Technical Services Manager, Thornton School of Music

The USC Thornton School of Music welcomes applications for the position of Technical Services Manager. This position will report to the Director of Operations and Production, the Technical Services Manager will work closely with the Assistant Director of Production and Senior Production Coordinators to operate, protect, and maintain Thornton’s venues’ technical assets, while also managing and overseeing the different technical focus areas, including audio, lighting, video and venue technical infrastructure like rigging. We seek an experienced individual that will lead the Technical Services Department consisting of contractors, vendors, and student crew teams. The position has direct responsibility for the department’s budget planning and account management. A focus on or particular strength in Live Sound and Audio Engineering is preferred for applicants, as the music program has an emphasis on professional level music production.

The Thornton School is home to more than 185 faculty and 1,000 music majors divided into three divisions: Research and Scholarly Studies, Classical Performance and Composition, and Contemporary Music. Founded in 1884, and today the oldest continually operating cultural institution in Los Angeles, USC Thornton consistently ranks among the top one percent of the nation’s music schools and conservatories. Graduates of the school attain positions with major orchestras, ensembles, recording studios and music industry firms and perform on stages and in studios around the world.

The student body at USC is extraordinarily diverse: it is racially and ethnically a majority/minority population with a full range of expressions of gender, ability, and sexual identities, which we embrace as a source of institutional strength and community pride. The University’s commitment to building an academic environment hospitable to this wide range of diversity is full and complete. To that end, we are seeking to create as diverse a pool of candidates as possible; one which reflects the broad diversity of identities and experiences that comprise the country as well as the field of the music industry.

Combining the benefits of a world-class conservatory and a leading research university, the USC Thornton School of Music offers students the opportunity to pursue a rigorous music education in a real-world context.  We offer a full range of musical disciplines across a demanding and innovative curriculum, and the opportunity to work with a faculty of national and international renown.  For more information, please visit us at https://music.usc.edu/

USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff & their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans; tuition benefits for staff & their family; free professional development online courses; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses & free tram pick up services; discounts to football, basketball & other campus events. To view more information, please visit: https://employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks/

Primary responsibilities:

• Provides audio, lighting, and production technical support services for all events within Thornton’s venues.  Acts as the “last line of defense” for technical services and problem-solving
• Identifying, interviewing, and onboarding technical staff, including outside contractors to cover key positions for events or performances
• Effectively troubleshoot and quickly resolve technical issues in a live music environment
• Work collaboratively with the Senior Production Coordinators and Director to advance, load-in/out, set-up, operate, break-down all related equipment and systems for concerts, rehearsals, recording sessions or classes
• Determines need and approves rentals of equipment in consultation with event producers.
• Schedule and supervise all contracted support, including Live Audio Technicians for artist-level live audio engineering services to Thornton concerts.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and schedule student technical assistants.
• Plans and administers the budget. Authorizes expenditures and monitors expenses for materials supplies repairs and maintenance, student labor, and contracted services. Prepares budget reports for the Director.
• Approves orders for equipment and consumables.
• Maintains vendor relationships and backup purchase documentation files for reference and reporting.
• Oversees and maintains inventory of theatrical technical systems in venues including sound, video, and lighting. Determines need for emergency repairs or replacement of equipment. Supervises repairs of non-working fixtures and equipment. Troubleshoots equipment failures, as needed. Schedules preventive maintenance. Creates and maintains venue technical specifications sheets.
• Maintains the sound, lighting, and video systems in the performance venues. Managing projects for changing major technical theater infrastructure including new systems and equipment as well as rigging and safety equipment maintenance projects. Will include the scheduling of routine maintenance as needed and creating instructional operation sheets for the venues.
• Basic troubleshooting skills as well as understanding the needs for routine maintenance are a must.
• Consults with users and contractors to determine necessary hardware, software, or system functions. Plans for equipment upgrades depending on event and curricular needs. Purchasing new equipment and replacing failing equipment as needed
• Directs faculty, staff, and students in the safe and proper use of specialized and state of the art equipment and other materials.
• Trains users in proper operation of systems and associated software.
• Develops and implements operating policies and procedures. Ensures compliance with security and safety procedures
• In the event of an emergency, “reports to duty” in accordance with the Emergency Operations Plan.

The ideal candidate will be able to cite experience and demonstrate knowledge of most, if not all, of the following disciplines in the following priority order:

• Live Audio/FOH (and Monitor) engineering and systems design. Significant experience with digital mixing consoles, analog and digital snakes, microphones, plug-in’s and outboard equipment, etc. Significant stylistic understanding and repertoire knowledge of rock, R&B, EDM, pop, hip-hop, jazz, and film music.
• Live Audio Recording engineering and systems design
• Live Video services including multi-camera capture, streaming/broadcast, and IMAG engineering and systems design
• Theatrical Lighting systems, programming, and design
• Theatrical Rigging systems 

Position specific JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 
• 5 years practical audio, video and lighting experience as well as technical knowledge of theatrical     audio, video, lighting, and rigging.
• Experience in live music/event production highly desirable
• Experience in venue management highly desirable
• Experience working in support of music education and/or music industry desirable
• Experience in supervisory position desirable
• Experience working in a collegiate-level environment preferred.
• Experience working inside a university setting preferred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION pertinent to this specific position:

• Available evenings and weekends

 In order to be considered, all candidates must:

• Complete the online application
• Attach a Résumé
• Attach a Cover Letter addressing your specific qualifications for this position.

Your application will not be considered complete without these items.