Vice President, Rides and Technical Services

Description

Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is a 365-entertainment destination for world-class events located in Austin, TX. The sports and entertainment portfolio at COTA is unmatched in the country with Formula 1 US Grand Prix, NASCAR and MotoGP attracting global fans during championship races on the famed Circuit and Live Nation producing over 30 headline concerts every year at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. COTALAND is an amusement park with over 30 attractions and experiences, including first-of-their-kind roller coasters.

Requirements

The Vice President, Rides and Technical Services leads the department responsible for the safe operation, maintenance, and technical integrity of all rides and attractions across the park, while serving as the park's senior authority on ride systems, regulatory compliance, and asset management. This leader is responsible for building a technical culture grounded in safety, service, and accountability, where the team understands that ride readiness and show quality are foundational to the guest experience.

Essential Functions

• Establish and maintain ride inspection programs at all required intervals. Ensure compliance with applicable industry standards, state regulatory requirements, and manufacturer specifications across all rides and attractions. Serve as the park's primary liaison with state regulators and third-party inspectors.
• Direct preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs across all ride mechanical, electrical, control, and themed element systems. Drive ride availability and show quality as primary operational metrics.
• Lead and develop the rides and technical services organization across mechanical, electrical, controls, and show/effects disciplines. Build team capability through strategic workforce planning, talent development, and industry certification programs.
• Oversee asset lifecycle management including ride condition assessment, component tracking, non-destructive testing programs, and end-of-life planning.
• Manage operating and capital budgets for the department. Lead capital projects for major rehabilitations and engineering modifications. Maintain relationships with ride manufacturers for technical support, warranty, and spare parts procurement.
• Lead ride-related incident investigations and reporting. Develop and maintain ride evacuation procedures and emergency response protocols for the department.
• Partner across park leadership on ride capacity and throughput optimization, guest experience standards, regulatory and compliance matters, and incident response coordination.
• Contribute to long-range strategic planning with senior and creative leadership for new attraction development, park expansion, and capital investment priorities. Lead new ride installations from procurement through commissioning.

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep technical knowledge of ride mechanical systems, electrical systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, ride control systems, and programmable logic controllers.
• Strong understanding of asset lifecycle management principles including condition assessment, non-destructive testing programs, and end-of-life planning for ride systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects from scope through commissioning, including manufacturer coordination, contractor oversight, and schedule management.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information to non-technical leadership and partner effectively across park operations.

 Required Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in ride maintenance, technical services, or engineering within the theme park, attractions, or amusement industry.
• Minimum 7 years in a management or senior leadership role with direct responsibility for a multi-discipline technical team.
• Current industry-recognized ride safety and inspection certifications.
• Demonstrated experience managing departmental operating and capital budgets in a ride maintenance or technical services environment.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule including weekends, holidays, and peak operating periods, and to respond to after-hours ride emergencies.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, or a related technical field.
• Experience building ride maintenance operations for a new park or major expansion, including developing baseline maintenance programs, assembling technical teams, and transitioning rides from commissioning into ongoing operations.
• Experience managing vendor and manufacturer relationships for major ride systems from multiple OEMs.
• Experience developing internal technician training programs, apprenticeships, or trade development pipelines, including partnerships with vocational schools, community colleges, or technical training institutions.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, up to 10 hours per day.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to climb ride structures, work at height, and access confined spaces as needed for inspections and oversight.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Work environment includes a theme park setting with exposure to noise, crowds, weather, and proximity to mechanical and electrical systems.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

COTA strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state and federal law.