Career profile · SOC ESC-8C195C7D

intelligent lighting engineer

Intelligent lighting engineers set up, prepare, check and maintain digital and automated lighting equipment in order to provide optimal lighting quality for a live performance. They cooperate with road crew to unload, set up and operate lighting equipment and instruments.

intelligent lighting engineer intelligent lighting engineers set up, prepare, check and maintain digital and automated lighting equipment in order to provide optimal lighting quality for a live performance. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include artificial lighting systems, work ergonomically, understand artistic concepts, draw up lighting plan, assess power needs.

AI exposure
5.0/10
automation risk

Pay in the UK

UK: median £45,534 a year for Arts officers, producers and directors (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)

UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3416). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)

Pay in India (occupation group)

Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only intelligent lighting engineer, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.

Urban India
₹31,909 a month
Rural India
₹18,966 a month
All India
₹26,175 a month

Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report

Top skills

artificial lighting systems work ergonomically understand artistic concepts draw up lighting plan assess power needs distribute control signals work safely with machines use personal protection equipment prevent technical problems with lighting equipment pack electronic equipment

What you'd actually do

  • Assess safety of wiring or equipment set-up to determine the risk of fire or electrical shock.
  • Consult with lighting director or production staff to determine lighting requirements.
  • Disassemble and store equipment after performances.
  • Install color effects or image patterns, such as color filters, onto lighting fixtures.
  • Install electrical cables or wire fixtures.
  • Load, unload, or position lighting equipment.

Tools & technology you'd use

Microsoft Office software hot Autodesk AutoCAD hot Microsoft Access hot Microsoft Excel hot Microsoft Outlook hot Microsoft PowerPoint hot Microsoft Project hot FileMaker Pro Microsoft Internet Explorer Programmable logic controller PLC software Rockwell RSLogix SAP Maintenance

Frequently asked questions

What does intelligent lighting engineer do?

Intelligent lighting engineers set up, prepare, check and maintain digital and automated lighting equipment in order to provide optimal lighting quality for a live performance. They cooperate with road crew to unload, set up and operate lighting equipment and instruments.

What skills does intelligent lighting engineer need?

The most in-demand skills for this role include artificial lighting systems, work ergonomically, understand artistic concepts, draw up lighting plan, assess power needs, distribute control signals. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Will AI replace intelligent lighting engineer?

Our AI-durability model gives intelligent lighting engineer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.

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