PROJECT LIGHTING DESIGNER (full time)

Willie Duggan; Kilkenny; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Willie Duggan in Kilkenny designs and supplies lighting for commercial and residential spaces. This mid-level role takes ownership from concept to delivery, acting as the primary design lead and client contact.

You will collaborate with architects, interior designers, and engineers, developing lighting concepts, producing drawings and schedules, and contributing to studio standards while managing multiple projects from our Kilkenny design studio.

Qualifications

• 4+ years’ experience in lighting design or related design field.
• Proven experience leading design-led construction projects.
• Strong concept design ability and client presentation skills.
• Experience producing detailed lighting drawings, specifications, and schedules.
• Strong BIM / Revit experience.
• Full Irish driving licence.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Excel, InDesign, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Experience running and attending client workshops and design meetings.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Acting as the lead lighting designer on projects, responsible for creative direction, technical delivery, and coordination.
• Leading the design of commercial and residential lighting projects from concept to completion.
• Primary point of contact for clients and external design teams (architects, engineers, interior designers).
• Developing lighting concepts and translating them into clear, buildable solutions.
• Producing lighting drawings, specifications, schedules, and design documentation.
• Managing BIM / Revit lighting models and coordination.
• Producing lighting calculations and technical documents.
• Testing lighting details and effects through mock-ups in our darkroom.
• Attending and leading lighting consultations, workshops, and site meetings.
• Tracking project hours and resources to ensure profitability.
• Delegating and coordinating work with support designers when required.
• Maintaining regular communication with the wider project team.
• Contributing to internal design reviews and creative discussions.
• Helping to develop studio standards, workflows, and design quality.
• Preparing project budgets, quotations, and lighting product design books.
• Liaising with suppliers on pricing, technical information, and bespoke solutions.
• Supporting sales teams on larger projects and managing pricing directly on smaller projects.
• Completing order handovers with the operations team.

Skills

Lighting design

Concept design

Client workshops

Project leadership

Communication skills

Tools

AutoCAD

Excel

InDesign

PowerPoint

Word

BIM / Revit

Job description

Who we are:

We are a third-generation lighting design and supply company, innovating and pushing the boundaries of lighting design. In 2022, we became the first Irish company to win the prestigious LIT International Lighting Design Award for our work at Carton House and more recently we won the LIT design award in 2 categories for Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

Alongside our design and supply services, we have developed an experiential retail, co-creative and events space in Kilkenny. This space is designed to inspire and educate through light, foster collaboration with parallel design professionals, and drive meaningful conversations about the future of design.

We work across commercial and residential lighting design projects, with creativity at the core of everything we do. We are a hands-on studio, regularly testing lighting effects and details in our darkroom to learn, experiment, and create new lighting experiences. Light is often misunderstood, yet it has a profound impact on both interior and exterior spaces. Our aim is to bring spaces to life through the intelligent and sensitive use of light.

We are a small, hardworking team operating in a creative, supportive, and enjoyable working environment.

The Role

This is a mid-level / project lighting designer role within our design team. The successful candidate will take ownership of commercial and residential lighting design projects from concept through delivery, acting as the primary design lead and client point of contact.

The role involves close collaboration with architects, interior designers, engineers, suppliers, and internal teams. It also includes contributing to the ongoing development of our design processes and creative outputs.

This is a full-time, studio-based role working from our design studio and experiential showroom in Kilkenny with occasional site visits.

Skills & Experience Required

We are looking for a creative, concept-driven designer with strong technical ability, excellent communication skills, and a proactive, solutions-focused approach.

Essential

• 4+ years’ experience in lighting design or a related design profession (architecture, interior architecture, product design, engineering, or similar)
• Proven experience leading design-led construction projects (essential)
• Strong concept design ability and confidence presenting ideas to clients and design teams
• Experience producing detailed lighting drawings, specifications, and schedules
• Strong BIM / Revit experience (essential)
• Full Irish Driving Licence (essential)
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Excel, InDesign, PowerPoint, and Word
• Experience running and attending client workshops and design meetings (essential)
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage time, resources, and multiple projects effectively
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively within a team

Desirable but not required

• Dialux
• Photoshop
• Experience working with junior designers
• Commercial awareness of lighting products and experience working with project budgets

Key Responsibilities

Acting as the lead lighting designer on projects, responsible for creative direction, technical delivery, and coordination.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Leading the design of commercial and residential lighting projects from concept to completion
• Acting as the primary point of contact for clients and external design teams (architects, engineers, interior designers)
• Developing strong lighting concepts and translating them into clear, buildable solutions
• Producing lighting drawings, specifications, schedules, and design documentation
• Managing BIM / Revit lighting models and coordination
• Producing lighting calculations and technical documents
• Testing lighting details and effects through mock-ups in our darkroom
• Attending and leading lighting consultations, workshops, and site meetings
• Tracking project hours and resources to ensure profitability
• Delegating and coordinating work with support designers when required
• Maintaining regular communication with the wider project team
• Contributing to internal design reviews and creative discussions
• Helping to develop studio standards, workflows, and design quality
• Preparing project budgets, quotations, and lighting product design books
• Liaising with suppliers on pricing, technical information, and bespoke solutions
• Supporting sales teams on larger projects and managing pricing directly on smaller projects
• Completing order handovers with the operations team

Location

This is a full-time, studio-based role located in our design studio and experiential showroom in Kilkenny.

Job Type: Full-time

Ability to relocate:

• Kilkenny, County Kilkenny: plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person

Full Irish Driving Licence required