Assistant Manager, Special Effects

DreamWorks is hiring an Assistant Manager, Special Effects based in Los Angeles to join the Entertainment Technical team at Universal Studios Hollywood. This role sits at the intersection of special effects production and live entertainment, overseeing the fabrication, installation, and maintenance of practical SFX, animatronics, show action equipment, and puppet elements for seasonal and event-based productions. It suits an experienced SFX professional who is equally comfortable on a fabrication floor and in a project management conversation.

About the Role

The Assistant Manager, Special Effects reports to the Manager of Special Effects and works across the full production lifecycle, from concept and prototyping through to on-site installation and ongoing maintenance. Day-to-day work involves coordinating with internal SFX crews, Art and Design teams, Project Management, and contracted vendors to keep multiple scopes moving on schedule. This is a hands-on supervisory role with real accountability for how practical effects work gets built, tested, and delivered to venue.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of special effects and animatronic scopes from initial concept through fabrication, installation, and operational maintenance, holding each phase to established technical standards.
• Develop detailed scopes of work, issue requests for proposals, evaluate vendor bids, and manage installation schedules across all active SFX projects.
• Lead on-site supervision during equipment setup, testing, and inspections, coordinating directly with authorities having jurisdiction and building inspectors as required.
• Act as the primary liaison between department stakeholders, translating technical SFX production requirements into clear updates for creative, project management, and operations partners.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide performance feedback to SFX team members, ensuring task delegation aligns with crew skill sets and project deadlines.
• Identify gaps in operational workflows and implement process improvements in coordination with the Special Effects Manager and cross-functional production teams.

What You Bring

• Demonstrated experience supervising practical special effects work in a theme park entertainment, live production, or film and television production environment.
• Working knowledge of animatronics, show action equipment, and puppet fabrication within a production or installation context.
• Proven ability to manage vendor relationships, review RFP responses, and hold contracted crews to scope and schedule.
• Familiarity with AHJ processes, site inspections, and the safety compliance requirements that govern practical effects installations.
• Strong documentation habits, with experience producing scopes of work and project schedules for multi-phase SFX builds.

Why This Role

DreamWorks and Universal Studios Hollywood sit inside one of the largest entertainment production and theme park operations in the world, which means the SFX work here runs at a scale most practical effects shops rarely see. This position offers direct exposure to high-visibility seasonal productions and event-based entertainment with real creative and technical scope. Compensation for the Assistant Manager, Special Effects is USD 70,000 to USD 80,000 per year.

Apply now for the Assistant Manager, Special Effects role at DreamWorks and bring your practical effects experience to one of the industry’s most established production and entertainment operations.