What are the responsibilities and job description for the Freelance Specialty Lighting & Mechanical Prop Builder position at Murmuration Inc?
Murmuration designs and fabricates custom installations, sculptures, and immersive environments for brands, events, and film. Our projects bring together fabrication, lighting, electronics, and mechanical systems. Everything we design gets built in our shop.
We’re looking for a freelance collaborator to help design and build specialty lighting effects and mechanical props for an upcoming project. This is a hands-on, project-based position, not a full-time role. You’ll work alongside our designers and fabricators to turn ideas into working effects that can hold up in a finished installation.
The work may involve custom lighting, addressable LEDs, sensors, motors, switches, relays, microcontrollers, and control systems. We’re especially interested in someone who enjoys figuring out how an effect should work, prototyping it, and then building and troubleshooting the final version.
What you’ll do
- Develop practical approaches for lighting effects and moving props
- Prototype, wire, program, and test interactive elements
- Select components, power supplies, connectors, and control hardware
- Integrate electronics and mechanisms into fabricated scenery and props
- Troubleshoot and refine effects through installation
You’d be a strong fit if you have:
- Hands-on experience building electronic or mechanical effects
- Strong wiring, soldering, and troubleshooting skills
- Experience with Arduino or similar microcontrollers
- Familiarity with LEDs, low-voltage power, sensors, motors, and relays
- The ability to move comfortably between design, workbench, and shop floor
A huge plus: You can model and CAD the parts your effects need, or work with existing CAD and 3D models as part of your design and build process. Experience with DMX, theatrical lighting, animatronics, robotics, or scenic fabrication is also welcome.
You don’t need to know every system listed above. We’re looking for someone resourceful who can help us make unusual ideas work.
Engagement: Freelance, project-based. Build schedules are typically 2–4 weeks, with scope and schedule discussed for each project.
Instagram: @murmuration_inc
Website: www.murmurationinc.com
To get in touch, send us a brief introduction and examples of effects, props, or interactive builds you’ve worked on.
Pay: $25.00 - $35.00 per hour
Expected hours: 20.0 – 40.0 per week
Work Location: In person
Salary : $25 - $35