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Job Description / Duties

The Venue Technician at the Scotiabank Dance Centre works under supervision and direction of the Technical Director (TD), often in concert with the TD. In addition to working events, the job also caters to the needs of maintenance schedules, as well as education of emergent artists as they enter the professional field.

The successful incumbent is involved with all the technical needs for performances, events, rehearsals, and other bookings in the Faris Family Production Studio or events taking place in other studios/ or off-location throughout the season. They are a working member of the team for client rentals including load in/ out, set up/ take down, and typically operating a console for the performance or rehearsal. Additionally, they will assist with the production studio maintenance.

The Venue Technician will take on technical roles in lighting, sound, as stage technician and other duties as required. This often encompasses supervising the venue, operating production equipment, and scheduling/ managing the technical crew as directed by the TD and when the TD is not available on site.

The Venue Technician may often take lead for the entire production process of a show, including the installation, show operation, strike, and restore and as directed by the Technical Director.

During work calls, the Venue Technician will often work directly with clients and manage scheduled crew representing the Scotiabank Dance Centre in a professional manner.

As part of the Technical team, you will also be working and engaging with other staff, volunteers and a diverse membership and client base. When not engaging in an event, you will assist the TD on a list of general tasks including maintenance, venue and safety related improvements, and troubleshooting for the organization. You will be asked to be creative, and to ideate and contribute to resolving arising challenges and towards completion of tasks as outlined and directed by the TD.

The Venue Technician typically carries out the following duties:
• Assuming leadership and responsibility for projects assigned by the TD.
• Directly communicating with scheduled clients on-site, conducting orientation and training to facility renters, students and volunteers in safety, technical characteristics and other areas as required; determining priorities while providing polite and professional service and within the scope and as directed by the TD
• Fulfilling technical requirements as communicated by the Technical Director.
• Managing scheduled Crew by providing direction for safe and timely work procedures and preventing cause for unsafe actions from happening and as directed by the TD; Coordinating the daily schedule, ensuring breaks are taken at necessary intervals.
• Engaging in the installation, configuration, operation and usage of all technical equipment; including in-house, rental, borrowed, and other external gear
• Maintaining and ensuring timely communication with Client throughout the rental process and informing on any actual or anticipated deviations (i.e. Crew hours extending beyond original call, venue cleaning fee, usage of projection equipment) and ensuring this is documented and authorization is secured prior to continuing
• Liaising with the Front of House Manager at scheduled performance, communicating show-specific information
• Completing show reports for each scheduled day, ensuring that each scheduled Crew and Front of House person has signed in and out correctly.
• Immediately reporting significant issues to the Technical Director (i.e: damage to the venue, future schedule changes, no-show crew, workplace injuries)
• Securing the venue whenever it is vacated and ensuring it is returned to original state;
• Assisting in the maintenance and troubleshooting for the other rehearsal studios in the building.
• Supervising the venue and its equipment, ensuring proper usage and preservation from damage when on scheduled shifts and/or TD is not on site

Qualifications / Required Skills

Completion of a relevant post-secondary program in Theatre Production and Design, Stagecraft, or related field; or, at least 2 years of demonstrated technical theatre experience with experience in lighting, audio, video, stage carpentry and/or rigging.

The ideal candidate is a generalist with a broad range of abilities required to meet the diverse needs of dance artists working in a range of dance styles and forms, and other clients.

They are a creative problem solver who takes the initiative to ideate solutions to issues that arise. They are a great communicator, unafraid to ask for help or for changes that would improve the working environment, and leaves notes that put the next person in a good position to continue the ongoing work. They are curious about the job and its potential and show interest in what the client, often the dance artist, is exploring, or the output they wish to achieve.

These skills are often used in the production studio and are considered an asset:
- Knowledge of Worksafe BC occupational health and safety regulations and participation in company occupational health and safety
- General awareness and knowledge of technical needs of several typical arts disciplines that use the production studio (dance, theatre, music)
- High level of sensitivity to cultural diversity and equity, and to Indigenous practices and ways of being
- Experience programming on an ETC Ion console
- Experience operating an Allen & Heath QU mixing desk
- Experience programming QLab, including video elements (fades, geometry, I/O, OSC networking, multiple surfaces)
- Hanging and focusing lights, and planning a hang off of a lighting plot
- Setting up and mixing a small band (12 channels or less)
- Troubleshooting simple sound systems
- Hanging and focusing projectors
- Working at heights (Genie push about and ladders)
- Independently lifting up to 50 lbs physically, or through rigging or other solutions

Completion of OFA Level 1 and LPEC is an asset.

Additional Information

The Venue Technician is a part-time position, paid an hourly wage (20 hours per week minimum), often averaging hours of work.

Work schedules for the subsequent month(s) being determined by the 15th of each month by the TD

Hours will vary depending on event schedules and requirements and will often take place during evenings and weekends.

Salary: Salary: part-time; hourly $27-29; with 4% vacation paid out in lieu.

Contact Information

Your application must include:
• Cover letter (outlining your motivation to work with The Dance Centre; one page maximum)
• Your CV or resume (1 page maximum)
• 2 references from within the field.

Please send your application to: Technician Director
Email: techdirector[at]thedancecentre.ca

We will do our best to contact all applicants, but may be delayed in the case of a large volume of submissions.
We will be conducting rolling interviews until the position is filled.

Employer Profile

The Dance Centre is the operator of Scotiabank Dance Centre, a purpose built facility dedicated to dance, owned by The Dance Foundation. Our mandate is to support the development of a vibrant dance scene in BC and increase the profile of dance, by providing resources and services for dance professionals; presenting public performances and events; operating Scotiabank Dance Centre, one of Canada’s flagship dance facilities; and promoting BC dance. We also support our community members and partners by assisting them to excel and fulfill their vision through the use of Scotiabank Dance Centre.

Scotiabank Dance Centre is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

The Dance Centre is committed to providing equitable access to everyone. We actively support accessibility, anti-racism, and LGBTQ2S+ inclusion, and encourage diversity in our staff, visitors, volunteers and programming. We cultivate a safer space where all voices can be heard, valued and represented. The Dance Centre stands against hatred, discrimination, racism, homophobia and transphobia. The Venue Technician is expected to align with these values.