Eden Live - Senior Designer Maker

We are looking for an experienced and skilled maker to join our production team. You will be working alongside our team in making, installing and maintaining thought-provoking live events, exhibits and exhibitions that will provide an engaging, entertaining learning experience that communicates the Eden narrative to the audience.

Having a good range of build techniques and finishing processes, you’ll be able to produce a high quality of work and understand how this has a direct effect on our visitor’s experience. The main discipline is wood, so excellent carpentry skills are essential, but knowledge of other materials is desirable. You will also need knowledge of applications such as CAD, Sketch Up, and Photoshop to visually present ideas, designs and plans.

Key Accountabilities

• Works to Eden's Interpretation Strategy, programme and budget, responding to specific creative and functional briefs from internal clients to produce live events, exhibits and exhibitions.
• Liaises and consults with clients to understand and explore their specific needs, before undertaking the required research and investigation needed for the preparation and development of a design specification.
• Prepares and develops design specifications containing working drawings and plans, materials schedules, costings and projected timescales.
• Ensures all specifications are compiled in accordance with Eden's environmental, social, health and safety and accessibility guidelines.
• Liaises and consults with clients throughout the design and build process, ensuring that designs, exhibits, exhibitions, set-dressings and installations continue to meet the requirements of the original brief.
• Liaises with relevant teams across the organization, ensuring installations fit within the overall strategy and programme for the Project.
• Designs, builds and installs, in compliance with Eden's procurement, Health & Safety and risk management requirements using responsibly sourced materials and safe construction methods, ensuring the installation is robust, inclusive and accessible.
• Ensures all work is done on time, to the agreed design, to programme and budget.
• Maintains, refurbishes, refreshes, replaces and renews existing exhibits, exhibitions and set-dresses as agreed in order to maintain and enhance the visitor experience.

Demands of the Role

• Qualified to HND / BA Level (or equivalent) in a relevant field. Driving license essential.
• The job holder will have at least 3 years relevant job experience and be skilled in the use of applications such as CAD, Sketch Up, Photoshop, 3D Software.
• Trained and experienced in the use of power tools with a good working knowledge of materials and conversant with sustainable design build techniques and finishing processes.
• Time management, budgeting and communication skills are essential.

Decision-making

• Most decisions are routine and rely upon the jobholder’s existing knowledge and skills. Unusually complex design or installation problems will be referred to the jobholder's line manager.
• Reports to Line Manager on a weekly basis.
• Collaborates with colleagues and other staff to devise and deliver innovative, sustainable and creative exhibits and exhibitions.
• The job holder will be required to resolve unusual challenges/situations which demand adaptive and creative thinking, when managing projects from conceptual design to installation.
• Reacting and adjusting to challenges as these come in, examples might be using different materials if one is not available or too high a cost.

People & Asset Management

• Assists less-experienced staff and trainees and provides training and coaching as required.
• Must create and manage small project budgets and is jointly responsible for the team’s tools, materials and asset storage.

Communication & Visitor Experience

• Liaising and consulting with clients requires the jobholder to use a range of communication techniques in order to translate abstract concepts into tangible design proposals.
• These plans are in turn communicated to colleagues and stakeholders within the organization.
• Understands and recognizes how to attract and engage visitors through creative design and interesting installations.
• A key feature of this role is communicating Eden’s message to our visitors through the exhibits that they design, make and install.

Operational Environment

• Works in a variety of operational and climatic environments mainly between office and workshop.
• Occasional evening and weekend working is required in order to meet tight deadlines and seasonal demands.

Additional Features

• The jobholder is required continuously to develop design knowledge and keep abreast of industry trends and techniques.