1st Assistant Engineer Jobs
1st Assistant Engineer jobs are open across film and television production, commercial advertising, and streaming, covering specializations in lighting, camera operations, and on-set electrical, from entry-level to senior crew positions. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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About Us:
Huntsville Hospital is the region’s primary referral center for advanced and specialty care, home to a specialized Orthopedic & Spine Tower, a Level III Regional Neonatal ICU and North Alabama’s Level I Trauma Center. Together, our three Madison County hospitals have 971 licensed beds and offer career opportunities across a wide range of specialties and care settings.
Employees have access to continuing education, Shared Governance, Clinical Ladder, Nurse Residency, tuition assistance, child care, wellness resources, an on-site employee pharmacy and health clinic, and more. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and a partner in the U.S. Army Partnership for Your Success (PaYS) Program.
Huntsville Hospital Benefits:
Learn more about Huntsville Hospital Health System:
- Careers: https://careers.hhsys.org/careers-home
- Benefits: https://careers.hhsys.org/why-hh-health/benefits/benefits-at-huntsville-hospital/
- Education & Professional Development: https://www.huntsvillehospital.org/education
- Life In Huntsville: https://www.huntsvillehospital.org/about-huntsville-al
1st Assistant Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
See All 135+ 1st Assistant Engineer Jobs
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Find 1st Assistant Engineer Jobs1st Assistant Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Huntsville Hospital Health System32

- State of Florida6

- North Shore Health6

- Penn Medicine3

- Crothall Healthcare3

What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in 1st assistant engineer jobs.
- Minimum two years of on-set experience as a 2nd or 1st assistant in film or television production
- Demonstrated proficiency with professional camera systems such as ARRI, RED, or Sony cinema cameras
- Knowledge of electrical distribution, power management, and on-set lighting setups
- IATSE union membership or eligibility preferred for studio and network productions
- Ability to read and execute shot lists, call sheets, and production schedules accurately
- Strong communication and coordination skills for working across camera, grip, and electric departments
Tips for Your 1st Assistant Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to production scale
List the budget tier and format of each project you've crewed, not just the title. Hiring producers on union and non-union sets weigh your experience differently depending on whether you've worked on features, episodic television, or commercials.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists 1st assistant engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight your union status clearly
Whether you're IATSE-affiliated or non-union, state it prominently. Many postings are written for one or the other, and an ambiguous resume gets filtered out before anyone reads your credits. Put it near the top of your header.
Match your gear list to the posting
Productions list specific equipment packages in their breakdowns. Cross-reference the camera, lighting, or electrical systems named in the job posting with your credits and lead your skills section with exact matches rather than a generic gear rundown.
Prepare for a technical walkthrough in interviews
Expect to talk through how you'd troubleshoot a specific on-set problem, not just describe past jobs. DPs and production managers often ask scenario questions about managing power loads, responding to equipment failures, or coordinating with other departments under time pressure.
Follow up with a production-specific note
Reference the specific project type or equipment in your follow-up message. A note that shows you read the breakdown carefully stands out more than a generic thank-you, especially when a production is staffing quickly before a shoot date.
1st Assistant Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most 1st assistant engineers?
The companies hiring the most 1st assistant engineers right now include Huntsville Hospital Health System, State of Florida, and North Shore Health, with the largest share of openings in Alabama, Wisconsin, and Florida, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Production volume in streaming and episodic television drives the majority of active postings.
How many 1st assistant engineer jobs are remote?
About 9% of 1st assistant engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most production roles. The sub-areas with the highest remote share tend to be post-production support, equipment coordination, and technical consulting work rather than active on-set crew positions.
How do you become a 1st assistant engineer?
Most 1st assistant engineers start as production assistants or 2nd assistants and build up credits across multiple projects before advancing. You develop hands-on skills with professional camera and electrical systems, learn set etiquette and department communication, and often seek union membership once you've accumulated qualifying hours in your local market.
Can you get hired as a 1st assistant engineer with little experience?
Entry-level candidates typically break in by taking lower-tier crew positions on student films, independent projects, or commercial sets where the budgets are smaller and crews are lean. Building a detailed credit list, even from low-budget work, and demonstrating fluency with the equipment packages commonly used in your local market helps you compete for first assistant roles sooner.
What does the 1st assistant engineer interview process look like?
The process usually starts with a conversation about your production credits and the specific equipment or systems you've worked with. It often moves into scenario questions where you're asked how you'd handle on-set technical problems or department coordination challenges. For union productions, your roster standing and availability for the specific shoot schedule are confirmed before an offer is made.
Where can I find and apply to 1st assistant engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to 1st assistant engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your experience and equipment background, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 135+ 1st Assistant Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find 1st Assistant Engineer Jobs