STUDIO & BROADCAST SYSTEMS ENGINEER, WBUR Engineering, Operations & IT

Who We Are & What We Can Offer You: 

WBUR is Boston’s NPR and a public media leader, producing exceptional journalism on-air, online, on-demand, and in real life. Our mission is to produce high-quality journalism and enriching experiences that foster understanding, connection, and community for an expanding circle of people. WBUR is member-supported and licensed to Boston University.

WBUR is brimming with talent and ambition. Our colleagues work hard, strive for excellence, value truth, creativity, diverse perspectives, and open debate. Our culture is warm and welcoming — no matter what your role is — we work hard to ensure that everyone feels like they belong. On top of that people are both respectful and passionate about the work we do. 

We’ve got exciting plans to keep innovating and building WBUR for the future. It’s a place to do meaningful work with interesting people and to learn and grow along the way.

We offer our employees both hybrid and in-office work arrangements.

We also offer:

• Health and Well Being Benefits including Gender Affirming Healthcare
• Paid Time Off, Holidays & Intersession 
• Tuition Remission and Professional Development through Boston University

The Opportunity and Who You’ll Work With: 

Position Type:                  Permanent, Full Time, Benefits Eligible

Work Format:                  100% Onsite with up to 10% day travel to our transmitter sites in Brewster, Needham, Newton and Tisbury (Martha’s Vineyard).

Schedule:                         Typically Monday – Friday and hours are typically 09:00AM-05:00PM ET with rotating 24/7 on call support.

At WBUR, our Engineering, Operations & IT department is pivotal to maintaining and advancing the technical infrastructure that supports our news and content production, and its distribution. We are responsible for ensuring the reliability and efficiency of broadcast equipment, digital platforms, communication networks, and live events.

WBUR produces programming that goes out to local and national audiences numbering in the millions. Restoring those operations in an emergency is of critical importance, as well as assuring the systems that produce that programming are working sufficiently well to avoid breakdowns and failures of a transient nature. 

As our Studio and Broadcast Engineer, you will provide support for all studio resources employed in broadcast transmission, such as digital audio workstations, automated playout systems, audio mixing systems, transmission systems and their associated equipment.  You will be responsible for the purchase and installation of new equipment as needed.  You will repair and maintain studio and transmission equipment as needed. 

You will be needed to work on-call 24 hours / 7 days per week for support on a rotation basis with our Chief Engineer and Assistant Chief Engineer. 

You will assist on special projects such as remote broadcasts and new studio or transmission facilities as assigned by the Chief Engineer. In the event that the Chief Engineer is away, you will report to the Assistant Chief Engineer.

Essential Functions:

• (30%) Execute repairs for studio and broadcast equipment as necessary and conduct testing to ensure optimal performance. Independently verify that studio and broadcast equipment are operating safely and optimally, ready for live work on air.  Rapid decision-making on technical triage in response to live on-air equipment failures is critical.
• (25%) Specify new equipment for purchase using Purchase Card and carry out equipment and software installation. 
• (20%) Provide training and assistance to operations staff as it relates to the implementation and maintenance of studio and broadcast equipment.  Provide 24/7 on-call station support on a rotation basis with Engineering colleagues, including evening and weekend support.
• (15%) Maintain equipment at remote sites and for special projects as necessary.
• (10%) Assist the Chief and Assistant Chief Engineer with building, operating, and maintaining off-site transmission facilities as needed. Provide assistance to WBUR Engineering, Operations & IT department as availability allows.