Exhibition Fabrication Jobs in Rio Rancho, NM (NOW HIRING)

The Position
Ideum is seeking a skilled and dedicated Fabrication Floor Manager to lead daily operations in our fabrication shop. This full-time, on-site role is essential to maintaining an efficient, clean, and safe facility while ensuring project schedules are met and quality standards upheld. The Floor Manager works under the direction of the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) and collaborates closely with exhibit designers, producers, technicians, industrial designers, and fabricators to manage workflows, review production readiness, and support the successful execution of one-of-a-kind exhibit components. In addition, the Fabrication Floor Manager would help streamline the production of two touch table products that are produced in small batches. Our exhibit and touch table clients are world-famous museums, zoos, aquariums, and Fortune 500 companies located around the world.
This position does not regularly create fabrication drawings. Instead, it focuses on reviewing, interpreting, and marking up them, coordinating shop activities, and ensuring that both traditional and digital fabrication tools are operational and ready for use. The ideal candidate is an experienced fabricator with a deep understanding of both analog and digital fabrication methods, and who thrives in a leadership role on the shop floor. This in-person position is at Ideum's studios in scenic Corrales, New Mexico (near Albuquerque and an hour from Santa Fe).
Key Responsibilities
Shop Management and Scheduling

• Manage daily scheduling of fabrication work based on project priorities and deadlines.
• Monitor progress and proactively adjust workflows to meet production milestones.
• Maintain clear and regular communication with producers and design leads about project needs, shop capacity, and scheduling constraints.
• Ensure all work aligns with the project scope, fabrication drawings, and quality expectations.

Facility and Equipment Oversight

• Maintain all fabrication shop equipment, including traditional woodworking tools, CNC machines, laser cutters, and hand tools.
• Ensure the shop is clean, safe, and organized at all times.
• Schedule preventative maintenance and repairs, and track tool usage and condition.
• Support safety protocols and enforce safe working practices among all staff and collaborators.

Quality Control and Documentation

• Review and interpret production drawings for completeness and constructability.
• Identify fabrication concerns early and work with designers to resolve challenges before production.
• Ensure adherence to ADA, client, and museum-grade quality standards.
• Coordinate with shipping and installation teams to support packing and readiness of finished items.

Team Leadership and Support

• Provide daily leadership on the shop floor, acting as the primary point of contact for fabrication staff during active builds.
• Mentor junior and mid-level fabricators, sharing best practices in tool use, material selection, and fabrication methods.
• Support training in both traditional and digital fabrication techniques.
• Encourage a culture of precision, problem-solving, and accountability.

What You Bring

• Minimum of 5 years' hands-on experience in fabrication, including both traditional shop practices and digital fabrication (CNC, laser cutting, etc.)
• Strong familiarity with a range of materials, including wood, plastics, and metals
• Excellent working knowledge of shop tools and safety protocols
• Demonstrated experience managing people and coordinating complex build schedules
• Ability to read and interpret CAD files and fabrication drawings
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across teams
• Self-motivated and organized, with the ability to manage shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment

Bonus Points For

• Experience in museum exhibit fabrication or custom fabrication for public environments
• Knowledge of CAD for drafting and tool paths
• Familiarity with basic AV integration or mechanical systems
• OSHA certification or safety training credentials

About Ideum
We are a multidisciplinary experience design firm that focuses on using emerging technologies in creative and unexpected ways. We create visitor-centric exhibits that evoke wonder, awe, and surprise, but that also tell important stories about science, art, history, and culture that have a lasting impact. We work with museums, educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, and other entities throughout North America and around the world. Our firm provides design services, custom software development, media systems design and installation, and custom fabrication.
Our multitouch tables and touch displays are practical implementations of recent advances in multiple areas of emerging technology. Our hardware products are designed for use in social environments where they encourage interaction and collaboration. We take pride in what we design and build, and we focus on reliability and performance to create products that last. We've been a leader in touch table development for nearly 15 years.
We are located in scenic Corrales, New Mexico (near Albuquerque and an hour from Santa Fe). Please visit our portfolio and product website to learn more about us: http://www.ideum.com.
Benefits and Incentives
Compensation between $65,000 - $75,000, depending on experience
Equal Opportunity & Eligibility
Ideum, Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. This application will not be used for limiting or excluding any applicant from consideration for employment on a basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. Should an applicant need reasonable accommodations in the application process, they should contact a company representative.
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
How to Apply
Please include a resume, cover letter, and any relevant work examples.
No phone calls or walk-ins, please. NOTE: *Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.