Media Engineer II

This is a Full Time Job


A Media Engineer is responsible for all elements within our Production Control Room (PCR) ecosystem. Our PCR systems include:
• Production Video Switchers
• Audio Mixing Consoles
• VizRT graphic engines
• GV (Quantel) Q-Play and Q-Record video clip management
• Riedel and RTS Intercom panels
• Evertz and Miranda Das
• Everts MVP and VIP2 monitor wall systems
• Brainstorm Virtual Studio Systems

The successful candidate must be able to troubleshoot complex production issues, maintain system availability for production needs, and effectively communicate issues and resolutions. Air Critical Issues can occur with little or no warning and the optimum candidate will thrive in a team-oriented engineering environment designed to foster success. The position involves shift work and may include nights and weekend availability.

Responsibilities:

• Work as a member of ESPN Technology team and the division's Media Engineering & Operations team to implement state of the art production control rooms and distribution systems at our headquarters in Bristol Connecticut.
• Respond to and resolve issues that affect show production and content distribution across multiple ESPN networks.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose issues affecting all elements within our ecosystem.
• When required perform preventative maintenance on all TV broadcasting systems and equipment, such as production switchers, Intercom panels, Broadcast PC's located within the PCR, Audio console maintenance, Evertz 7700/7800 frame controllers and associated cards, and other critical PCR based broadcast production equipment.
• Respond to and resolve Broadcast facility issues and perform oversight and maintenance on key Transmission/RF contribution and distribution systems.
• When required, perform preventative maintenance on all TV broadcasting systems and equipment, such as MPEG Compression systems, Encoders, Multiplexers, Modulators, Protection Switches, Uplink Based Conditional Access and Decoder Control, Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs), switchers, consoles, playout servers, cameras, robotics, and electromechanical equipment.
• Monitors the performance of systems; maintains system configuration history of changes, troubleshoots and participates in repairing systems problems and failures, participates in leading or leads the maintenance of systems, installs software patches, updates etc., to resolve and avoid service problems, and troubleshoots system problems as they relate to these services.
• Responds to system outages, malfunctions, and related technical problems, and conducts diagnostic testing, repair and replacement activities necessary to solve routine, specialized, and complex problems.
• Develops and implements effective preventative maintenance and diagnostic/solutions, techniques and procedures.
• Coordinates and / or performs upgrades to system hardware and software; coordinates the activities of technicians involved in the deployment and configuration of the systems, and with vendors on moves, additions and re-locations of systems or equipment.
• Foster collaboration with production team members to best understand their use case for PCR production equipment and develop solutions with our production partners and our design engineering staff to curate and implement needed changes.
• Participates in planning or plans for the facility infrastructure; participates in evaluating or evaluates new technologies, in researching network and system configurations for future implementation of ESPN's systems.
• Maintain up to date operational procedures to support daily productions and emergency recovery scenarios.
• Generates and organizes required project technical documentation required to support and operate all company broadcast facilities.
• Monitors project progress and periodically updates project schedules, noting achievement of milestones and issues requiring resolution.

Basic Qualifications:

• 2 years of experience in PCR Engineering Support.
• Experience with High Priority / High Visibility live television production.
• Demonstrated experience Grass Valley Video Production Switchers (Kayenne / Kalypso)
• Demonstrated experience with Evertz EXE / EQX Video Routing systems (Router operations and panel interaction)
• Demonstrated experience with Lawo Consoles / Riedel and RTS communication systems
• Strong background in Broadcast Engineering fundamentals which include:
• Video Timing
• Signal Flow
• HD video standards
• Signal format changes
• Audio standards (AES / Embedded SDI / Dolby
• Demonstrated ability and skill for component-level troubleshooting required on Studio equipment, Power Supplies, Video and Audio connections, Brainstorm Virtual sensors, Studio Pedestals and Robotic Camera Pedestals, and other associated stage / PCR equipment.
• Demonstrated understanding of signal routing control systems to route video/audio and IP signals.
• Must be knowledgeable of the different video/audio CODECs used in program transmission.
• Has in-depth experience providing Highly Availability Windows/Unix/Linux environments.
• Has a solid understanding of SCSI, Fibre Channel, SAN, NAS, RAID and I/O Storage Sub-Systems. Principles.
• In-Depth experience with FTP, SSH, HTTP/S, SNMP, and DNS.
• Familiarity with television transmission operations, MPEG and JPEG CODECS, and ASI stream analyzers
• Knowledge of basic Networking concepts such as: Routers, Switches, Subnetting, Ethernet cable installation and termination and proper cabling to support service inputs/outputs and plant integration
• IP multicast, SDI, ASI, Analog Audio, AES audio, HDMI, Display Port, Component, Composite, Ethernet, Serial Data.
• Experience in the use of specialized electronic test and monitoring equipment including spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, network analyzers, broadcast scopes, and transport stream analyzers.
• Physical requirements and work environment: Ability to climb ladders, work on raised structures and building roofs, operate areal lift platforms, operate forklifts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 4 years of experience in IT, Broadcast Engineering or related field.
• Has extensive knowledge of television production hardware, software, systems and specifications, TCP\IP protocols on servers and workstations, systems management and server administration.
• Advance demonstrated IT skills including TCP/IP networking concepts and equipment, storage systems, redundant computer system concepts, administration, etc.
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience with Digital Center 1 and Digital Center 2 infrastructure and interoperability with other ESPN production sites (LAPC, Seaport, Charlotte).
• Ability to mentor other engineers as part of an integrated Media Engineering & Operations Team.

Required Education

• Bachelor of Science degree in a Technology related field or a minimum of 4 years of experience in a media/broadcast environment as described above.

Preferred Education

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or Information Technology or a minimum of 8 years of experience in a media/broadcast environment as described above.
• Previous work on High Visibility events for a major television network.
• SBE , SMPTE, or equivalent certifications.

About ESPN:

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates

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