Studio Technician
We are looking for a dedicated studio tech to help keep up with preventative maintenance and troubleshoot repairs. Familiarity with Wet Dog Glass and Canned Heat Glass equipment will be very helpful in our shop but we also have homemade and secondhand equipment of various ages so an interest in tinkering may be equally essential. Metal fabrication, woodworking, casting furnace components, wiring electrical and plumbing gas lines are all part of the role. Some of this can be trained or learned on the job but we are looking for someone with at least foundational knowledge and a comfort with reaching out to manufacturers when a solution cannot be found.
This position is part-time to start but may become full-time as our studio grows or sooner if you have an interest in helping out with classes and studio production. Pay starts at $25/hr with regular pay increases as experience and responsibilities expand. We encourage all applicants to consider supplementing their income through sales of their own work and will provide each team member at least one free 4-hour glassblowing session each week, as well as, free cold shop access. Additional free sessions will be available during slow periods or, on-the-fly, as opportunities arise. Paid assisting work is also a possibility through the studio and/or individual artists for those looking to pick up extra work.
Secondary responsibilities may include building additional equipment/tools, storage and display solutions for GPG and general studio maintenance. GPG is still a small studio with a tight-knit staff who each need to wear multiple hats sometimes. This is a great opportunity to keep your hands fresh or expand technical skills while being able to develop your own work on the side and learn all of the ins and outs of how a studio runs with a fun and hardworking crew.
Job Description
- Primary Responsibilities: Studio equipment maintenance and fabrication
- Hours: 20hrs/week during slower periods and 30+ hrs/week in the Fall and Winter.
- Secondary Responsibilities: general shop maintenance and cleaning, assisting with classes and production work, if desired.
Job Requirements
- Professional technical experience required. (1-2 years/2,000 hours min.)
- Flexible morning, afternoon, and evening availability. Seasonally, we work earlier to beat the heat.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs. (If charging the furnace)
- Must be enthusiastic and curious about electrical and mechanical systems.
- An inquisitive mind with an interest in improving current methods through tool or equipment development.
- Applicant must be punctual, self-motivated, have attention to detail, be neat/tidy, eager to learn/grow, able to follow directions, have patience, have direct communication skills, be team work/goal oriented and have reliable transportation.
- Must be able to check your ego at the door. No gate keeping.
- Teamwork makes the dream work! Must be a team-player.
- Breaks can be taken as needed so please no cell phones or personal life distractions while you’re clocked in.
**Glassblowing skills and interest are not a requirement but are welcomed**
Job Benefits
- Pay starts at $25/hr based on experience and will increase regularly as responsibilities and skills grow.
- Free hot shop, cold shop and general studio access after meeting minimum weekly hours. (20-30 depending on the season).
- Opportunity to expand technical knowledge and skills through practice and continued education.
- Endless learning and collaboration opportunities through teamwork and from peers.
- Exposure to craft show and retail opportunity information in the area.
- Inclusion of any successful products in the Ghost Pepper Glass gallery, pop ups and craft shows in which the studio participates.
- Peer feedback about product development and team collaboration in finding appropriate retail outlets.
We work hard as a team and have fun where we can. You’ll get whatever you put in and then some with this job. Interested and qualified individuals should send a resume, images of work and a cover letter to katie@ghostpepperglass.com. Please let us know why you’d like to join our team and what you hope to accomplish for yourself, in this role.
Suggested application components:
- Resume – Not just the when and where but WHAT was your role there? What skills do you consider your strengths?
- Images – Any quality of image and medium is welcome but if the medium, scale or such are ambiguous, please provide that info.
- Cover Letter – What do you like about us? What do you think we will like about you?
There’s no specific format to provide this information but part of why we are hiring is that we are too busy right now. So please don’t make it a puzzle for us to get a sense for who you are or what skills you possess. When in doubt, give us a bit more info. And please take some time to get a sense for what Ghost Pepper Glass is about so that you can decide if we are even a good fit for you!