Event Technician

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of- the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

Position Summary

The AV Event Technician will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders at SAIC to fulfill all technical audiovisual requirements for live or virtual produced events and/or programming. The position requires a mastery of event production at all ranges of scale, from a small classroom lecture to a sophisticated performance with audio and visual components.

Responsibilities

• Support audio visual event production: Deliver, setup, and operate audio, lighting, and visual projection systems and video content capture equipment to support live or virtual events and performances in collaboration with the AV Systems Manager.
• Coordinate and communicate with event stakeholders: Provide consultation, technically orient and assist, as well as, interact professionally with departments, clients, external, and event representatives. Troubleshoot and maintain display systems:
• Troubleshoot existing audiovisual equipment and systems in event spaces. Responsible for upkeep, organization, cleanliness, and maintenance of equipment, technician booths, control areas, and equipment storage. Report issues to AV Systems Integrator Engineer. Track, report, and support installed equipment inventory. Verify accuracy of inventory before and after events.
• Lecture Capture for live events: Provide client or event requester with recorded media documentation of the event using the lecture capture system.
• AV equipment knowledge and expertise: Maintain an understanding of current and new audiovisual technology and research developing technology as it pertains to our greater departmental role at SAIC.
• Orient and train freelance staff: Assist in the orientation and technical training of freelance employees by conducting technical tours of the facility, operation, and configuration of existing audiovisual systems and equipment.
• Other duties as assigned. This role is designed to be primarily focused on events and performances. SAIC s AV team is a constantly adapting department and the role may occasionally work on projects that require overlapping expertise, such as AV equipment installations in classrooms and galleries.
• Please note that, due to the nature of events, this job will require night and weekend hours, as determined by the scheduling manager.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods standing and sitting occur; must be able to stand up to 90% of the duration of an event and sit in a stationary position 75% of the time during administrative and post-production related duties.
• Frequently move audiovisual equipment weighing up to 50 pounds across campus for various event spaces, classrooms, and galleries.
• Frequently ascend/descend ladders, scaffolding, and/or lifts to adjust lighting and audiovisual equipment.
• Frequently position self to maintain audiovisual equipment, including under counters and in or behind racks in audiovisual closets.
• Frequently operate a computer and other audiovisual equipment.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to adjust focus, and the ability to sustain prolonged visual concentration.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience using audiovisual technology for live events and performances in higher education, fine arts, theater, museum or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of event capture systems and light post production skills, such as video editing and audio mixing, for outputting event videos.
• Live sound, lighting, and video production.
• Strong computer skills with working knowledge of Zoom or other audiovisual conferencing software.
• Sensitivity to working with artists.
  
  

This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31

About The Organization

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [email protected].