Senior AV Integration Lead – Built Environments

NEXT/NOW · Chicago, IL · Full-time · Hybrid with project travel

Reports to the Managing Director / Built Environments practice leadership

About NEXT/NOW

NEXT/NOW creates interactive environments that help organizations tell their stories and connect with visitors. Our Built Environments practice brings together creative content, custom software, audiovisual systems, and physical design for permanent spaces such as executive briefing centers, innovation centers, and branded environments.

We’re hiring a senior AV leader to strengthen our in-house engineering and integration capabilities and establish consistent technical standards across this work.

The role

You will own AV systems for NEXT/NOW’s permanent installations from discovery and system design through equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and client turnover.

You’ll be NEXT/NOW’s technical authority for AV architecture, equipment selection, infrastructure requirements, and system acceptance. You’ll turn experience concepts into reliable systems, identify risks early, and stay accountable for performance through final handoff.

You’ll retain that ownership whether NEXT/NOW leads the installation or engages an outside integrator. Working alongside creative, software, production, and project leadership, you’ll help shape both individual projects and the way our Built Environments practice delivers them.

What you’ll own

System design and technical decisions

  • Translate creative concepts and client requirements into AV system architecture, signal-flow diagrams, equipment specifications, and integration plans.
  • Select and approve equipment for technical suitability, compatibility, reliability, and maintainability within agreed budgets and client requirements.
  • Define requirements for displays, direct-view LED, projection, audio, media playback, control systems, networking, sensors, and compute.
  • Coordinate AV hardware with custom interactive software and content workflows.
  • Review architectural, electrical, millwork, and reflected ceiling drawings. Establish power, data, cooling, mounting, access, and rack requirements early.

Estimating, sourcing, and procurement

  • Develop AV equipment and integration budgets for proposals and statements of work.
  • Prepare and approve bills of materials before purchasing.
  • Evaluate integrator proposals, equipment substitutions, lead times, warranties, and technical exclusions.
  • Partner with production and purchasing to manage vendors, control costs, and protect project margin.
  • Explain the cost, schedule, performance, and maintenance implications of technical choices.

Construction and installation

  • Serve as the AV technical lead in coordination with architects, general contractors, electricians, fabricators, millworkers, and client IT teams.
  • Review site conditions, resolve infrastructure conflicts, and develop installation plans.
  • Direct and review the technical work of integration partners and specialty subcontractors.
  • Support field installation and lead troubleshooting across hardware, software, content, and network systems.
  • Evaluate technical changes and communicate their impact on scope, budget, and schedule.

Commissioning and client turnover

  • Establish acceptance criteria and commissioning plans before installation.
  • Lead testing of signal integrity, display and audio performance, controls, interactive functionality, playback, and network connectivity.
  • Verify startup, shutdown, scheduled operation, and recovery from power or network interruptions.
  • Maintain technical punch lists, coordinate corrections, and verify that issues are resolved.
  • Confirm and document technical readiness for client acceptance.
  • Deliver accurate as-built documentation, configuration backups, operating instructions, and training with the project team and integration partners.

Practice leadership

  • Establish reusable engineering, documentation, installation, and commissioning standards.
  • Represent NEXT/NOW in client discovery, proposals, technical presentations, and design reviews.
  • Help teams make practical decisions about technical complexity, reliability, and long-term support.
  • Develop service, maintenance, and upgrade approaches for installed systems.

What you’ll bring

  • Approximately eight or more years of professional AV integration experience, including substantial responsibility for complex permanent installations.
  • A demonstrated record of personally owning systems from design and specification through installation and commissioning.
  • Strong knowledge of commercial displays, direct-view LED, projection, audio, signal distribution, control systems, networking, and media playback.
  • Experience producing and reviewing system diagrams, equipment lists, infrastructure requirements, and technical documentation.
  • Experience working within construction projects and coordinating with architects, contractors, client IT, and integration partners.
  • Strong estimating, vendor evaluation, and equipment specification skills.
  • Hands-on ability to diagnose and resolve system-level problems in the field.
  • Clear communication with clients, creative teams, developers, and construction partners.
  • Willingness to travel for site surveys, installation milestones, commissioning, and launches.

Particularly valuable experience

  • Executive briefing centers, innovation centers, museums, visitor attractions, or other permanent experiential environments.
  • Systems combining custom interactive software with commercial AV hardware.
  • Direct-view LED system design and installation.
  • Q-SYS, Crestron, Extron, Dante, BrightSign, media-server platforms, or comparable technologies.
  • CTS-D, CTS-I, CTS, or comparable credentials.
  • Construction-document workflows and Division 27/28 specifications.
  • Managing outside integration firms while retaining technical accountability.

What success looks like

During your first year, you’ll establish consistent AV engineering and commissioning standards, improve estimating and procurement accuracy, and bring infrastructure requirements into the design process earlier. Project teams will have clearer technical direction, stronger construction coordination, and a dependable process for testing and handing over completed installations.

How you’ll work

This position is based in Chicago with a hybrid work structure. You’ll collaborate closely with Built Environments leadership, producers and project managers, creative teams, software developers, purchasing, and client partners.

Travel follows project schedules, particularly for site surveys, installation, commissioning, and launches.

Benefits

NEXT/NOW offers:

  • Medical, dental, and vision plans.
  • A 401(k) retirement plan.
  • Short-term and long-term disability and life insurance.
  • Flexible PTO and Holiday pay
  • Access to industry events, emerging technology tools, and continued learning opportunities.

How to apply

Submit your resume and a brief description of two permanent AV installations you helped deliver. For each, describe the system, your personal responsibilities, and your involvement in design, installation, and commissioning. Links to relevant work or redacted project examples are welcome.

Apply