's network of technical and non-technical vendors. The strongest candidates have spent years working hands-on across multiple technical disciplines and are equally comfortable in a pre-production engineering review and on a job site solving a problem in real time.

Requirements

8+ years in technical event production, with hands-on experience across lighting, audio-visual, rigging, tenting, and HVAC systems
Advanced-level drafting ability in AutoCAD required — including floor plans, load calculations, power distribution, and rigging plots; Vectorworks experience is a plus but does not substitute for AutoCAD proficiency
Strong working knowledge of rigging and structural engineering principles, electrical load calculations, and life-safety code compliance
Proven experience managing and mentoring Production Managers and other support team members
Track record negotiating and managing contracts with major technical vendors
Department or portfolio-level budget management experience, not limited to single-event budgets
Ability to travel nationally and internationally and work flexible hours for site visits and events

Nice To Haves

Formal training or certification in rigging, electrical, or structural engineering
Experience setting technical standards or SOPs across a production organization
Direct experience working with fire marshals, code officials, or permit authorities
Background in theater, themed entertainment, or large-scale live event engineering
Experience working with union crews and labor agreements (e.g., IATSE) on live event builds

Responsibilities

Set technical standards and specifications for lighting, audio-visual, HVAC, rigging, tenting, and floor plan systems across all events
Produce advanced technical drawings and floor plans in AutoCAD for complex builds, in addition to reviewing and approving drawings from vendors and staff
Review and approve CAD floor plans, load calculations, power distribution plans, and rigging plots for structural and life-safety compliance
Evaluate new equipment, technology, and vendors to keep the company's technical capabilities current
Maintain the company's library of technical drawings, specifications, and vendor documentation
Lead technical pre-production for complex and large-scale events, including site surveys and engineering coordination
Partner with the design team at the concept stage to assess the technical feasibility of creative concepts
Coordinate directly with structural engineers, electrical contractors, and code officials on permit and compliance requirements
Serve as the final technical authority on-site for complex builds, resolving engineering-level issues in real time
Direct and mentor Production Managers and on-site technical staff
Build and maintain department-wide technical training programs and standard operating procedures
Own relationships and contract negotiations with major technical vendors across lighting, AV, rigging, tenting, and HVAC
Set escalation protocols so the event teams know when to bring in engineering-level expertise
Own the technical department budget across the event portfolio, including equipment investment and capital planning
Ensure company-wide compliance with safety, electrical, and structural codes across all markets served
Track technical spend against projections and report on department-level cost efficiency
Deliver technical debriefs after complex events, capturing lessons learned for future standards
Represent the technical department in leadership planning for the event portfolio's production capacity