Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 50'000 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 45'000 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 52'000 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 37'500 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 40'200 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 32'143 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsCulture & Media
Theatermaschinist/in
You steer stage machinery and ensure safe scene changes.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
Theatermaschinist/in operate complex stage equipment, move scenery, and ensure top safety during performances.
Behind the curtains, you control the perfect flow. As a Theatermaschinist/in, you operate heavy stage wagons, turntables, and trapdoors with a single button press. Your precise work transforms empty spaces into lively stages. You are responsible for the safety of everyone involved and turn the director's creative ideas into technical reality.
FieldCulture & Media
Education pathSpecialisation / Professional Function
IndustryEvent Technology, Stagecraft & Film
Swissdoc 0.825.25.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Theaterschauspielerin. Based on 20 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
-11% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 52'000 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 37'950 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 29'000 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 46'507 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism / Travel / Recreation | CHF 50'400 | 5 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Theatermaschinist/in
Official education path
You enter the field through related technical initial training and practical experience in stagecraft.
Typical training path
Theatermaschinist/in
Prerequisites
- berufliche Grundbildung als Polymechaniker, Automatikerin, Elektromonteur, Metallbauerin o.ä.
- Experience in stagecraft or stage technology
- Thorough knowledge of mechanical engineering
- Experience with computer-controlled systems
- Knowledge of crane and lifting technology
Requirements
- Accuracy
- Nerve strength
- Sense of responsibility
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Technical understanding
- Precision and care
- Nerve strength and calmness
- Sense of responsibility
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand at the control console and watch the scenery positions on multiple screens. With targeted button presses, you move heavy platforms while the lights set the mood.
- You operate and maintain complex stage machinery with a single button press.
- You move heavy set pieces and safely lift stage platforms.
- You control revolving stages and trap mechanisms for dramatic scene changes.
- You carry people on stage in case of an emergency.
- You translate the director's instructions into technical action with precision.
- You monitor the equipment to avoid unnecessary risks during the show.
Working conditions
You work in theatres, opera houses, concert halls, or on touring stages. Your workplace is the technical stage, the control booth, and the area around the scenery.
Where to learn
- Schweizer Verband Technischer Bühnen- und Veranstaltungsberufe svtbRäffelstrasse 20, 8045 Zürich
Strengths
- Technical understanding
- Precision and care
- Nerve strength and calmness
- Sense of responsibility
Trade-offs
- Shift and evening work
- Physical strain
- High responsibility
- Changing work locations
06 · Similar
