Lighting Design Lead

Role Purpose

The Lighting Design Lead will own the development and stewardship of Neko Health’s global lighting design standards — shaping how lighting supports the member experience, clinical function, and architectural identity across every Neko location worldwide. Working within the Architecture Creative Leads team, this role sits at the intersection of lighting design, spatial experience, and product development.

Your primary focus is establishing a scalable, globally consistent lighting strategy that defines how every Neko space feels the moment someone walks in. You will develop lighting standards for the Location Design Playbook, drive lighting innovation for next-generation scanning environments and clinic typologies and provide concept-level creative guidance to regional design teams delivering projects globally.

This role reports to the Architecture Creative Studio Lead and partners closely with the Architecture Design Studio Leads for the US and Europe, the Industrial Design Lead, and cross-functional teams in Arts and Graphics, Hardware, Medical Excellence, and Operations.

What You’ll Deliver in the First 6–12 Months

• A comprehensive global lighting design standard is documented in the Location Design Playbook, covering all key clinic zones (scan rooms, consultation areas, waiting areas, circulation, and back-of-house) ready for regional teams to implement consistently.
• Concept-level lighting guidance on at least two active regional projects, ensuring alignment with Neko’s design direction and experience principles while respecting local conditions.
• Become a brand guardian for the lighting strategy, supporting Architecture Design Leads in the review and feedback of consultant documentation.
• Established strong relationships with key cross-functional partners (i.e. Hardware, Software, Medical Excellence, Operations, and external lighting consultants) so that lighting decisions are informed, collaborative, and technically sound.

Minimum Requirements

• Degree in Lighting Design, Architecture, Interior Design, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in architectural lighting design, with a portfolio demonstrating layered, human-centred lighting across a range of project types.
• Demonstrated experience developing lighting standards, guidelines, or playbooks for a multi-site, global or scaling organisation.
• Deep understanding of lighting technology i.e. LED systems, controls and integration with building management systems.
• Experience collaborating with architects, interior designers, and engineering teams to integrate lighting seamlessly into spatial design.
• Proficiency in lighting design software (e.g., DIALux, Relux, AGi32) and familiarity with rendering tools for visualizing lighting concepts.
• Strong understanding of relevant lighting standards and codes (e.g., EN 12464, WELL Building Standard lighting criteria, healthcare-specific requirements).
• Excellent communication skills — able to articulate lighting intent to both creative and technical audiences, and comfortable presenting to leadership.
• Comfort operating in a fast-growing, scaling environment where standards are still being built and processes are evolving.
• Alignment with Neko’s studio culture: enablers not heroes, creative problem solvers, craft-driven.

Preferred

• Familiarity with lighting for branded retail, hospitality, or experiential environments at scale.
• Experience in developing interactive lighting solutions.
• Experience specifying and procuring lighting products for multi-site rollout, including vendor management and cost optimization.
• Knowledge of sustainability considerations in lighting — energy efficiency, lifecycle costs, and circular design principles.