Lighting Designer, NYPA (End-Dated)

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

About the Design Department

Our cross-disciplinary team of 31 includes experts in Exhibition Design, Graphic Design, Lighting, Production, and Operations. The department supports a wide scope of work, including over 50 exhibitions and rotations annually, in addition to capital construction, permanent collection displays, and gallery reinstallations. Beyond exhibition materials, we produce more than 200 communication design projects each year, including branded collateral and bespoke event identities. Our studio supports a 2-million-square-foot building housing objects from 17 curatorial departments and collaborates with over 50 departments to serve more than 7 million visitors annually.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

The Lighting Design Coordinator will join the Lighting Design team to play a key role in one of the Museum’s most ambitious sustainability initiatives: a three-year, museum-wide LED lighting upgrade. This major energy-reduction project involves replacing over 30,000 halogen fixtures with energy-efficient LED technology across 750,000 square feet of gallery space.

Reporting to the Design Manager of Lighting Design, you will work closely with internal teams—including the design, curatorial, and buildings departments—as well as with external partners such as contractors, the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), and the New York Power Authority (NYPA). Your coordination efforts will be critical in modernizing outdated lighting systems, significantly reducing the Museum’s energy consumption, and lowering operating costs.

This is a position with an established end-date or time frame. Time frames will begin upon hire: 3 Years

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY & DUTIES

• Coordinate daily operations of the LED lighting upgrade project, including scheduling, logistics, and stakeholder communication
• Assist in the installation and focusing of lighting equipment across gallery and back-of-house spaces
• Prepare and maintain design documentation, including light plots, fixture schedules, focus charts, specifications, and photographic records
• Track equipment shipments, deliveries, and inventory for the Met-install portion of the project
• Ensure proper art protection protocols are in place before work begins and coordinate post-install gallery cleaning with Assistant Project Manager (APM), Buildings
• Liaise regularly with internal departments including Curatorial, Conservation, Collections Management, Buildings, including the Lamp and Electrical Shops
• Collaborate with the APM to develop and update the three-week look-ahead schedule and manage the overall project timeline
• Interface with external designers, contractors, vendors, and city agencies including DCAS and NYPA
• Coordinate gallery closures and curatorial reviews in collaboration with the APM
• Provide regular updates, progress reports and milestone tracking to the Design Manager and stakeholders
• Participate in daily contractor safety meetings as needed
• Communicate project requirements and status updates to stakeholders and vendors
• Support administrative tasks, including, documentation management, and project completion reports
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Design Manager

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Lighting Design, Architecture, Theater, Fine Arts, or a related field
• 2–5 years of professional experience in lighting design, preferably in museum, theatrical, or architectural settings
• Experience working around artwork; prior art handling experience is a plus
• Proficient in reading and drafting design documentation, including reflected ceiling plans, light plots, and focus charts
• Familiarity with lighting equipment, lamp types, LED dimming systems, controls, and general lighting practices
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and AutoCAD
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Comfortable working at heights and operating equipment such as ladders or lifts
• Ability to lift and carry objects up to 25–30 lbs overhead (e.g., light fixtures, access panels)
• Willingness and ability to operate a scissor lift during installation; training will be provided and is mandatory

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Range: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00 / Annually
• The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Please click the Apply button to apply through The Met Careers Site.