Special Effects Designer

Yoh Services LLC; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 85,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical + dental benefits

Retirement plan options

Paid time off / travel allowances

Professional development opportunities

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Yoh is seeking an Associate Special Effects Designer in Glendale, CA for a 2-year contract. The role involves transforming creative concepts into functional physical effects, with hands-on prototyping, testing, documentation, and field support. You will work with engineers, designers and fabrication teams in a dynamic environment.

The position emphasizes problem-solving, experimentation, and contributing ideas throughout the design process, including travel for project-related work.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in special effects, technical theater, or related field.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, or troubleshooting physical systems.
• Ability to read and modify technical drawings and CAD files.
• Experience with materials, mechanicals, LEDs, electronics, or similar systems.
• Strong documentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Support design and development of practical and technical special effects from concept to turnover.
• Build, modify, and evaluate physical prototypes and mockups.
• Conduct hands-on experimentation with materials, mechanics, lighting, electronics, and pumps.
• Document results, decisions, and testing outcomes clearly.
• Create and update technical drawings using AutoCAD and related tools.
• Collaborate with senior designers, engineers, fabricators, and production teams.

Skills

Special effects exp

AutoCAD knowledge

Prototyping & testing

Reading technical drawings

Troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Tools

AutoCAD

CAD software

Job description

Yoh has an exciting opportunity for a Special Effects Designer to join our global entertainment client. This role will support the design, development, prototyping, testing, documentation, and delivery of practical and technical special effects for large-scale immersive entertainment environments. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience within special effects, technical theater, live entertainment, film production, experiential design, mechanical/electrical prototyping, fabrication, or a similarly hands‑on creative technical environment. This position is best suited for a highly curious, inventive, and proactive problem solver who enjoys building, testing, troubleshooting, and improving physical effects rather than simply executing predefined designs.

Title: Associate Special Effects Designer

Compensation: $50-62/hr, depending on experience

Type: 2-YearContract

Industry: Entertainment / Themed Entertainment / Experiential Design

Location: Glendale, CA with potential project-related travel

About the Role

The Associate Special Effects Designer will work closely with senior special effects designers, technical leads, engineers, creatives, fabricators, and production teams to help transform creative concepts into functional, repeatable physical effects.

This role is highly hands‑on and combines creative problem solving with technical design, prototyping, experimentation, documentation, and field support.

The successful candidate will be comfortable receiving an open‑ended technical or creative challenge, researching possible solutions, building and testing mockups, documenting results, and recommending the best approach to move the design forward.

This is not a traditional manufacturing or drafting‑only position. The team is looking for someone who actively questions how and why something works, develops alternative solutions, and contributes ideas throughout the design process.

• Support the design and development of practical and technical special effects from early concept through testing, installation, and turnover.
• Build, modify, and evaluate physical mockups and prototypes used to validate special effects concepts.
• Perform hands‑on experimentation with materials, mechanical components, lighting, LEDs, pumps, nozzles, electronics, and other technical systems.
• Evaluate multiple technical approaches and recommend solutions based on performance, reliability, maintainability, safety, and creative intent.
• Document prototype results, design decisions, testing outcomes, and lessons learned.
• Create, review, and update technical drawings and design documentation using AutoCAD and related tools.
• Work with DWG files and communicate design intent through clear technical documentation.
• Support senior designers and technical leads with research, documentation, testing, procurement, and project coordination.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings with creative, engineering, architecture, fabrication, production, operations, and other technical teams.
• Proactively identify potential conflicts between special effects systems and surrounding architectural, mechanical, electrical, lighting, or show elements.
• Research components, equipment, materials, vendors, and emerging technologies that may provide innovative solutions to project challenges.
• Assist with field installation, testing, troubleshooting, adjustment, commissioning, and post‑installation support.
• Maintain organized records of tests, drawings, decisions, specifications, and project information.
• Take increasing ownership of assigned work with limited direction as familiarity with the project grows.
• Contribute ideas and technical recommendations rather than solely executing predetermined designs.
• Support multiple workstreams and adapt quickly as project priorities and technical requirements evolve.

Basic Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in special effects, technical theater, film production, live entertainment, themed entertainment, experiential design, fabrication, product development, prototyping, mechanical engineering, electrical/electronics, or a related creative technical field.
• Hands‑on experience building, testing, modifying, or troubleshooting physical systems, prototypes, mockups, or special effects.
• Working knowledge of AutoCAD or comparable CAD software.
• Ability to read, interpret, modify, and create technical drawings.
• Experience working with physical materials, mechanical components, lighting, electronics, fabrication methods, or technical equipment.
• Demonstrated creative problem‑solving ability and experience developing solutions to nonstandard or open‑ended technical challenges.
• Ability to independently research unfamiliar systems, products, materials, and technologies.
• Strong written documentation skills, including the ability to clearly record testing results, design decisions, and technical findings.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work across creative and technical disciplines.
• Ability to proactively seek information and coordinate with multiple stakeholders rather than waiting for direction.
• Comfortable working in an environment where requirements may evolve and solutions may need to be developed through experimentation.
• Ability to balance hands‑on technical work with meetings, documentation, design coordination, and project support.
• Ability to travel for project‑related work as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in technical theater, scenic production, props, lighting, stage mechanics, or other multidisciplinary theatrical environments.
• Feature film or television practical special effects experience.
• Experience with entertainment or experiential installations.
• Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, mechatronics, robotics, or product‑development experience.
• Experience with LEDs, LED programming, lighting controls, electronics, sensors, or interactive systems.
• Experience with fluid systems, pumps, pneumatics, water effects, atmospheric effects, or other physical effect systems.
• Experience with fabrication, scenic shops, machine shops, prototyping labs, or R&D environments.
• Experience developing one‑off mechanisms, experimental equipment, or custom technical solutions.
• Familiarity with Excel, Airtable, or similar project‑tracking and documentation tools.
• Experience supporting field installations, commissioning, troubleshooting, or operations and maintenance teams.
• Experience working across multiple disciplines such as creative, mechanical, electrical, architecture, fabrication, lighting, or controls.
• Portfolio or work samples demonstrating a broad range of hands‑on technical and creative projects.

Estimated Min Rate: $43.75

Estimated Max Rate: $62.50

What’s In It for You?

We welcome you to be a part of the largest and legendary global staffing companies to meet your career aspirations. Yoh’s network of client companies has been employing professionals like you for over 65 years in the U.S., UK and Canada. Join Yoh’s extensive talent community that will provide you with access to Yoh’s vast network of opportunities and gain access to this exclusive opportunity available to you. Benefit eligibility is in accordance with applicable laws and client requirements. Benefits include:

• Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Benefits (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Life & Disability Insurance (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• MetLife Voluntary Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401K Retirement Savings Plan
• Direct Deposit & weekly epayroll
• Referral Bonus Programs
• Certification and training opportunities

Note: Any pay ranges displayed are estimations. Actual pay is determined by an applicant's experience, technical expertise, and other qualifications as listed in the job description. All qualified applicants are welcome to apply.

Yoh, a Day & Zimmermann company, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

By applying and submitting your resume, you authorize Yoh to review and reformat your resume to meet Yoh’s hiring clients’ preferences. To learn more about Yoh’s privacy practices, please see our Candidate Privacy Notice: https://www.yoh.com/privacy-notice