[Hiring] Product Specialist & Trainer @ACT Lighting Inc

Role Description

This hybrid role supports ACT’s Video Division, tvONE and Green Hippo (Hippotizer), across three connected functions:

• Product training and enablement
• Customer-facing technical support and field specialist work
• Junior-level software development within the Hippotizer engineering team

The Product Specialist & Trainer serves as a North American subject-matter expert for ACT Video products while building engineering fluency in the Hippotizer codebase.

The role requires someone who can productively context-switch between focused engineering work and highly responsive, customer-facing engagements, a demanding combination that calls for strong self-management, technical depth, and communication range.

Because the development work can only happen during non-travel periods, candidates should be comfortable working in concentrated blocks rather than even daily rhythms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, a related technical discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Demonstrated software development experience. C++ strongly preferred; strong development fundamentals in adjacent languages combined with clear aptitude and willingness to ramp on C++ will be considered.
• Familiarity with version control (Git) and standard software development workflows.
• Professional AV, media server, video processing, or live event technology experience preferred.
• Experience as a theatrical or live production technician strongly preferred; hands-on familiarity with the rig environment where ACT Video products actually live.
• Working knowledge of lighting consoles, automated lighting systems, and DMX/sACN control protocols.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and public speaking skills.
• Must be able to credibly train both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated customer-facing or technical sales support experience.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills, with particular ability to manage context-switching between focused engineering work and responsive field engagements.
• Ability to travel approximately 50% of the time, domestically and occasionally internationally.
• Proficiency with common software tools, including the MS Office suite.
• CTS certification preferred; ability to obtain within first year of employment required.

Requirements

• Training & Enablement (~30%):
  • Develops and delivers product training for tvONE and Green Hippo (Hippotizer), both in-person workshops and virtual sessions, tailored for internal sales teams, dealers, integrators, and end customers.
  • Builds training content, including presentations, manuals, videos, and hands-on exercises.
  • Partners with sales leadership to facilitate onboarding for new sales team hires across ACT Video brands.
  • Administers ACT’s in-house CTS certification course.
  • Collaborates with product development, sales, and marketing teams to ensure training materials align with the product roadmap and customer needs.
• Product Specialist & Field Support (~30%):
  • Serves as the North American technical subject matter expert for ACT Video products, including tvONE and Green Hippo (Hippotizer).
  • Provides key project support - on-site commissioning, programming, and troubleshooting – for strategic customers and flagship installations.
  • Delivers technical pre-sales assistance, system design support, and configuration guidance to regional sales managers and dealer partners.
  • Oversees pre-sales product inquiries and partners with Sales to produce accurate system configurations and quotes.
  • Represents ACT Video at tradeshows (including InfoComm), dealer events, and partner demonstrations.
  • Offers technical support and post-training guidance to reinforce learning and resolve customer issues.
• Hippotizer Software Development (~40%):
  • Under the guidance of the Hippotizer Product Manager and development team, learns the Hippotizer codebase and contributes to feature development, bug fixes, and sprint deliverables.
  • Participates in sprint planning, code review, and ongoing technical discussions with the Hippotizer engineering team.
  • Builds first-hand engineering knowledge of Hippotizer internals to inform field support and training with accuracy and depth.
  • Contributes to internal documentation, test coverage, and developer-facing materials as assigned.
  • Acts as a feedback channel from the field back into the engineering team, surfacing real-world issues and customer-driven feature needs.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Occasionally required to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Required to sit, stand, and walk — including extended periods at a workstation for software development work.
• Continually required to utilize hand and finger dexterity.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision; distance vision; color vision; peripheral vision; and ability to adjust focus.

Company Description

Company values include:

• Deliver Legendary Service
• Always Demonstrate Integrity
• Practice Blameless Problem-Solving
• Contribute to Profit
• Honor Commitments
• Embrace Change and Growth
• Be Positive
• Keep Things Fun