Scene Shop Lead

California State University, Sacramento; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Sacramento State’s Theatre & Dance Department seeks a Technical Director to lead the technical direction of theatre and dance productions, supervise the scene shop, and coordinate budgets for multiple shows.

The role involves extensive collaboration with production teams, budgeting, training, and ensuring safety standards across productions and rehearsals.

Qualifications

• Entry requires 1-2 years of experience in theater/production environments with technical focus.
• Proven ability to manage complex production builds with diverse materials.
• Ability to translate design specs into technical direction and supervise scene shop work.
• Strong budgeting, scheduling, and cross‑functional coordination skills.
• Experience training stagecraft staff and crew members.

Responsibilities

• Provide general technical direction for all theatrical and dance productions.
• Oversee construction in the Theatre Department shop and lead complex production projects.
• Create and propose estimated budgets for season productions and manage multiple budgets concurrently.
• Coordinate with Production Manager, Chair, and others on season budgets and production plans.
• Supervise equipment maintenance, safety checks, and training for students and staff.
• Attend production meetings and communicate weekly stage usage and production needs.

Skills

Budget management

Team leadership

Safety protocols

Training staff

Project coordination

CAD drafting

Communication

Vendor/supplies coordination

Independent work

Education

BA Theatre Arts or Engineering or relevant area

MFA in Technical Directing or equivalent

Tools

CAD drafting

Job description

Job no: 560758
Work type: Staff
Location: Sacramento
Categories : Unit 9 - CSUEU - Technical Support Services, Probationary, Full Time, Theatre Arts, On-site (work in-person at business location)

Classification Title: PAT III

Priority Application Deadline: Monday, September 7th @ 11:55pm PST(Posting will remain open until filled)

Hiring Preference

Eligible on-campus applicants in California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) Bargaining Units 2,5,7, and 9 will be given first consideration in the recruitment.

Position Summary

In collaboration with the Production Coordinator and Department Chair, the Technical Director is responsible for the general technical direction of all theatrical and dance productions, and the oversight of construction in the Theatre Department shop. As part of the Production Team (including Faculty Design Professor(s), Faculty or Staff Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Technical Director, and Chair) and in collaboration with the Faculty or Guest Director, this Technical Director participates in weekly production meetings to collaboratively plan and provide updates on the preparation and completion of settings, properties, and furnishings needed for each specified department production. The Technical Director provides coordination, lead work direction, design, scenic area budget management, and technical support for the department.

The Technical Director is highly skilled in multiple areas of the stage and construction. The candidate coordinates complex and highly skilled production projects and provides overall technical and scene shop supervision/leadership. The candidate will work independently within provided production designs for the creative and technical direction of the collaborative goal/vision of the performance. This includes all applicable theatrical and production support and is related to a more complex level of project execution that involves more difficult designs and materials.

The candidate must create and propose estimated budgets for individual productions within the season long budget. The candidate will participate with Production Manager and Coordinator, Chair and/or Vice Chair, and any other budget meeting members for the creation of the season production budget. The candidate must maintain their budget responsibilities for multiple projects concurrently.

This position includes creating and constructing scenery properties, operating and maintaining stage equipment, inspecting, repairing, and performing regular maintenance on riggings and equipment to ensure safety standards. The position works with students and faculty to understand production goals, and provides training for the needs of rehearsals, the roles assigned for technical rehearsals and performances to assist students in technical aspects of production and backstage organization. The candidate will be responsible for the communication of rehearsal and performance report needs provided to them by the stage manager of individual productions.

The candidate may be assigned to set up and conduct classroom demonstrations.

The Technical Director is responsible for attending production meetings, providing updates and weekly plans of stage usage for production needs, determining, and coordinating the acquisition of supplies and materials, maintaining overall production schedules with technical needs and deadlines for 3-5 performance labs concurrently, maintaining the budgetary aspects of both theatre and dance productions, and facilitating open communications of production statuses.

The Technical Director also provides lead work, training, and support of students in coursework, practicum, and employment within the Theatre and Dance Department and scene shop. They also oversee, maintain, repair, and improve department performance labs and area specific equipment.

FLSA:Non-Exempt (Eligible for overtime compensation)

Anticipated Hiring Range: $4,626 per month (Step 1) - $4,812 per month (Step 3)

CSU Classification Salary Range: $4,626 per month (Step 1) -$6,739 per month (Step 20)

Salary step placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience.

Recruitment Type: Regular (Probationary)

Time Base:Full-Time

Work Hours:Monday - Friday 8 a.m - 5 p.m., Evening and weekend hours as needed.

Department Information

The faculty and staff in the Department of Theatre & Dance at Sacramento State are dedicated to educating storytellers and scholar-artists through critical engagement with the artistic process. With an emphasis on intersectional and interdisciplinary pedagogy, praxis, and performance we inspire our students to be compassionate, equitable, and productive citizen artists.

Entry to the first level within this classification requires one to two years of experience working for a theater, repertory or stock company engaged in the applicable production specialty such as costume construction, stage and set construction, lighting production, and/or sound/audio production. This background normally would be achieved through professional training or applicable college coursework and practical experience.

RequiredQualifications

• 1. Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community.
• 2. Demonstrated history of and commitment to building and maintaining a respectful and professional work environment.
• 3. Substantial experience working with staff who work independently and in teams on complex production builds, with difficult designs and materials.
• 4. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate well and work with individuals at all levels within the organization.
• 5. Demonstrated ability to provide training for stagecraft staff, assistants and crew members.
• 6. Demonstrated ability to independently develop and manage production projects.
• 7. Sophisticated knowledge of design theory and principles to be able to translate design specifications, blueprints or drawings into costume, scene, lighting or sound production and effects.
• 8. Substantial experience in:
  • a. Several technical aspects of production support
  • b. Addressing the methods and problems in multiple production specialties
  • c. Managing and coordinating the use of multiple theatrical facilities
• 9. Practical knowledge of directing and stage management for management of performance lab needs in the staging of productions, including the demonstrated ability to:
  • a. Assist in the creation of clear plans for the production crew members
  • b. Manage performance needs including but not limited to grid assignments, movements, and settings
  • c. Line assignments
  • d. Set change assignments.
• 10. Comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of construction, implementation, and operation of staging materials and effects in several theatrical production specialties, including the ability to read, create, provide edits, and maintain current copies of drawings and plots for production.
• 11. Proven experience in creating and constructing props and scenery from the design phase through the final product.
• 12. Demonstrated ability to maintain stage equipment and monitor for repair, replacement, and safety inspection., including the coordination of repair, replacement, and safety inspection needs and assists with schedules.
• 13. Demonstrated ability to perform safety checks on stage rigging, maintain and stage equipment, and train others in safety protocols and procedures.
• 14. Comprehensive knowledge of safety measures and hazards related to theatrical productions.
• 15. Demonstrated ability to work with and instruct faculty on course, practicum, and production goals and procedures.
• 16. Demonstrated ability to support classroom instruction by performing classroom demonstrations related to stage and set construction.
• 17. Practical experience and specialized working knowledge of:
  • a. Production equipment, including but not limited to all scene shop hand tools and power tools including skill saw, band saw, table saw, radial arm saw, power drill, pneumatic staple gun, cut awl, rivet gun, power lift, and motorized paint frame.
  • b. Artist and drafting tools including computer, spray equipment (spray guns, spatter guns, airbrush, paint mixer) brushes, rollers, hot glue guns, and any prop construction equipment including scale rule, sculpting, and carving tools.
  • c. Welding and welding equipment related to stage building and prop construction including metalworking and welding skills.
  • d. Stage construction and design
  • e. Carpentry and related equipment related to stage building and prop construction
  • f. CAD drafting
• 18. Comprehensive knowledge of theatrical lighting, sound/audio equipment, video equipment and their respective implementations

Conditions of Employment - Satisfactory completion of the background check process.

PreferredQualifications

• 19. Thorough and specialized working knowledge of design theory and principles and how they are executed in various production specialties.
• 20. Relevant OSHA certification.
• 21. Experience with Theatre ADA Compliance.
• 22. BA Theatre Arts or Engineering or relevant area of comparable professional experience.
• 23. MFA in Technical Directing or equivalent professional experience

Documents Needed to Apply

Resume and cover letter.

Failure to upload required documentation, may result in disqualification.

Sacramento State is located in the heart of California’s capital city, five miles from State Capitol. T

The lush, 300-acre park-like campus is situated along the American River, close to numerous bike trails and other recreational areas. Sacramento, also known as the "Farm-to-Fork Capital," is one of the most ethnically diverse and livable cities in the country, with a population of half of a million.

“As California's capital university, Sacramento State transforms lives by preparing all students to lead, serve, and succeed. We are committed to our designations as a Hispanic Serving Institution, an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution, and a Black Serving Institution, and to intentionally serving students reflective of these designations and all students who have been historically underserved in education.”

As evidenced by the values embedded in our Hornet Honor Code , Sacramento State is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all faculty, staff, students, and guests are welcome and valued. Our commitment is more than simply ensuring that our campus is free from bias and discrimination, but is one devoted to celebrating many diverse identities, life experiences, and perspectives that enrich our community, teaching and learning.

To learn more about why you should join the Hornet Family, please visit the Why Sac State? page.

Equal Employment Opportunity
California State University, Sacramento is an affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Sacramento State hires only those individuals who are lawfully authorized to accept employment in the United States.

Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act Notification:

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, the current Annual Security Report (ASR) is available for viewing at https://www.csus.edu/clery .

The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of CleryAct crimes for Sacramento State for the last three (3) calendar years. Paper copies are available upon request by emailing the Clery Director at [e-mail] .

Under the Clery Act, this position may be designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) depending upon the role on campus and/or job duties. If this position is identified by the Director of Clery Compliance as a CSA position, you will be notified via email and will be assigned the appropriate training in CSU Learn.

Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with California State University, Sacramento. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current California State University, Sacramento employees who apply for the position.

Sacramento State, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees (up)on date of hire to reside in the State of California.

Candidate must furnish proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. California State University, Sacramento is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (ie. H-1-B Visa).

Note to Applicants:

Possession of the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview unless required by collective bargaining agreement.