Production Technician
Description
Job Environment
A catalyst for creativity and learning, The Prior Performing Arts Center amplifies the arts at Holy Cross and provides the College, the greater Worcester community, and visiting creative thinkers with an inspiring environment to pursue diverse questions of the human experience. An active classroom, laboratory, performance venue, and exhibition site that opened at the College in 2022, the Prior Performing Arts Center offers world-class spaces to experience and train in the performing and creative arts, fostering collaboration across artistic disciplines and catalyzing transformational exchange between the arts and other fields.
Team Environment
- Programming, production, and operations staff at The Prior share the following goals:
- Enable the success of the creative and performing arts departments (a.k.a. “Principle Clients”) by hosting departmental programs within appropriate Prior venues; by providing superb technical expertise and administrative support as required to ensure high-quality offerings; and by enhancing and elevating Holy Cross’ national reputation as a leading destination for creative and performing arts talent.
- Present leading arts voices to multiple audiences (College, city/community, region, nation) under the banner of the “Prior Presents” series and through other public-facing or community-oriented offerings.
- Incubate cross-disciplinary learning and support creative collaboration by working together with individual faculty, departments, academic programs, and other units, including The Cantor Art Gallery, which is housed on the third floor of the center, to originate and host arts-based and arts-integrative programs.
- Foster a diverse, inclusive community related to the arts.
- Develop and enhance relationships with greater Worcester through targeted opportunities to develop educational and arts-based programming with local community members and/or to host community-led programming related to the arts.
Host special events within appropriate Prior venues (as requested by the College) in order to promote prospective student, family, alumni, and philanthropic engagement with Holy Cross.
Job Description
Reporting to the Manager of Production, the Production Technician serves as production electrician and stage supervisor for The Prior Performing Arts Center. Core responsibilities include: (1) helping with preparation, hang, focus, and notes for the lighting designs for productions; (2) executing stage lighting and performance staging for other departmental events, student and academic gatherings, and performances by visiting artists; and (3) serving as a stage supervisor and/or lead production staff for events and performances held during evenings and weekends.
Collaborating closely with a fellow Production Technician, the Manager of Production, and others across units on the production staff, the Production Technician serves all production facets from load-in to load-out, including the setup and strike of all stage elements.
In the role’s capacity as production electrician, this position supports the maintenance of lighting equipment, the operation and basic repair of lighting consoles and systems. As stage supervisor, this position staffs events and performances hosted by college academic and administrative departments, visiting artists, students, and community partners; and “calls” stage and audience transitions.
This position regularly supervises students (and overhire staff, as needed) and collaborates with other Prior staff in the training and evaluation of these workers.
The ideal candidate will work well under short time constraints and be able to pivot easily from one task or idea to another. They will possess exceptional problem-solving skills for addressing technical and logistical challenges. As a detail-oriented professional, they will be dedicated to the superior execution of all phases of production from creation to finished product.
Major Areas of Responsibility
Production Electrician
- Serve as head electrician, as needed.
- Collaborate with designers to ensure the feasibility of designs, as needed.
- Coordinate with the Manager of Production to create specific schedules for the implementation of lighting designs.
- Hang, circuit, and focus stage sights.
- Program and operate lighting control consoles.
- Repair and provide preventative maintenance for stage lighting and related electrical equipment; manage and maintain lighting inventories. Respond to lighting and electrical problems occurring during productions.
- Create and maintain lighting paperwork.
- Track electrical expenses for events from pre-production through post-production.
Stage supervisor
- Serve as stage supervisor for performances and events throughout The Prior Performing Arts Center, including those produced by academic units, other college partners, visiting professional artists, community groups, and students.
- Coordinate efforts between front-of-house personnel, technical personnel, and clients; “call” performances and events in a clean, efficient, and effective manner.
- When serving as an event’s lead production technician, be able to troubleshoot across a basic range of technical areas during live performance.
General
- Train, supervise, and evaluate a roster of student stage hands, freelance overhires, contractors, and technical/event personnel.
- Train on building AV systems to assist with AV on an as-needed basis.
- Assure compliance with appropriate regulations regarding safety and building policy and characteristics.
- Attend production meetings, rehearsals, previews, client walkthroughs, events, and performances.
- Act as an event run crew, as needed.
- Works with other Prior personnel on non-technical work-related needs such as setting up tables, chairs, stanchions, etc. for events.
- Repair and provide preventative maintenance for stage lighting and related electrical equipment; responds to lighting and electrical problems occurring during productions; makes recommendations on major repair of lighting and on new equipment acquisitions.
- Create and maintain lighting records including but not limited to detailing current lighting positions, circuit, focus, purpose and rentals. Manage and maintain lighting inventories. Track electrical expenses for events from pre-production through post production.
- Act as needed as a point person for visiting companies and artists’ technical personnel in scheduling and managing production activities.
- Recruit, hire, train, supervise, schedule and evaluate a roster of student stage hands, freelance overhires, contractors and technical/event personnel, maintaining high level of customer service with all clients and college departments. Monitor labor costs and approve timecards.
- Prepare and maintain accurate drafting and technical information for the rooms and venues within the PAC.
- Coordinate and maintain inventory of venue equipment and its allocation for events and performances with the PAC.
- Assist in maintenance and repair of all theatrical equipment and spaces.
- Other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
- 4+ years of theatrical lighting experience.
- 3+ years experience as a theatrical master or head electrician.
With specific experience including but not limited to:
- ETCNet3-based data distribution
- Dimming and relay based power distribution
- LED and automated fixtures
- Proven skill in programming ETC EOS family lighting consoles (4+ years experience).
- Management experience of technical crews.
- Experience of CAD drafting with Vectorworks, ideally with both 2D and 3D workspaces (4+ Years).
- Fluency in Lightwright 6 & data exchange with Vectorworks.
- Ability to create and understand light plots and relevant paperwork.
- Ability to work collaboratively, and communicate clearly and diplomatically with attention to detail.
- Experience calling basic events/shows and managing an audience in conjunction with FOH (i.e. house doors, light down, lights up, pre-show announcement, stage door, cueing performers/musicians).
Preferred Qualifications
- A degree in a related field.
- ETCP certified entertainment electrician.
- OSHA 10 certification.
- Experience working as a stage manager or stage supervisor.
- Experience working with and or supervising unskilled student crews in an educational setting.
- Knowledge of theatrical rigging and counterweight fly systems and operation.
Work Conditions
- Expectation of regular evening and weekend hours (more often than not, the workweek will include more afternoon/evening shifts than it will morning/afternoon shifts).
- This position may require work in dimly lit or confined areas.
- The majority of the workday is spent indoors and onsite, but may require working outdoors or in off-campus venues.
- Restricted vacation during peak periods.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to sit, stand, and walk for long periods of time.
- Must be able to work effectively using ladders, lifts, and scaffolding.
- Must be able to work on a catwalk.
- Must be comfortable working at heights and able to move heavy equipment
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
Core Competencies
- Supervision
- Dependability
- Flexibility
- Service Oriented
- Excellent Written & Verbal Communication
- Proficient Problem Solving
- Understands Risk Management
- Excellent Innovation/Creativity
- Strong Teamwork & Team Facilitation
- Strong Interpersonal Skills
- Understands, values, and respects diversity as an individual and in a team
- Fosters an inclusive and supportive environment
Disclaimer
The description above represents the most significant duties of this position but does not exclude other occasional work assignments not mentioned, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the factor degrees assigned.
Additional information:
This is a full time, exempt level position. The College is committed to providing competitive market pay for its employees. The salary range for this position is $59,100-$64,000. The College also offers a competitive benefits package for full-time staff, including:
This is a full time, exempt level position. The College is committed to providing competitive market pay for its employees. The salary range for this position is $59,100-$64,000. The College also offers a competitive benefits package for full-time staff, including:
- 10% College contribution to the 403(b) Retirement Plan (1 year wait waiver available)
- This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement - upon hire, candidates will need to live within commuting distance
- Condensed summer 4-day work week
- Tuition & Education benefits
- Wellness programs & ongoing Training and Development opportunities
- Generous paid time off
- The College is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the workplace.
- To review our Employee Benefit Options, please go to: https://www.holycross.edu/human-resources/benefits
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Please attach a cover letter addressing the position requirements along with your resume.
Please attach a cover letter addressing the position requirements along with your resume.
In your cover letter please address how your work might support the College's mission as a Jesuit, undergraduate liberal arts college (see http://www.holycross.edu/mission) and its core commitment to justice and inclusive excellence. Please provide examples of any past work that illuminate your commitments in these areas.
Review of applications will begin as received and continue until the position has been filled.
The College also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process in compliance with law. To request an accommodation, please email at [email protected], or call 508-793-3391