Lighting Developer; Project

Join to apply for the Lighting Developer (Project-Based Role) role at Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf opens portals of possibility. Come as you are! We are individuals who inspire creativity in people's lives through art and exploration, so that our combined imaginations can transform the world we live in. We create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Our Vision is to be the world’s leading creative company, reimagining the paradigm of art and storytelling, to make a positive difference in the world.

• Collaborative Creativity:
  We believe the act of creating together amplifies possibilities.
• Provocative Playfulness:
  We celebrate the unexpected because it is the doorway to discovery.
• Outsiders Welcome:
  We are all outsiders at heart, and we create space for everyone to feel like they belong.
• Authentic Compassion:
  We are “kind punks” - supportive to each other and standing up for what we believe in.
• Audacious Courage:
  We have the courage to radically reinvent ourselves to push the boundaries of art.

Project Based Role:
This is a project-based position with an anticipated duration of 2+ years.

Location:

Santa Fe, NM

Compensation:
The base salary for this position starts at $83,584. Compensation may vary based on location and experience.

At Meow Wolf, lighting is more than illumination — it’s storytelling. The Lighting Developer helps bring our immersive worlds to life by blending creative lighting design with technical systems engineering and interactive programming. This role sits at the intersection of art and technology, building innovative light-based experiences that integrate with sound, video, sensors, and electromechanical elements. As a member of the Creative Technology team, this role collaborates with Lighting Designers, Tech Fabricators, Technical Systems Designers, Creative Engineers, and Show Systems Programmers to transform creative intent into fully realized lighting experiences.

From hand-held interactive installations, to world sized pixel mapped LED arrays and theatrical rigs, this role pushes the expressive power of light as a storytelling medium.

• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to design innovative lighting solutions that support project lighting designs and the project creative intent.
• Research and prototype experimental lighting approaches, exploring emerging lighting, interactive, and control technologies to drive creative innovation.
• Translate creative lighting concepts into precise technical requirements and execution plans, ensuring compatibility with technical infrastructure.
• Oversee and/or lead the integration of custom lighting fixtures and/or systems into larger architectural, environmental, and electromechanical systems, reviewing wiring, documentation, and low-voltage power distribution design for code compliance.
• Coordinate cue lists, sequences, triggers, and monitoring to ensure synchronization with audio, video, and interactives.
• Create thorough documentation for installation, operation, and long-term maintenance.

• 5+ years of experience in theatrical, live event, or themed entertainment lighting design and control systems.
• Proficiency with electrical circuits, low-voltage systems, and electromechanical integration.
• Proficiency with lighting control software and protocols (e.g., ETC EOS, Mosaic, DMX-512/Art-Net/sACN).
• Proficiency with lighting design software (AutoCAD, Vectorworks).
• Proficiency in scripting (e.g. Lua, JavaScript, Node.
  
  JS, SQL, C/C++, C#, etc.).
• Experience with physical computing, programming microcontrollers (Arduino or similar), and interactive environments (Touch Designer, Max/MSP, Python).
• Familiarity with photometric performance and thermal management.
• Familiarity with networking management, configuration, deployment, and operation including VLANs, routing, QoS, IGMP, PTP.
• Familiarity with 3D modeling and BIM (Revit).
• Familiarity with show control and network protocols (OSC, MIDI, TCP/UDP, timecode).
• Strong documentation skills and the ability to translate creative ideas into precise technical requirements.
• Detail-oriented,…