How to hire a scenic designer

How to hire a scenic designer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step scenic designer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a scenic designer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new scenic designer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the scenic designer you need to hire. Certain scenic designer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect scenic designer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of scenic designers.

   Type of Scenic Designer	Description	Hourly rate
   Scenic Designer		$15-41
   Exhibition Designer	An exhibition designer creates appealing and creative display stands, meeting the practical, budgetary, and aesthetic requirements. Besides organizing and participating in meetings, explaining design issues, and producing competitive and realistic quotes, exhibition designers also respond to clients' queries and transport their display 'stands' to the required exhibition venues... Show more	$18-47
   Designer	A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences... Show more	$21-46

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Theatre Production
   • CAD
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Model Building
   • Scale Models
   • Scene Shop
   • Technical Drawings
   • DIR
   • Set Pieces
   • Design Meetings
   • Sketch
   • Mainstage
   • Production Design
   • Summer Season

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop marketing and brand awareness initiatives through social media outlets; create and manage company Facebook and Houzz profiles.
   • Prepare PowerPoint documents for client presentation that include furniture and material selections.
   • Use architectural and structural-base external reference drawings files as backgrounds for communication, electrical, HVAC mechanical and structural revisions.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your scenic designer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A scenic designer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, scenic designers' average salary in florida is 45% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level scenic designers earn 62% less than senior-level scenic designers.
   • Certifications. A scenic designer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a scenic designer's salary.

   Average scenic designer salary

   $54,503yearly

   $26.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level scenic designer salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a scenic designer job description

   A scenic designer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a scenic designer job description:

   Scenic designer job description example

   SeaWorld Orlando
   
   At SeaWorld, we're passionate about caring for animals. In fact, we've already rescued over 40,000 animals (and counting!). And we can save you from being stuck in just another job. Join us and help bring joy, excitement, and lasting memories to people from around the world. We're seeking enthusiastic, dedicated and hard-working individuals in a wide variety of roles. Join us and play an important part on our incredible team!
   
   In order to be fully considered for this role, please complete the Modern Hire On-Demand Video Audition. You will be redirected to complete the Video Audition after you complete this application.The perks of the position:
   
   What you will get to do:
   
   Assist with the fabrication, installation/strike and maintenance/repair of props, set pieces and décor.
   
   Assist with décor elements such as garland, Christmas trees and wreaths to include testing the lights and attaching décor elements such as ornaments, ribbon, sprays, etc.
   
   Assist with material inventory process.
   
   Maintain cleanliness of work areas and vehicles.
   
   Communicate professionally and effectively with Ambassadors, Vendors and our Guests.
   
   Perform other duties as assigned.
   
   What it takes to succeed:
   
   High school diploma or equivalent.
   
   Ability to follow a pattern and replicate a décor template.
   
   Ability to work well in a team.
   
   Ability to stand for prolong periods and work with hands for extended periods of time.
   
   Must be comfortable working at heights, ladder work to decorate different scenery pieces such as tall Christmas trees.
   
   Possess a valid state driver's license required.
   
   Must be able to lift, push, pull and/or carry up to 50 lbs.
   
   Ability to climb a ladder and work at heights between 6 and 65 feet.
   
   Comfortability working in theater and outdoor environments (dark/nighttime conditions, in/around water, in varying weather conditions).
   
   Comfortable working around animals.
   
   Comfortability with exposure to noise and vibrations.
   
   Ability to train on and properly use protective gear.
   
   Ability to stand, bend or kneel for long periods of time.
   
   Ability to bend, reach, twist and turn with complete flexibility.
   
   Position engages in extensive walking and standing throughout entire work shift and climb/ascend heights, if needed.
   
   Perform the following physical activities: kneeling, squatting, bend floor-to waist/waist-to-overhead, reach overhead, simple grasp and fine hand manipulation tasks (use of tools/keyboard/writing).
   
   Must be able to work indoors and outdoors, in varying weather, to include extreme heat. Position may be exposed to fumes, dust, odors, and cold/heat temperature extremes.
   
   Perform cleaning duties, including use of cleaning chemicals.
   
   The perks of the position:
   
   As part of the SeaWorld family, you'll enjoy a fun, fast-paced environment and great teammates, as well as:
   
   FREE park admission
   
   Discounted park admission tickets and passes for family and friends
   
   Park discounts on food, merchandise, etc.
   
   Join the team!
   
   If you're looking for the opportunity to make the most of your abilities in a one-of-a-kind setting with an entertainment industry leader, we're looking for you!
   
   More Information
   
   Park Name:
   
   SeaWorld Orlando
   
   Location:
   
   Orlando, FL
   
   
   15540
   
   Status:
   
   Seasonal
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   Relocation Provided:
   
   No

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find scenic designers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any scenic designers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level scenic designers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your scenic designer job on Zippia to find and attract quality scenic designer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting scenic designers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new scenic designer

   Once you've selected the best scenic designer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new scenic designer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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