Lead Engineer

Lead Engineer

Building A Brand Starts With Our Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. Operating as a full-service agency partner or through embedding specialist talent into client teams, FIRST brings brands and people together through creative, connected experiences. Spanning 12 countries with more than 700 team members, FIRST works with clients across industries including financial services, technology, media, consumer electronics, medical and healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and the nonprofit sector.

Most recently, Eventex honored FIRST as one of the Top 150 Event Organizers & Agencies in the USA, while Chief Marketer listed FIRST among their “200 Top Marketing Agencies" for both 2022 & 2021, and Special Events recognized FIRST as one of their “50 Top Event Companies” at the end of 2020. Crain’s New York Business included FIRST in the Top 100 “Best Places to Work in NYC” for 2020, and The London Stock Exchange Group once again listed FIRST as one of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ in 2020.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

Our story started over 25 years ago growing through collaboration, innovation, strong culture, and a focus on people, specifically our people. Our people inspired, developed, and grew FIRST to the incredible brand experience creator it is today. 

And our hope is that you become the next page of our story in developing how our agency connects more people beyond what they thought was possible.

A welcoming, creative and ambitious workplace that offers personal and professional growth for all individuals. At FIRST, you'll find:

• A welcoming workplace that fosters diversity and belonging with a focus on team members feeling valued, respected, and supported. 
• Creative teams that enjoy challenging work with an ability to make an impact on those around them.
• An experiential organization that cares about the development and career experience of each employee, focusing on excellence and flexibility with the right balance of structure to thrive.

What You Would Get To Do:

In this capacity, the ideal candidate would represent the FIRST brand as an implanted team member for a well-known technology company. The Lead Engineer will be responsible for the overall health and stability of all audio, video, lighting, IT, and experiential systems at a one of a kind world class venue. This role will require strong leadership abilities, project management skills, great communication, and the ability to perform advanced troubleshooting for complicated technical systems.

Your Contributions 

• Oversee the commissioning of complex audio, video, lighting, IT, and experiential systems at a world class venue
• Ensure all systems and equipment are properly calibrated, configured, and installed for the first day of business
• Create and drive SOP’s to ensure maximum efficiency and utilization of audio video systems
• Lead a team of highly skilled engineers to maintain and optimize systems for daily use by the event production team
• Monitor break-fix and project request tickets, assign the appropriate engineering resource, and drive completion in a timely manner to ensure minimum downtime
• Serve as the SME for the facility on all production technology related issues
• Provide high level technical support to resolve complex technical issues involving audio, video, IT, media management, digital signage / experiential, signal encoding, broadcasting, etc.
• Create and action a preventative maintenance plan to ensure the health and stability of event technology equipment and systems for the entire facility
• Create and maintain technical documentation for all equipment and systems at the facility
• Partner with key stakeholders to create efficient operational workflows for custom CMS, media storage, audio, video, IT, media management, digital signage / experiential, signal encoding, broadcasting, etc.
• Provide high level engineering consultation on changes, or updates needed to keep the facility operating at maximum capacity and ability
• Create a custom training program to expedite new hire orientation and readiness
• Partner with account leadership on team recruitment, vetting, and onboarding
• Serve as the liaison between manufacturers and service providers for all support matters

 What We Are Looking For 

Please be aware that we know experience does not always look like we describe it. If you believe you would be an excellent fit for this role, please apply - we would love to see how you could fit at First. 

• 15 years’ experience as “Engineer in Charge”, or equivalent role at a large event venue
• Bachelor’s Degree required, preferred Masters or equivalent work experience desired
• Live events and broadcast experience preferred
• Advanced knowledge and experience with SDI router systems, media server playout and ingest, Dante, AES67, IP networking for media/real time applications, Media asset management workflows, production switchers and screen management systems (Ross, Analogue Way, etc), digital intercoms, projection calibration, multi - projector blending, LED title maintenance and calibration
• Can read and amend schematic drawings as needed
• Experience working cross-functionally with all levels of stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
• Experience working with multiple content management systems, LED video walls, and custom digital signage
• Organizational and time management skills
• Ability to execute tasks independently and efficiently
• Creative problem solver, resourceful, team player
• Adaptability to situations and ever-changing demands
• Highly organized with the ability to handle multiple tasks to meet strict deadlines
• Excellent time management and multi-tasking skills
• Ambitious and proactive with a calm and flexible approach to handling pressure

Administrative and General:

• Must be able to lead a team of high level engineers.
• Must have great communication, and organizational skills.
• Must be able to translate complex technical systems to non technical stakeholders.
• Must be a self sufficient proactive problem solver.
• Must be able to analyze various data sets and create useful reporting and documentation for account leadership.

United States Residents: The base pay for this position ranges from $92,000 to $130,000. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Salary : $92,000 - $130,000