System Designer – Audio Visual, Lighting & Control Systems

Aperture Group; United States; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision

401(k) with 3% company contribution

Company vehicle and company card for b

Job summary

Aperture Group is seeking an AVL design engineer to own systems from concept through commissioning for large spaces. This hybrid role is based in Fort Wayne and covers audio, video, lighting, and control systems with hands-on design in collaboration with clients and project teams.

You will design, specify, and validate AVL solutions for spaces seating 500+, travel as needed, troubleshoot live systems, and help shape project delivery from design through commissioning.

Qualifications

• AVL experience with integrator or manufacturer background.
• 5+ years in AVL design preferred.
• Familiarity with multiple prediction software for speaker design.
• Experience with mid/high-end audio consoles.
• Experience designing SDI and fiber-based video/camera systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute end-to-end AVL projects, audio, video, lighting, and control systems, from concept through client sign-off
• Use manufacturer prediction software to design speaker systems, and work with mid to high-end audio consoles
• Design SDI and fiber-based broadcast video and camera systems
• Design and specify mid to large-scale lighting systems and control
• Build basic network designs using VLANs
• Create and validate Bills of Materials (BOMs) and specifications for AV and lighting systems
• Support commissioning and integration, including onsite and remote troubleshooting and system validation
• Coordinate with project managers, architects, engineers, and field teams to keep design and delivery in sync
• Coordinate with other trades (electrical, IT/networking, architectural) throughout a project's lifecycle
• Support project planning, scheduling, and milestone tracking through design and construction

Skills

AVL design

Client-facing design

Project ownership

On-site troubleshooting

Cross-functional coordination

Tools

Prediction software

Smaart

Q-Sys Certification

Control4 or similar

Audio consoles

SDI / Fiber video design

Job description

Location

Hybrid position based in either of the following locations:

• Fort Wayne, IN

Position Overview

We're partnering with a growing audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems integrator that designs and builds immersive AVL experiences for large-scale commercial spaces, most of it for houses of worship, alongside entertainment venues, education, and corporate clients.

This is a hands‑on design seat for someone who wants to own systems from concept through commissioning rather than just detail out someone else's spec. You'll work on audio, video, lighting, and control systems for spaces seating 500 or more, translating a client's vision into a system that actually gets built, validated, and tuned onsite. It's not a sales role, but you'll be in the room for the client‑facing design conversations that shape a project, and you'll be the one troubleshooting and programming the system once it's live.

The team runs collaborative and low on bureaucracy: no formal offices, open shop, room to dream up a design and go build it. The ideal candidate has real AVL chops from an integrator or manufacturer background, is comfortable being the technical voice in front of a client, and wants ownership over the systems they design rather than a narrow slice of one.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute end-to-end AVL projects, audio, video, lighting, and control systems, from concept through client sign-off
• Use manufacturer prediction software to design speaker systems, and work with mid to high‑end audio consoles
• Design SDI and fiber‑based broadcast video and camera systems
• Design and specify mid to large‑scale lighting systems and control
• Build basic network designs using VLANs
• Create and validate Bills of Materials (BOMs) and specifications for AV and lighting systems
• Support commissioning and integration, including onsite and remote troubleshooting and system validation
• Coordinate with project managers, architects, engineers, and field teams to keep design and delivery in sync
• Coordinate with other trades (electrical, IT/networking, architectural) throughout a project's lifecycle
• Support project planning, scheduling, and milestone tracking through design and construction

Qualifications

• AVL experience, ideally with an integrator or manufacturer, with the ability to step in and start building systems right away
• 5+ years in AVL design preferred, though a longer career across audio, video, lighting, or church technology roles is welcome
• Comfort with multiple manufacturers' prediction software for speaker system design
• Familiarity with mid and high‑end audio consoles
• Experience designing SDI and fiber‑based broadcast video/camera systems
• Working knowledge of mid to large‑scale lighting systems and control
• Basic networking design capability (VLANs)
• Bonus: Q‑Sys Certification or hands‑on experience with a comparable control platform (Control4 or similar)
• Bonus: audio tuning experience with Smaart or similar software

Why This Role Stands Out

• Newly created position, this person gets to help define how the role works rather than inherit someone else's playbook
• Full ownership of projects from initial design through onsite commissioning, not a narrow slice of the process
• Work on large‑scale systems (500+ seat spaces) with real technical range: audio, video, lighting, and control all in scope
• Client‑facing without owning the sale, direct input on the \"dreaming\" and design conversations that shape a project
• Small‑shop, collaborative culture with genuine flexibility, not a rigid corporate structure
• Travel‑related expenses (meals, per diem, housing, transportation) fully covered for overnight project work
• Strong benefits: medical/dental/vision, 401(k) with a guaranteed 3% company contribution regardless of what you put in, company vehicle and company card for business travel