Employment at MSM

Position Description

Title: Lead Technician
Department: Production
Reports to: Assistant Dean of Concert Production
Internal Contacts: Faculty, Staff, Students, Student Workers
External Contacts: Overhire Workers, Guest Artists, Designers, Patrons, Outside Vendors, etc.
Employment Status:  Fulltime; Non-Exempt; Union
Pay Rate: $32.78 per hour

The Lead Technician pursues the Department’s main mission to provide a safe and professional performance environment to all members of the MSM community, including students, faculty, staff, and patrons, while supporting the goals of the School and maintaining and preserving the physical integrity of the performance venues.

Domains

• Assist the Production Supervisor, Lighting Supervisor, and Production Coordinators in coordinating the production planning and execution of upcoming concerts, events, and performances in assigned venue(s), as determined by crew schedule. This may include:
  • Communicating with event organizers and/or artistic team as needed.
  • Creating drawings, run sheets, and other documentation as needed.
  • Liaising with Production Manager to request additional crew as needed.
  • Creating event reports and archiving event information in the School network files.
• Schedule necessary production, tech, or maintenance time in conjunction with the Assistant Dean of Concert Production, Production Managers, and Production Team.
• Supervise and train crew in accordance with MSM policy and practices.
• Assist with regular upkeep of the performance halls and rehearsal spaces, including equipment maintenance, repair, and inventory management.
• Suggest improvements for venues (e.g., systems, storage, or future purchases) and maintain accurate repertory lighting plot paperwork based on venue needs.
• Serve in assigned crew roles (e.g., LX Crew, Assistant Production Electrician, Production Electrician, Lead Technician) for Opera, Musical Theatre, and other productions as the schedule allows, including additional duties as assigned.
• Attend production meetings and pre-load-in meetings for assigned productions.
• Lead LX notes calls for assigned productions.
• Pursue administrative projects as determined by the Assistant Dean of Concert Production and Lighting Supervisor.

Job Details

• Position is full-time, year-round, with benefits.
• Variable schedule according to production needs, including overtime, evenings, and weekends.
• Overtime may be required with advance notice at any point during the year. It is most common during the months of October, November, March, April, May, and July. Position is eligible for daily overtime after 8 hours and weekly overtime after 40 hours.
• This work is performed under a collective bargaining agreement with IATSE Local 1.

Job Requirements

• BFA or BA in Theater, or similar professional experience.
• Basic working knowledge of electrical theory and lighting network concepts required.
• Professional demeanor, superior communication skills, comfort in high-pressure situations, adaptable, solution-oriented, and skilled in collaboration.
• Familiarity with ETC lighting consoles and basic theatrical lighting system and equipment, basic A/V systems, and traditional orchestral musical equipment.
• Experience as a lighting technician required, experience as an ETC Eos programmer, and/or stagehand preferred.
• Working knowledge of Vectorworks, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook; knowledge of Lightwright preferred.
• Must be NYC Fire Guard and CPR/First Aid Certified; training available.

Contact Information

Send cover letter and resume to:

Jacob Poulos
Production and Performance Operations Department Manager
jpoulos@msmnyc.edu

Manhattan School of Music is committed to maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Accordingly, Manhattan School of Music (“MSM” or “the School”) prohibits  discrimination and harassment based on age, actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race), color, creed, ethnic origin, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, disability, religion, sex (including sexual harassment), gender (including actual or perceived sex, gender identity and gender expression including a person’s actual or perceived gender-related self-image, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic, regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth), actual or perceived height or weight, sexual orientation, marital or partnership status, military or veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, unemployment status, pregnancy, familial status, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, prior criminal convictions, or status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses, or stalking, or on any other legally protected basis.