Set Design Artist

Job Overview: We are seeking a highly talented Set Design Artist to join our wonderful creative team in order to help conceptualize and physically bring to life immersive world experiences.

The preferred candidate will have an interest in working in a dynamic and collaborative design environment with a diverse range of conceptual projects, where they will leverage their set design capabilities to help conceive, design and build sets, exhibits and scenery across a wide variety of themed experiences.

We are seeking someone who is passionate, creative, inventive, engaged and highly proficient at their work. Applicants must possess exceptional building, design and artistry skills, with particular experience in fabrication, sculpting and set design, and be adept at using those skills to create authentic individual physical items and also to build realistic physical scenes for various sets & exhibits.

The ideal candidate will have experience with and be open to learning and expanding skill sets that incorporate the use of technology, such as projection technology, animatronics and other special effects to augment their scene’s experience. The candidate must be willing to explore ideas and solutions that help make a vision come to life.

Role will be largely on site, about 50 minutes outside of Dallas.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work within a dynamic and creative environment to conceive and physically build both high-level conceptual set / exhibit design work and detail-specific set / exhibit design work, sourced from hand sketches, drawings, digital illustrations, 3D digital models other design concepts. Candidate must be able to interpret 2D designs and translate them into real sets.
• Work includes but is not limited to bringing to life detailed thematic areas, fantasy worlds, entertainment rides, fictional and non-fictional characters and story-lines, real and fantasy landscapes and city scenery. Candidate must be comfortable and proficient with building physical models of items, characters, scenery & sets.
• Develop using a variety of materials that are appropriate to the particular exhibit environment, such as for indoor / outdoor settings.
• Work with a creative team to experiment and incorporate special effects; bringing to life certain items, characters and worlds using technology such as projection mapping, animatronics and other special effects. This is a highly creative role and team. Experimentation and iteration of design is encouraged!
• 3D printing with different materials, working with 3D printed models and bringing them to life.
• Must be comfortable working with architects, engineers and architectural designs to adhere to codes, buildings standards and other design requirements.
• Working with other team members, artists and consultants or third parties on projects in a collaborative environment. We are looking for someone who will think creatively to design new concepts and also is comfortable working with other team member ideas. There is also the potential to lead a group of similarly-skilled artists on project work.
• Help establish and enforce the company’s brand and related assets.
• Perform other duties assigned.

KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES:

• Strong artistry capabilities in fabrication, sculpting and set design. Other artistry skills, such as sketching and illustration, are highly valued.
• Strong set design and building capabilities.
• Ability to take conceptual direction – ideas, physical and digital drawings and 3D digital drawings – and turn them into physical models
• Experience and comfort working with special effects concepts and technologies a large plus (such as animatronics, projection mapping, forced perspective)
• Experience with projection mapping software a plus; willingness to work with, learn and use projection mapping software will be important.
• Motion/After Effects or any additional animation, motion graphic or movie editing skills are a plus.
• Experience with related design and / or illustration software a plus.
• Strong communication skills, team oriented, self-driven work ethic and ability to meet fast-paced project demands.
• Inventive, highly creative design thinking, collaborative skills, spatial and environmental design ability.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• 2 or more years of relevant experience as professional artist and set designer.
• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Art, Graphic Design, Media Arts or related field preferred but not required.