Lighting Operator

Job Description

The Opportunity
Versant Media is seeking a Lighting Operator to support studio and on-site productions at our Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey facility. Reporting to the Supervising Lighting Designer, this role is responsible for the day-to-day execution, maintenance, and support of studio lighting systems across live and taped programming.
This is a hands-on production role for someone who combines technical lighting expertise with strong collaboration and creative judgment. The Lighting Operator will work closely with production crews, directors, editorial partners, engineering, facilities, and other technical teams to help deliver consistently high-quality visual output.

Lighting plays a critical role in the quality, consistency, and visual identity of our programming. This position helps ensure our studios, talent, guests, and productions are supported by reliable lighting systems and thoughtful lighting execution. This position is required to work on-site in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

• Execute lighting cues for live and taped programming, helping ensure consistent, high-quality visual presentation.
• Partner with video shading, directors, production crews, editorial teams, and leadership on show blocking and lighting needs for talent and guests.
• Support lighting design for Englewood Cliffs facility studios and on-site productions.
• Manage lighting console interfaces and maintain accurate documentation of studio positions, cues, and related production information.
• Maintain lighting consoles, racks, networks, the lighting shop, and lighting room, while managing fixture and expendable inventory.
• Collaborate with Facilities, Engineering, and Electrical teams to troubleshoot issues and maintain safe, reliable lighting operations.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience supporting studio, broadcast, live-event, or comparable production lighting environments. We are flexible on the number of years of experience and will consider candidates whose demonstrated skills and capabilities align with the needs of the role.
• Drafting experience with Vectorworks
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• Working knowledge of lighting consoles, fixtures, networks, cue execution, and studio lighting workflows.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced production environment and collaborate across technical, creative, and editorial teams.
• Ability and willingness to work full-time on-site in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
• Ability to obtain studio lift certification after hire if not already certified; training and certification can be provided internally.

• Trust: Operate equipment safely and reliably while demonstrating sound judgment and professionalism.
• Teamwork: Partner closely with production, engineering, facilities, editorial, and creative colleagues to deliver successful productions.
• Transparency: Communicate clearly about production needs, equipment status, technical issues, and potential risks.
• Agility: Adapt quickly to changing production schedules, show requirements, blocking, and technical needs.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Look for practical ways to improve lighting workflows, documentation, equipment organization, and production quality.

• Prior experience in broadcast television, studio production, or live programming.
• Existing studio lift certification.
• Experience supporting lighting design, console programming, or large-scale studio lighting systems.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to the visual quality of Versant Media programming while working alongside experienced production, technical, editorial, and creative teams.
The anticipated salary range for this position is $65,000–$75,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors including relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and business needs. This position is based in our Englewood Cliffs, NJ office and is required to work on-site. Employees based in our Englewood Cliffs office have access to a variety of convenient on-site services and amenities, including free employee parking, complimentary electric vehicle charging stations, an on-site fitness center with locker rooms and towel service, and dry-cleaning drop-off and pick-up.

To support an easier commute, shuttle service is also available to and from the Englewood Cliffs campus, with pickup locations across Manhattan's East Side and West Side, Brooklyn, Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark, and Secaucus.

As part of our selection…