Senior Design Engineer, Show Production

Burbank, CA

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

We are looking for a Senior Design Engineer, Show Production who is ready to take on our most complex illusions and see them through from first sketch to final commissioning, while lending experience and guidance to the designers working alongside you. We are looking for a creative problem solver with sharp engineering skills who can operate with minimal instruction and direction to deliver results other designers can build on. This role reports directly to the Technical Show Production Lead and will lead effects design and fabrication work that has a direct impact on projects with high-profile clients. You will perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to, the design, engineering, fabrication, installation, and team leadership of special effects and illusions across multiple concurrent projects as required. The Senior Design Engineer will own effects strategy across their projects and set the standard other designers on the team build to.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and engineer integrated show technical specialty elements, including special effects, illusions, show action equipment, animated figures, and interactive elements, across the full life of multiple concurrent projects, from initial concept through installation, programming, and turnover to operations.
• Own the budget and schedule for your scope of work, flagging risks and communicating trade-offs proactively rather than after the fact.
• Create, maintain, and communicate the facility interface data (power, structural, mounting, controls, and other requirements) that other disciplines depend on to properly plan around each element.
• Coordinate closely with show set, ride, media, and controls engineering, and represent your work directly to clients and other stakeholders.
• Produce fabrication-ready drawings and models, in Fusion, that fabricators and other disciplines can build from without guesswork.
• Program, tune, and cue each element's control systems on-site so it runs correctly and in sync with the rest of the show.
• Troubleshoot and resolve problems in the field, often under a tight schedule and with limited resources.
• Document each finished element clearly and hand it off to operations with what they need to maintain it long-term.
• Build every element to be safe, reliable, and low-maintenance under continuous daily operation.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to other designers working alongside you, reviewing their work and serving as a technical resource.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Exceptional ability in both design and engineering at a senior level, demonstrated across a substantial body of delivered work. This role demands real mastery of both, not one grafted onto the other.
• A background that fuses rigorous creative and technical training (for example, a design education with substantial engineering coursework, or an engineering education paired with a serious creative practice).
• Advanced CAD fluency in Fusion; strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator.
• Strong command of electronic components and circuit design, with the ability to hand-code embedded systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar) without relying on AI-generated code.
• Accomplished hands-on fabricator, building, wiring, and programming show technical elements at a professional standard.
• Proficient across traditional manufacturing (machining, sheet metal forming, extrusion, injection molding, grinding, welding) and rapid manufacturing methods (3D printing and related rapid prototyping techniques).
• Proven track record delivering show technical elements end to end, independently, across multiple concurrent projects.
• Demonstrated ability to own project budgets and schedules, and to communicate clearly when either is at risk.
• Comfortable owning technical communication with other disciplines and clients, including facility and interface requirements.
• Experienced providing guidance and mentorship to other designers.
• Collaborates effectively with project teams, vendors, and other technical disciplines.
• A portfolio demonstrating special effects, mechanisms, or other show technical elements personally designed and built, ideally showing increasing complexity and ownership over time. Please include one with your application.
• Willing and able to travel and lead on-site work through installation and commissioning.
• Senior-level experience, typically 7+ years, judged on demonstrated capability rather than years alone.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, with Mechatronics coursework preferred.
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science coursework.
• Able to select and engineer the right technical approach across mechanical and electromechanical systems, motion and robotics, pneumatics, optics, lighting, and water, fog, and fire effects.
• Solid grounding in statics, dynamics, and material science, including free body diagrams and basic FEA.
• Skilled in designing and building precision jigs and assembly tooling.
• Experienced in urethane and epoxy casting and finishing.
• Applies lean manufacturing principles to minimize waste and build repeatable process.
• Experience writing and managing scopes of work and requests for proposal.
• Experience writing and managing factory and site acceptance test procedures, and carrying elements through formal client acceptance.
• Familiarity with QLab, projection mapping software, or other stage-technology suites
• Detail oriented
• Exemplary writing and communication skills
• Ability to manage through conflict, complexity and to problem-solve issues to resolution
• Ability to understand the needs of the client and to manage relationships between the owner/operator.
• Ability to comfortably and effectively communicate, both verbally in presentation and conversation, and written in correspondence to project team, vendors, consultants and AOA partner
• Ability to give direction, adapt to change, establish relationships, work in a team environment, and produce results.
• ZBrush, Rhino, or other 3D modeling and sculpting tools.
• Fluency in Python or any C variant.
• Experience with factory or site acceptance test procedures, or with scopes of work and proposals.
• Familiarity with UL508A, permitting, or supporting engineering documentation such as NRTL certification.
• A history of inventing or patenting effects.

AOA Company Information

About Us

From hospitals and astronaut training facilities to restaurants, hotels, and attractions, AOA creates memorable and purpose-driven destinations that surpass expectations and resonate across audiences. As the leading design, production, and project management firm, our team is made up of experts with multifaceted skills that translate across departments, fields, and industries. We handle all aspects of the project life cycle from concept to completion. In short, AOA is as remarkable as the projects we support, and we welcome those who live and work with dedication to quality to join our team.

Benefits and Culture

At AOA, we take our work and fun very seriously, which is why we prioritize our team members above all else. Our culture is built on mutual respect, transparency, and the recognition that we all have personal lives and real obligations outside of work. We support our team members as people first, because we all do our best when we’re at our best. We are proud to provide a robust PTO package, a variety of insurance coverages, and both paid maternity and paternity leave. Our benefits include health and wellness benefits, commuter benefits, special reimbursements for cell phone use, athletic classes, and more. Ultimately, our company is nothing without our team members, and we do all we can to foster an inclusive, supportive, and high-spirited culture.

Core Values

AOA Vision - To dream, create, and build global experiences of a lifetime.

AOA Mission - To create and build innovative and transformative experiences that astonish and exceed

At AOA, we expect that all employees embrace and uphold our Company Values

Our Communication is rooted in authentic respect. We recognize that transparency is necessary for building trust and that professionalism is a shared responsibility in all situations.

Our Quality is the gateway to repeat business. We go above and beyond every project to exceed expectations and introduce innovation to novel challenges.

Our Leadership is empowered by organization-wide integrity. We are encouraged to do the right thing, both by acting with productive financial responsibility and by being creative and efficient problem solvers.

Our Teamwork is the foundation of our AOA Family and Community. We work collaboratively to promote diversity in all forms, champion inclusion, and sustain an environment where trust is paramount.

Our Balance is sacred to our quality of life. We want all of our team members to be present at work and in life, to devote time to physical and mental wellness, and to embrace the moment with fun and happiness.