Lighting Technician

A lighting technician designs, installs, maintains, and operates lighting systems for entertainment, events, and venues across Australia. They work in theatres, concert halls, film and television studios, live event spaces, and architectural installations, using lighting control consoles, fixtures, and rigging equipment to create desired visual effects and ensure compliance with electrical safety standards.

Operate lighting control consoles and programming software to cue and execute lighting changes during live performances and recorded productions. Design lighting plots and technical drawings using CAD software to specify fixture types, positions, colour filters, and intensity levels for venues and events. Install and rig lighting fixtures, trusses, and support equipment using power tools, climbing harnesses, and rigging hardware in accordance with Australian Standards AS/NZS 1418.1. Configure and patch lighting fixtures to dimmer units and control systems, testing circuits for correct voltage and load distribution. Maintain lighting equipment including lamps, colour gels, gobos, and mechanical components, scheduling preventative maintenance and replacing faulty units. Commission new lighting systems and verify compliance with electrical safety standards and venue-specific requirements before handover. Collaborate with directors, cinematographers, and venue managers to interpret creative lighting briefs and deliver technical solutions within budget and timeline. Troubleshoot lighting system faults using multimeters, circuit testers, and diagnostic software to identify and resolve electrical and control issues.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Work is heavily gig-based and seasonal, especially in live events and theatre. You'll face long irregular hours (nights, weekends, sudden call-outs), job insecurity between productions, and physical demands climbing ladders and rigging heavy equipment at height. Pay is often project-dependent, not guaranteed ongoing income.

Practically, most permanent positions are in metro areas; regional work exists but is sparse and freelance-based. Remote work is not typical for this hands-on trade.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3995, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Adapt to artists' creative demandscore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
• Digital Literacycore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Active Listening
• Inventory Tracking
• Multitasking
• Process Documentation
• Quality Assurance and Checking
• Rostering and Scheduling Support
• Stakeholder Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026