Broadcast Engineer - Athletics

The Department of Athletics at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Broadcast Engineer.

About the Opportunity

This position provides comprehensive, advanced level Engineering leadership, along with technical leadership for ESPN contracted live athletic event broadcasts, press conferences, and live videoboard productions. Responsible for the critical maintenance of all NDI, Dante, and fiber networks and equipment associated with video productions and leads committees to explore purchasing of equipment and advisement for infrastructure projects. Leader of Research Committees not only for this department, but also other departments throughout Athletics.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
  
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
  
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
  
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
  
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
  
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
  
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Engineering: Primary Authority related to creating and maintaining signal flow and distribution for multi-million dollar broadcast and non-broadcast projects. Oversee the maintainance and repair all broadcast equipment for WVU Athletics Video. Work with Productions Manager to indicated needs and address them. Supervise production crews ranging between 5 and 25 on a daily basis to direct care and use of equipment. Leader of Research Committes to keep up with current broadcast engineering techniques, modes, and technology and provide reports and recommendations to administration.
• Live Event Support: Serve in Leadership role to rovide a broad range of technical support for daily operations, studio, field, and event productions. Some examples may include pre-recorded or ‘live’ studio productions; live, captioned, on-location, multi-camera broadcasts, nationally streamed press conferences, and live in-game entertainment venues for WVU Athletics.
• Video Networks over NDI, Dante, SMPTE, Multimode Fiber, and any future data/ media carriers: Primary Manager of this area of responsible for maintaining all digital audio and video transported over the above carriers and maintaining all network switches for distribution of signals to broadcast switchers, replay devices, cameras, videoboards, broadcast encoders, and any other necessary signal flow and routing of images, sound, and data.
• Oversite, care, and repair of all broadcast and non-broadcast equipment: Oversee the download, install, and trouble-shoot licensed computer software that is related to the broadcast, display, video and multimedia production industry such as: Ross Dashboard, Xpression Graphics, NDI facility data transport, Dantes Audio using svelte Cat 5e, Wired and wireless network Adobe Premiere, After-Effects, Encoder, Audition, and Photoshop. Oversee multi-million-dollar mobile TV production truck and two digital control rooms.
• Technical Procedures: Responsible for addressing hardware, software, procedural and other technical issues and concerns that are raised by Engineering and Production staff as well as guest users of the Broadcast TV truck, non-linear editing systems and production related equipment. Responsible for staff training and development on use of new software, new and/or unique procedures, implementing hardware modifications, software upgrades, patches and system programming to facilitate solutions to complex problems.
• Equipment Inventory: Leadership in developing and maintaining detailed records and documentation, including: maintenance/error/repair records, development/implementation/performance standards and schedules, system cost estimates and analysis, equipment and software maintenance contracts, etc. Prepares technical documentation.
• ESPN Network Quality Control: Directs all Producers, Directors, AP’s, AD’s, and announcers to ensure continuity of product and adherence to compliance to ESPN policies.
• Crewing and Assisting: Assists other producers and staff members on projects that support the needs of the Athletic Department. These duties often fall outside of regular working hours on evenings and weekends.
• Leadership, Training and Development: Participates in staff training and development opportunities to research new broadcast techniques and equipment. Provides leadership and sets examples for Student Workers and other staff members within the department.
• Other Duties as Assigned: Includes but not limited to; assisting with digital media staff, giving tours to perspective student-athletes or prospective students in communications, purchasing equipment, serving on committees, archiving digital files, completing individual activity reports and working with Engineering staff to ensure equipment is maintained and in good working order. May also include researching equipment, working on special projects for the Assistant Athletic Director, delivery or pick up of supplies, materials, - or other production elements. Other duties as assigned or deemed necessary to provide quality live video production services to the Athletic Department and our fans, donors, and alumni.

• Bachelor’s degree in digital media, television production, communication arts or related occupational field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience involving:
  • Leadership and ethical experience that could be gained by working in a television, radio, multimedia, or video production environment
  • Computer Management – hardware and software troubleshooting procedures, for desktop support
  • The preferred candidate will have a blend of experience utilizing live and pre-recorded techniques.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge of sophisticated aspects of video production techniques, aesthetics, and theory.
• Knowledge of basic and advanced principles as they relate to live and recorded program production.
• Operational knowledge of computers and/or computer-based video editing and graphic systems.
• Knowledge of various sports, the rules for play, and an understanding of basic strategies for those sports.
• Knowledge of broadcast-quality level of equipment.
• Knowledge of FCC laws for wireless frequencies and broadcast transmission.
• Knowledge of maintaining and repairing video and audio equipment.
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to interact with technical staff, managers, and end-users.
• Ability to prepare technical documentation and justify approach used, resolve complex issues, explain and/or train staff on technical features of an application or process, and the ability to express technical information to non- technical users.
• Ability to work and communicate in challenging situations.
• Thorough knowledge and experience with technology integration and system development methodology.
• Knowledge of the steps and their logical progression required to design and build a communications network employing multiple state-of-the-art communications technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to reason logically and analyze and solve problems. Ability to define procedural problems, collect and evaluate data, draw valid conclusions and project consequences of various alternative recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize as needed.
• Demonstrated ability to take direction from peers, if directed, for the purpose of a project.
• Initiative and motivation to request, accept, and complete tasks as required.
• Demonstrated experience of delivering quality, user accepted, completed task(s) on time.

SKILLS

• Demonstrated experience in Leadership in a recognized broadcast environment.
• Demonstrated experience crewing and organizing a broadcast.
• Demonstrated experience in video and digital signal flow.
• Demonstrated skills in Producing and Directing live broadcasts
• Demonstrated skills using current broadcast techniques.
• Oral and written communication skills, including strong interpersonal skills.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Effective time management skills.

ABILITIES

• Manage and monitor network devices and processes such as switches, web servers, SQL servers, wireless access points, firewall, proxy server, web filtering, spam filtering, virus protection, email filtering, DNS/DHCP services and port configuring.
• Ability to Lead configuration, operation, and troubleshooting and repair equipment used in a professional video production and broadcast facility. Including video production switchers, analog and serial digital routing switchers, frame synchronizers, digital to analog converters, analog to digital converters, video and audio distribution amplifiers, video camera, camera control units, waveform monitors, vectorscopes, closed caption equipment, computer based lighting controllers, audio mixers, phone hybrids, intercom systems, audio and video patch panels, LCD display devices, character generators, Beta SP, DVC Pro, DVR, DVD and VHS video player/recorders, video projectors, video servers and non-linear editing systems.
• Ability to install and terminate cables including BNC, XLR, RCA, ¼-inch Stereo/Mono, 1/8-inch Stereo/Mono, RJ45.
• Knowledge of design, installation and implementation of infrastructure and equipment used in high bandwidth data networking, digital media storage on large scale servers, media asset management software.
• Working knowledge in configuring routers and switches and managing network traffic
• Working knowledge of networking equipment including switches, routers, servers and patch bays.
• Working knowledge of software including Windows 10, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, 2003 server, SQL server, anti-virus applications, network management/monitoring software, network firewall software, Visual Basic, Visual C+, Java Script, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Macromedia Flash, AMX Access.
• Knowledge of media formats and signal distribution in a television, radio, or multimedia environment. Familiar with major digital video, audio and graphic formats, file types and technology. Streaming video, H.264, VGA, DVI, SDI, WMV, MFX, MP4, MOV, AVI, WAV, WMA, MP3, JPG, TIF, BMP, GIF
• Familiar with commonly used video and audio codecs- and digital compression of video and audio.
• Knowledge of the fundamental hardware and software that is typically-associated with a media production environment such as: video cameras, computer-based video production systems, sound mixers, microphones, videotape recorders.
  Loading, transport, and set-up / tear-down of broadcast video production gear; computer-based video production systems; and sound mixing / distribution gear.
• Ability to work additional hours and/or a flexible schedule as needed; such as evenings, early mornings or weekends to accommodate client schedules, events or to alleviate the demand on equipment.
• Ability to carry 50 pounds.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status. West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.