Assistant Technical Director

Position Overview

Are you looking for an exciting, unique and rewarding career in the performing arts? An opportunity to enrich, educate and entertain audiences of all ages? If so, then the Assistant Technical Director position may be your ticket to one of the most exciting and rewarding performing arts careers in the Midwest!

The Lied Center is hiring an Assistant Technical Director, who will help to facilitate a variety of theatrical/production tasks, projects and assignments. You will work alongside some of the most FUN theatre professionals and staff in the Midwest!

In addition, KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, 9 paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a great retirement program, medical and dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options and state of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational opportunities for employees. KU is a great place to work!

About the Lied Center of Kansas:

The Lied Center of Kansas serves the state’s flagship university, students and the greater community by functioning as a catalyst for the arts, creativity, engagement and community building through the following core activities:

• Presenting a variety of relevant and world-class artists, which activates our community to strengthen its connection with the arts. Constant public feedback and conversation shape the Lied series.
• Engaging our community through experiential learning in the performing arts and our world by providing opportunities to attend, explore, participate and create.
• Serving as a communal gathering space for shared experience, connection, conversation and the celebration of achievement.
  
  
  

About Lawrence, KS:

The University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, a community of about 95,000. Only 35 miles west of Kansas City and 20 miles east of Topeka, you will never be far from barbecue, jazz, museum culture, and more. Lawrence has a lively downtown, a thriving arts and music scene, sports and recreational opportunities, local shops, and a wide range of locally owned restaurants.

Job Description

40% Assists and supervises event set-ups, load-ins, shows, and load-out activities:

• Works closely with Lied Center artists, clients, and their representatives in advancing and coordinating on-site technical requirements.
• Supervises in any department (i.e. Electrics, Video, Carpentry, Rigging, Sound, Props) during show load-ins.
• Independently supervises performances.
• Skillfully and safely uses and operates various types of technical theater equipment, including, but not limited to lighting, rigging, sound, projection, video recording/streaming, and shop equipment.
  
  
  

30% Hiring, training, and supervising technical crew:

• Assists in hiring, training and supervising tech crew consisting of professional stagehands, students, and other production staff.
  
  
  

20% Other duties as assigned:

• Participates in departmental staff meetings and production planning meetings.
• Maintains and repairs technical theater equipment and production equipment.
• Makes recommendations for new and replacement technical equipment.
• Prepares tech equipment and labor expenses for event bills in a timely manner for client invoicing by Event & Operations Manager.
  
  
  

10% Plans and makes production-related decisions and arrangements:

• Prepares provided lighting plots, determining substitutions, ordering color and other lighting consumables in advance of light hangs.
• Assists with audio input lists and patching.
• Assists with video equipment set up for livestreaming.
  
  
  

Position Requirements

• Physical strength, dexterity, and endurance, with or without an accommodation.
• Varying hours for event production, including significant night and weekend hours.
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Theatre or related field PLUS minimum two (2) years of professional experience in performing arts or an equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Experience using the Microsoft Office Suite, as evidenced in application materials.
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two (2) years of technical experience in a presenting venue.
• Experience working with faculty, staff, artists, visiting production personnel, and the general public, as evidenced in application materials.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, as evidenced by prior work experience.
• Experience working both independently and on a team, as evidenced by application materials.
• One (1) year of experience working with and supervising student employees in a college or university environment.
• Lighting design experience, as evidenced by application materials.
• Sound production experience, as evidenced by application materials.
• Video production and web streaming experience, as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience in technical theater and stage management techniques, including reading and implementing lighting and sound plots, stage sets and drawings, rigging and ground plans, and calling shows, as evidenced by application materials.
  
  
  

Additional Candidate Instructions

A complete online application includes:

• Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume.
• Contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor).
  
  
  

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins Monday, July 28th, 2025 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Contact Information to Applicants

Derek Kwan,

Executive Director, kwan@ku.edu

Advertised Salary Range

Minimum $38,500, final determination commensurate with experience

Application Review Begins

Monday July 28, 2025

Anticipated Start Date

Monday August 18, 2025