What does a Lighting Designer do?
Lighting designers design and plan lighting and electrical systems while working in collaboration with interior designers, engineers, or architects and design products for residential, commercial, or industrial sites. They often work for lighting companies or architecture or interior design firms, and when servicing clients, they sometimes work for a large venue and design lighting for its events. Lighting designers visit project sites to assess and analyze them and communicate extensively with clients to identify their lighting desires and needs. They often do this with a team of electrical engineers to assist in surveying the site.
Lighting designers design a plan for the site, keeping customer specifications in mind and assessing the site and any safety concerns. They remain mindful of state and local energy building codes and act as liaisons between clients and engineering departments throughout the design process. They stay mindful of the project budget and collect all expense receipts to track the budget. Lighting designers are also on site during the installation of lighting and electrical systems they have designed and need a bachelor's degree in architecture, electrical engineering, or related fields.
- Install and maintain roadway lighting equipment, including poles, load centers, electric services underground and overhead cables, and any other associated equipment.
- Work closely with other teams to keep workflows and quality consistent across all environments.
- Perform preventive maintenance inspections as required, including cleaning optical systems, replacing lamps, cables, adjusting poles and fixtures.
- Assist traffic signal staff and perform related work as required.
- Assist in manage and mentoring fellow lighting artists, create tutorials, share techniques, and draft documentation to grow the teams knowledge.
- Bachelor's Degree in electrical engineering or chemical engineering.
- Advanced knowledge of pipeline design and management.
- Solid rendering and project design abilities.
- Strong collaboration and problem-solving skills.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and CAD design programs.
How much does a Lighting Designer make?
Base Pay
Additional Pay
$66,335
/ yrLighting Designer Career Path
Learn how to become a Lighting Designer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Lighting Designer Insights
Cubedots“i highly recommend cubedots as it is one of the best companies is came across.”
“Good Hours and Compensation.”
MPC“I learned a lot and enjoyed the projects I worked on.”
Axis Studios“Work and life balance is terrible.”
Decorating Elves“12 because I had an unplanned trip to surprise my best friend for his 20th birthday and was denied time off once again.”
MPC“Less Salary compared to industry standards”
Freelancer“Own time is great to have”
Virtuos“Good management Nice projects Provide needed tools for developing skills”
Frequently asked questions about the roles and responsibilities of a Lighting Designer
When working as a Lighting Designer, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are Indesign Photoshop, Revit, AutoCAD, LEED, and bacnet.
- Creative Designer
- Design Manager
- Creative Director
- Designer
The most common qualifications to become a Lighting Designer include a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and an average of 0 - 1 years of experience not including years spent in education and/or training.