Chief Bureau Broadcast Engineer, Vilnius

Responsibilities/Duties

• Provides full technological support to the Language Service and is familiar with its content. The support may include overtime, late shift work, IT work, and discussing/agreeing on dialy priorities between News and Technology, as well as coordinating on potential security risks.
• Supervises the daily activities of the Bureau technical staff and ensures their accomplishing tasks in a timely, professional and efficient manner, provides them advice, guidance and training.
• Oversees installing, testing, operating and maintaining hardware, electric power supply and HVAC in the Bureau.
• Ensures high availability of all ENG (Electronic News Gathering) equipment by maintaining digital and analog multi-media equipment such as studio consoles, recorders, NLE’s (Non-Linear Editors) such as digital audio & video workstations, still and video cameras, and other equipment, to ensure that programs are of a high audio and visual quality.
• Superintends local User Support/Help Desk functions and the training to the Bureau staff on broadcast technology.
• Makes sure the Prague TOC (Technical Operations Center) is informed of the operational status of the bureau on a regular basis, reports technical deficiencies and problems in a timely manner, and suggests the speediest and most cost-effective solutions.
• Assists in developing and ensuring successful implementation and compliance with Standard Operating Procedures and all safety regulations, and uses Industry Best Practices when performing duties and tasks assigned.
• Writes professional guidelines for the installation and maintenance of various technology equipment and studios, if needed.
• Coordinates Engineering work with the Language Service and with other company departments.
• Provides documentation on all projects and assists with quality control documentation. Creates and maintains detailed electronic drawings for planning and documentation. Maintains records and prepares reports as required by management.
• Monitors the performance of and ensures proper maintenance of the Bureau facilities under lease including issues related to life safety.
• Monitors the usage of all bureau utilities and leased line contracts and suggests means and methods of maximizing efficiencies.
• Observes and reports on the status of electrical systems (properly wired, well-grounded, no exposed cables, burn marks, etc), backup power systems such as a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) and generator, structural integrity (identify and report water leaks, cracks in the foundation or walls/ceilings, roof, etc), and any other bureau infrastructure issue that may arise.
• Cooperates closely with the Bureau Administrator and Prague-based supervisor in terms of issuing requisitions for technology and multimedia equipment and ongoing technical operations maintenance.
• Keeps abreast of relevant technical developments.
• Contributes to creating and maintaining a positive work environment.
• Functions as a translator to ensure unencumbered communication between management and the Engineers. Ensures that the shops are kept clean and presentable at all times. Shift and night work required. As directed, performs other duties consistent with his/her qualifications and professional experience.

Basic Qualifications

Education:

• Preferably university degree in a relevant technology area;
• Specialized training in maintaining modern radio/TV equipment (or equivalent professional experience);
• Certification of formal education and/or proof of equivalent professional experience.

Experience:

• Five years minimum required in a similar (technical/managerial) position;
• Experience with maintaining digital and analog ENG (Electronic News Gathering) equipment.

Special skills:

• Skill set and experience to be able to maintain IT systems (hardware & software);
• Experience with networking techniques;
• Knowledge of telecommunications systems, familiarity with VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) and MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) technology is a plus;
• Knowledge of power systems, including UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supplies) and backup power generation equipment;
• Broadcasting/multimedia engineering & production;
• Working speaking, reading, and writing ability in English in addition to a broadcast language, Russian language ability when relevant;
• Ability to work under pressure.

Languages:

• Local language
• English language
• Russian language when applicable

Reporting to Manager, Field/Bureau Engineering in Prague and coordinating Engineering activities with the Bureau Chief/Service Director, he/she manages technical staff in the bureau and supervises a variety of tasks associated with maintenance of the bureau multimedia equipment, including its day-to-day maintenance, troubleshooting, upgrades, user support and MM data backups, as well as for the bureau basic facility infrastructure.