📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Creative Tech Lead
🔹 Company: Random Studio
🔹 Location: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
🔹 Job Type: On-site, Full-time
🔹 Category: Design Services
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-10
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Creative technical direction for dynamic spatial experiences
- Architecting robust interactive systems for high volume activations and long-term deployments
- Hands-on development of prototypes for clients and partners
- Research and development of emerging technologies
- Running quarterly knowledge-sharing sessions and dynamic demos
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of technical expertise and creativity, with a focus on delivering innovative solutions for clients.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Translate brand narratives into dynamic spatial experiences for client projects
✅ Architect robust interactive systems using sensors, micro-controllers, show-control, and cloud hosting
✅ Develop prototypes for clients and partners using various programming languages and tools
✅ Research, spec, select, and cost hardware solutions
✅ Own technical budgets, vendor selection, risk logs, and technical project management
✅ Inspire an internal multi-disciplinary team and contribute to internal brainstorms
✅ Build and orchestrate a freelance community of creative coders and hardware engineers
✅ Identify a diverse array of technology for strategic R&D and steer a research program and budget
✅ Champion Random’s tech vision to the outside world through publishing and speaking events
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team and requires strong communication skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Not specified
Experience: 8-12 years of experience delivering physical-digital experiences at agencies, museums, luxury retail, or scale-ups
Required Skills:
- Proven track record delivering physical-digital experiences
- Relevant experience creating creative interactive applications
- Experience creating experiences that utilize machine learning
- Confidence with hardware orchestration: DMX, OSC, MIDI, PoE, LoRa
- Experience with a variety of audiovisual tech, including light control, projectors, video, and sound
- Experience with sensor inputs, including actuators, proximity sensors, cameras, and computer vision based tracking systems
- Solid understanding of networking and IT
- Skilled in C++ (especially using OpenFrameworks and/or Cinder), or equivalent
- Web development experience, especially frontend technologies, including WebGL/WebGPU, WebAudio, etc.
- Experience programming and interfacing with microcontrollers (e.g. Arduino, Teensy, ESP32)
- Proficiency in English
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with other toolsets (TouchDesigner, VVVV, MaxMSP)
- Experience with 3D printing
- Experience with technical fixture design
- Experience with visualization using Cinema 4D or similar
- Cross-platform experience (Linux/MacOS/Windows)
- Full-stack web development skills
ASSUMPTION: The required skills listed are essential for success in this role, and the preferred skills would be beneficial but not required.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: €60,000 - €80,000 per year (based on industry standards for a senior role in Amsterdam)
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Retirement plan
- Paid time off
- Flexible work arrangements
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is estimated based on industry standards for a senior role in Amsterdam, and benefits may vary based on the company's standard offerings.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Random Studio operates in the design services industry, focusing on experience design and spatial concepts.
Company Size: Random Studio has 11-50 employees, which means the company is small to mid-sized, offering a close-knit work environment with opportunities for growth and impact.
Founded: 2005, Random Studio has been in the industry for nearly two decades, providing ample experience and stability.
Company Description:
- Random Studio is an experience design studio and Certified B Corporation® based in Amsterdam and Paris
- The company explores how technology can be integrated into the very foundations of a space, engaging users to explore, play, and wonder
- Random Studio's holistic, research-led approach can be applied to products, experiences, and platforms where spatial and digital design are integrated
Company Specialties:
- Experiential Installations
- Retail Concepts
- Prototypes
- Product/Platform Development
- Digital Products
- Retail Experiences
- Visual Design
- Omnichannel
- Spatial Concepts
- Digital Partnership
- Interior Architecture
Company Website: http://www.random.studio
ASSUMPTION: Random Studio's focus on experience design and spatial concepts sets it apart in the industry, offering unique opportunities for creative and technical professionals.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior, Creative Tech Lead
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the founders and works closely with a multi-disciplinary team of strategists, architects, and experience designers
Work Arrangement: On-site, full-time, with occasional 12-hour install days and rapid context-switching
Growth Opportunities:
- Defining tools, standards, and driving tech culture at the studio
- Potential to grow into a leadership role within the technical department
- Opportunities to work on diverse projects and expand skillset
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to make a substantial impact on the company's technical direction.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Creative and collaborative office space in Amsterdam
Office Location(s): Gillis van Ledenberchstraat 112, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Geographic Context:
- Amsterdam is a vibrant, multicultural city with a thriving design and tech industry
- The office is located in the east part of Amsterdam, close to public transportation and various amenities
- The Netherlands is known for its work-life balance, progressive policies, and high quality of life
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, with occasional 12-hour install days or rapid context-switching
ASSUMPTION: The office environment at Random Studio is collaborative and creative, with a strong focus on teamwork and innovation.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application review
- Phone or video screen with the HR manager
- On-site interview with the founders and relevant team members
- Final decision and offer
Key Assessment Areas:
- Technical skills and experience
- Creativity and problem-solving abilities
- Communication and collaboration skills
- Alignment with company values and culture
Application Tips:
- Highlight relevant experience and projects that demonstrate your technical skills and creativity
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your fit for this role
- Prepare examples of your work that showcase your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities
ATS Keywords: Creative Technical Direction, Interactive Systems Architecture, Prototype Development, Technical Project Management, Hardware Orchestration, Audiovisual Technology, Sensor Inputs, Networking and IT, C++ Programming, Web Development, Microcontroller Programming, Technical Systems Maintenance, Team Inspiration, Research and Development, Public Advocacy, Knowledge Sharing
ASSUMPTION: Random Studio's interview process is designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit, with a focus on finding the best candidate for the role.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- OpenFrameworks and/or Cinder
- WebGL/WebGPU, WebAudio
- Arduino, Teensy, ESP32
- TouchDesigner, VVVV, MaxMSP (bonus)
- Cinema 4D or similar (bonus)
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in various programming languages and tools, with a focus on C++ and web development.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Creativity and innovation
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Sustainability and social responsibility
- Continuous learning and growth
Work Style:
- Creative and experimental
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Flexible and adaptable
- Results-driven and proactive
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in a creative and experimental work environment?
- Are you comfortable working in a small, close-knit team with a flat hierarchy?
- Do you have a strong sense of agency and enjoy defining your own roadmap?
- Are you comfortable with occasional 12-hour install days or rapid context-switching?
ASSUMPTION: Random Studio's culture values creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning, with a strong emphasis on teamwork and innovation.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Occasional long hours or rapid context-switching
- Working with a diverse range of technologies and tools
- Managing technical budgets, vendor selection, and risk logs
- Balancing internal team management with hands-on project work
- Keeping up with emerging technologies and industry trends
ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges that require strong technical skills, adaptability, and a high degree of organization.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Creative Tech Lead at Random Studio differs from related positions in its focus on experience design and spatial concepts, with a strong emphasis on creativity and innovation
- Industry-specific context: The design services industry is competitive and fast-paced, with a strong focus on delivering high-quality, innovative solutions for clients
- Career path comparison: This role offers significant growth opportunities, with the potential to grow into a leadership role within the technical department
ASSUMPTION: Random Studio's Creative Tech Lead role is unique in its focus on experience design and spatial concepts, offering a challenging and rewarding opportunity for the right candidate.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing an interactive light installation for a luxury retail client
- Creating a machine learning-driven experience for a museum exhibit
- Designing and implementing a sensor-based tracking system for an experiential marketing campaign
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the diverse range of work that a Creative Tech Lead at Random Studio might be involved in, showcasing the role's focus on creativity, innovation, and technical expertise.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the team structure and how this role fits within it?
- How does Random Studio support the professional development and growth of its employees?
- What is the company's approach to work-life balance, and how does this role fit into that?
- What are the most challenging aspects of this role, and how can I best prepare for them?
- How does Random Studio foster a culture of innovation and creativity?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions are designed to help applicants better understand the role, the company, and the work environment, ensuring a strong fit for both parties.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills
- Prepare examples of your work that showcase your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities
- Follow up with the HR manager one week after submission to inquire about the status of your application
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
