What are the responsibilities and job description for the Heritage Center Lighting & Production Technician – 45779 position at Alma College?
FSLA Employment Category: Salaried, Exempt, Administrative, Part time
DEPARTMENT: Student Affairs
Position Summary
The Heritage Center Lighting & Production Technician provides support for theatre, dance, and music programs, as well as additional events for internal and external clients. This position focuses primarily on lighting—serving as the master electrician, ETC EOS programmer, and lighting technician—while also assisting with general production, rigging, A/V needs, and event operations. Ideal candidates will have experience with industry-standard theatrical lighting practices; operating lighting equipment over sACN, Art-Net, DMX, and DMX-over-Ethernet; event load-in, operation, and strike; basic safe rigging; and fundamental A/V and PA system use. A strong understanding of lighting design principles is essential.
This is a part time, 12-month, .8 FTE position, with a variable schedule aligned to event and operational needs. Workload fluctuates throughout the year, with lighter periods and extended breaks between terms.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED
Master Electrician:
For full consideration, qualified candidates must complete the following steps:
Alma College is classified as a selective Baccalaureate College: Diverse Fields by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Alma is committed to academic excellence and the development of responsible leaders; our students thrive on challenging academic programs in a supportive, small-college environment emphasizing active, collaborative learning and close student-faculty interaction. Alma is a private Phi Beta Kappa institution located in the center of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Alma College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
Alma College recognizes that we are all transformed when we celebrate and value the varied identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in our campus community. We are committed to recognizing and removing barriers to success and providing equitable access to opportunities through education and advocacy. In our increasingly diverse campus and world, we pledge to create a climate where everyone is safe and free to grow intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. For more information about the College, visit www.alma.edu.
DEPARTMENT: Student Affairs
Position Summary
The Heritage Center Lighting & Production Technician provides support for theatre, dance, and music programs, as well as additional events for internal and external clients. This position focuses primarily on lighting—serving as the master electrician, ETC EOS programmer, and lighting technician—while also assisting with general production, rigging, A/V needs, and event operations. Ideal candidates will have experience with industry-standard theatrical lighting practices; operating lighting equipment over sACN, Art-Net, DMX, and DMX-over-Ethernet; event load-in, operation, and strike; basic safe rigging; and fundamental A/V and PA system use. A strong understanding of lighting design principles is essential.
This is a part time, 12-month, .8 FTE position, with a variable schedule aligned to event and operational needs. Workload fluctuates throughout the year, with lighter periods and extended breaks between terms.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED
- Dual reports to the Heritage Technical Director and Associate Director of Hospitality.
- Assists with supervising the student staff in the Heritage Center
Master Electrician:
- Implement basic lighting designs and support the upkeep and development of repertory plots. Create magic sheets for all spaces.
- Maintain and update all lighting documentation, including DMX addressing, digital files, and technical archives. Track inventory of lighting equipment.
- Diagnose and repair lighting equipment, fixtures, and cabling.
- Perform regular maintenance, including dimmer checks, relamping, and annual bench focuses of incandescent fixtures. Follow OSHA, USITT, and ESTA safety standards and ensure compliance with fire, accessibility, and performance venue codes.
- Clean, document, and maintain all fixtures to support fire and electrical safety protocols under the direction of the Technical Director.
- Assist with the upkeep and troubleshooting of lighting networks across Heritage Center venues.
- Support the Technical Director in hiring and managing a qualified pool of student employees.
- Set up events in Strosacker Theatre and Presbyterian Hall as assigned by the Technical Director or the production calendar, and supervise student staff during setups.
- Support various internal and external campus events by assisting with load-in, rehearsals, performances, and strike.
- When assigned a lighting design: review the script or project and create a design that supports the production’s concept, collaborating with theatre, dance, or music faculty as needed.
- Lead the hang and focus for each production’s lighting rig in Strosacker Theatre.
- Research design concepts for each production and communicate them to the design team through renderings, sketches, or other visual media.
- Create cue documentation and program the lighting console for each show.
- Prepare purchase lists for lighting design needs.
- Attend all production meetings and all cue-to-cues, dry techs, and wet techs as the lighting designer.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree in theatre, technical production, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and four years of professional experience.
- Experience with theatrical lighting and board programming (ETC EOS preferred).
- Ability to read, interpret, and create scale drawings and lighting plots.
- Proficient knowledge of theatrical lighting systems.
- Experience working with underrepresented, first-generation, Pell-eligible, and diverse populations.
- Experience supervising student technicians in a theatre or event environment.
- Ability to work at height on ladders and lifts.
- Ability to lift at least 50lbs.
For full consideration, qualified candidates must complete the following steps:
- Submit the Alma College application
- Email a letter of interest and resume to careers@alma.edu.
Alma College is classified as a selective Baccalaureate College: Diverse Fields by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Alma is committed to academic excellence and the development of responsible leaders; our students thrive on challenging academic programs in a supportive, small-college environment emphasizing active, collaborative learning and close student-faculty interaction. Alma is a private Phi Beta Kappa institution located in the center of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Alma College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
Alma College recognizes that we are all transformed when we celebrate and value the varied identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in our campus community. We are committed to recognizing and removing barriers to success and providing equitable access to opportunities through education and advocacy. In our increasingly diverse campus and world, we pledge to create a climate where everyone is safe and free to grow intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. For more information about the College, visit www.alma.edu.