Lighting Designer and Head Electrician | Vilar & Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

About the role

The Vail Valley Foundation (VVF) is seeking a Lighting Designer and Head Electrician to lead lighting operations at the Vilar Performing Arts Center and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. This role requires exceptional artistic and technical skills to enhance the audience and artist experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the venue lighting designer and head electrician for the Vilar and GRFA, providing creative, artistic and technical leadership for lighting across performances, rentals, festivals and special events.
• Design, program, and execute lighting designs for a wide variety of performance types and events using the Vilar & GRFA’s repertory lighting plots.
• Lead part-time stage crew to execute light hangs, focuses and restores in a safe and efficient manner to adapt lighting designs to fit tour specifications and/or restrictions.
• Oversee and support Touring Lighting Designers and/or Head Electricians as primary point of contact during load-in, run of show and load-out, including tying in to Vilar system and providing support/troubleshooting as needed.
• Maintain all Vilar and GRFA lighting-related infrastructure, gear, systems and peripherals, and help manage other Vilar production/technical infrastructure, gear, systems and peripherals.
• Advise Vilar & GRFA Production Management with ongoing and off-season projects, major capital projects and improvements.
• Oversee installation of Lighting equipment, Hanging, focusing, and wiring of fixtures.
• Manage power distribution and maintain safety compliance for our equipment as well as touring lighting power needs.
• Ad hoc projects as assigned.

Other Responsibilities

• Supervise part-time, seasonal and overhire crew, including assigning work, directing priorities, monitoring performance, ensuring safe work practices and providing technical guidance.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, evaluating and retaining part-time and seasonal lighting and stage crew, including technical arts apprentices.
• Provide input regarding crew performance, continued employment, advancement, disciplinary issues, future hiring needs, labor allocation and staffing plans.
• Review, verify, and approve lighting-related crew schedules, labor allocations, time entries and timecard submissions as assigned.
• Establish and maintain lighting department standards for programming, cueing, paperwork, power distribution, data distribution, equipment handling, safety practices, maintenance, inventory and venue restore procedures.
• Perform other production leadership, administrative, technical planning, supervisory and venue-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, or a minimum of 3-5 years working in a Production Related Field.
• Detail-oriented and possesses strong initiative, resourcefulness, professionalism, and creativity.
• Proficiency with ETC EOS Entertainment and/or GrandMA control systems.
• Strong technical lighting skills, understanding of theatrical lighting theory, and relevant electrical knowledge, including lighting controls and wiring, dimmers, rigging and automated fixtures.
• General stagehand skills.
• Capacity to work independently as part of a strong team.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent management and organizational skills, ability to work on multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously with flexibility, and the capacity to generate innovative solutions and strategies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to pass a Motor Vehicle background check.
• Able to stand for extended periods of time and lift objects up to 50lbs.
• Eagerness to provide support to the greater Vail Valley Foundation staff as available and necessary.
• Experience with or capacity to learn Microsoft Office Suite, and other systems.

Benefits

• Affordable HDHP employee and family health insurance plan
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account with company match
• 401k Retirement Plans with company match
• Basic Life Insurance
• Short and Long-Term Disability Plans
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Sick Leave
• Volunteer Time Off
• Sabbatical Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Added Perks!
• Free employee ski pass or wellness stipend
• Tickets to shows at the Vilar and The Amp
• Discounts at The Amp and Vilar concessions
• Tuition reimbursement
• Cell phone stipend

Pay

$60,000-65,000 annually

Schedule

Full-time, year-round position, based in Beaver Creek, Colorado.