Props Captain, Set Decor

The Prop Captain, Set Decorator serves as a key creative and operational partner responsible for the sourcing, curation,fabrication, and installation of set decoration and prop elements across a wide range of entertainment projects at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Working closely with Production Designers and the Props & Placemaking leadership team, this role ensures thatenvironments are thoughtfully dressed with furniture, hand props, soft goods, and décor elements that support designintent, storytelling, and operational durability within a theme park setting.

The Prop Captain provides day-to-day leadership to the prop artisan team while coordinating sourcing strategies, vendor relationships, fabrication efforts, and on-site installations. This role requires strong aesthetic judgment, organizational skills, and the ability to balance creative intent with practical production realities such as budgets, schedules, and operational needs.

• Partner with Production Designers, creative teams, and Props & Placemaking leadership to support the
  development and execution of prop and set decoration elements for entertainment productions, seasonal events, and placemaking initiatives.
• Participate in design reviews and production planning meetings to ensure décor elements align with creative direction, intellectual property guidelines, operational requirements, and project timelines.
• Interpret scaled drawings, sketches, models, and visual references to translate creative concepts into practical prop and set decoration solutions.

• Research, source, and procure furniture, hand props, décor, textiles, and specialty items from prop houses, vendors, rental facilities, antique sources, and custom fabricators.
• Evaluate existing scenic and set decoration inventory within Entertainment warehouse and storage locations to identify opportunities to repurpose, redress, or modify existing assets before sourcing new items.
• Apply strong knowledge of historical and contemporary design styles when selecting and arranging décor elements to support environmental storytelling.
• Oversee the collection, preparation, and arrangement of set decoration items to ensure cohesive and visually compelling environments.
• Recommend sourcing strategies that balance creative intent, durability, budget constraints, and project
  timelines.
• Maintain awareness of available warehouse inventory and legacy scenic assets to identify opportunities for reuse across projects.

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with prop houses, rental vendors, specialty fabricators, and suppliers.
• Coordinate quotes, purchases, rentals, and fabrication requests while ensuring alignment with project budgets and schedules.
• Collaborate with internal partners across Entertainment, Production, Technical Services, and other departments to support successful integration of prop and décor elements.

• Provide guidance and direction to prop artisans in the sourcing, preparation, fabrication, and installation of props and set decoration elements.
• Mentor team members and support skill development while fostering a collaborative and solution-oriented work environment.
• Help prioritize work assignments and coordinate efforts across multiple projects to ensure deadlines and quality standards are met.
• Serve as a subject matter resource for set decoration practices, materials, and styling approaches.

• Work with prop artisans to determine appropriate fabrication methods, materials, and construction approaches for custom props and décor elements.
• Provide guidance and creative direction during the fabrication process to ensure elements meet design intent, durability standards, and production timelines.
• Translate conceptual ideas and verbal descriptions into practical prop solutions that can be executed by the fabrication team.
• Assist with fabrication or modification of prop elements when needed to support project deadlines or
  specialized requirements.

• Support or lead the installation and dressing of scenic environments on…