Junior Lighting Designer Jobs

About The Metropolitan Museum Of Art
The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.
Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.
At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity.
Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.
Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.
Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.
Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.
Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve.
ABOUT THE DESIGN DEPARTMENT:
Our cross-disciplinary team consists of 31 members, representing Exhibition Design, Graphic Design, Lighting Design, Production and Operations. The scope of the department is significant and includes approximately 50+ exhibitions and rotations per year, capital construction and buildings projects, as well as permanent collections and gallery reinstallation projects. In addition to exhibition materials, the department produces approximately 200+ communication design projects a year, including branded collateral and bespoke event identities. The studio provides design services for a building that is over 2 million square feet and contains objects from 17 curatorial departments, collaborating with over 50 departments to serve an average of over 7 million visitors annually.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:
You will be an integral part of a collaborative 4-person Lighting Design team as they undertake a museum-wide initiative to replace the existing 30,000 halogen fixtures with energy efficient LED technology, across 750,000 square feet of gallery space. You will assist in installing and focusing equipment, creating project documentation (including light plots, focus charts, fixture schedules, and other design documentation as needed). You will be actively engaged in the creative process throughout all projects, from concept design to installation, applying best practices, strategic technology, and new creative strategies.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Maintain installation documentation in the forms of spreadsheets, light plots, focus charts, or other effective means
• Produce appropriate presentation material (drawings, renderings, specifications) for relevant exhibitions
• Support fellow lighting designers in installation planning, execution, and documentation and graphical needs for all exhibitions and gallery rotations
• Consult on lighting in collaboration with conservation for light level requirements, UV protection, and color rendering
• Other duties as assigned
• Conduct visual research and concept development for designated projects
• Support the lead lighting designer on all projects; work in conjunction with other lighting team members to install and focus lighting for all exhibitions, rotations, and gallery upgrades.
• Design lighting for assigned small exhibitions and gallery rotations, and work with the other team members to design lighting for assigned larger projects

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Ability to read and draft design drawings including reflected ceiling plans, light plots, and focus charts.
• Experience working around art, previous art handling experience a plus
• Ability to operate a scissor lift during installation; training is mandatory and will be provided
• 1-3 years of experience in lighting design or related field
• Experience with lighting equipment, lamps, LED dimming & controls, and general lighting practices, preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Lighting Design, Architecture, Theater, Fine Arts or related field
• Ability to lift approx. 25-30 lbs.
• Ability to lift objects overhead (e.g. light fixtures, access panels)
• Comfortable with heights
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Photoshop, InDesign and AutoCAD . Proficiency in Vectorworks, V-Ray for Sketchup, Rhino or other related software is preferred.

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.
• Pay Range : $68,000 - $72,000 / Annually

Location Requirements
At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.
Benefits Offerings
The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Free financial-planning services
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Long-term disability coverage

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.
The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].
The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.