Audio Engineer / Producer

SCALIS; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 34,000 - 69,000; Part time

Job summary

Nova Sky Stories in Utrecht, Netherlands, seeks a part-time freelance Audio Engineer / Producer to lead audio production for time-critical drone shows and outdoor experiences. The role blends creative music production with technical show execution.

You will compose, mix, and master original music and sound design, ensure precise synchronization with drone cues and show-control systems, and deliver show-ready audio under tight timelines.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in audio production, mixing, and mastering for live events or large-scale experiential projects.
• Strong proficiency with Pro Tools for production and delivery.
• Experience with Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and/or FL Studio.
• Familiarity with SMPTE/LTC timecode workflows and synchronization.
• Understanding of outdoor PA systems and long-throw playback.
• Excellent English communication skills (spoken and written).

Responsibilities

• Lead audio production, mixing, and mastering for time-critical drone shows and outdoor experiences.
• Deliver show-ready audio integrated with complex show control systems.
• Collaborate with creative directors, designers, producers, and technical teams throughout production, rehearsal and delivery.
• Ensure frame-accurate synchronization between music, visuals, and drone cues.
• Maintain loudness consistency and real-world playback translation.
• Manage production workflows, including session organization and asset delivery under tight timelines.

Skills

Pro Tools

Ableton Live

Logic Pro

FL Studio

SMPTE/LTC timecode workflows

Outdoor PA systems

Show playback engines

English language proficiency

Front-of-house playback

Timecode synchronization

Tools

Pro Tools

Ableton Live

Logic Pro

FL Studio

Job description

At Nova Sky Stories , we empower artists and producers to bring awe and wonder to live audiences around the world. As the global leader in drone entertainment , we have been redefining live shows for over a decade-merging cutting-edge drone technology with imaginative artistry.

With a veteran team of engineers and creatives, we design and operate lightweight, small, precise, and safe drones that perform in the most demanding environments-urban centers, extreme temperatures, and high winds. The result? Sky Stories that inspire, captivate, and transform the sky into a canvas of imagination.

Headquartered in the U.S. with teams across Europe and the UAE, Nova Sky Stories works with the world's leading brands, venues, and events.
Follow us: @NovaSkyStories

About the job

We are seeking an experienced part-time freelance Audio Engineer / Producer to lead audio production, mixing, and mastering for time-critical, large-scale drone shows and outdoor live experiences. This role operates at the intersection of creative music production and technical show execution and requires a high degree of precision, adaptability, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering high-quality, show-ready audio that integrates seamlessly with complex show control systems and large-format outdoor playback environments.

As an Audio Engineer / Producer, you will be responsible for:

• Compose, produce, mix, and master original music and sound design for drone shows and large-scale outdoor productions
• Develop audio content that integrates precisely with drone flight animation, SMPTE/LTC timecode-locked show control systems, and large-format outdoor PA deployments
• Ensure frame-accurate synchronization between music, visual cues, and drone formations
• Translate creative briefs, brand guidelines, and visual narratives into cohesive, cinematic soundtracks
• Collaborate closely with creative directors, designers, producers, and technical teams throughout production, rehearsal, and delivery
• Deliver show-ready mixes and masters optimized for outdoor playback, accounting for environmental conditions and audience scale
• Maintain high technical standards for loudness consistency, dynamic range, phase coherence, and real-world playback translation
• Manage structured production workflows, including session organization, version control, revisions, and final asset delivery under tight timelines

You'll need to have:

• Proven experience in audio production, mixing, and mastering for live events, broadcast, or large-scale experiential projects
• Advanced proficiency in Pro Tools as a primary production and delivery environment
• Working proficiency in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and/or FL Studio
• Demonstrated experience with SMPTE/LTC timecode workflows, including synchronization, testing, and validation
• Strong understanding of outdoor PA systems, long-throw playback behavior, and environmental factors affecting sound reproduction
• Experience delivering audio assets for front-of-house playback, redundant playback systems, and pre-programmed show playback engines
• Fluent spoken and written English (primary working language)

It's a plus if you have:

• Background in film scoring, commercial music, or narrative-driven music production
• Experience working on large-scale live events, theme parks, or permanent installations
• Dutch is a strong plus
• Arabic is a strong plus