Chief Engineer – Nebraska Public Media, Lincoln

Job Description :

Bring your technical expertise and leadership skills to a mission‑driven organization that connects and inspires Nebraskans every day. As Chief Engineer, you’ll oversee Nebraska Public Media’s television and radio broadcast engineering teams, leading technology planning, system upgrades, and ensuring top‑quality, reliable transmission across the state. Be part of a team that keeps Nebraska connected, where your technical expertise supports meaningful stories, lifelong learning, and the voices that reach every corner of the state.

Minimum starting wage is $27.45 per hour and the hiring rate is commensurate with education and experience.

Job Summary :

Responsible for managing Nebraska Public Media’s broadcast television and radio engineering departments, as well as for technology planning, equipment and systems installation and maintenance. Coordinates, schedules, plans and assumes operational responsibility for the engineering area. Performs related work as required.

Examples of Work :

Schedule engineers’ daily work shifts, maintenance shifts, vacation and sick leave.

Train and supervise engineers and technicians in aligning, configuring, installing and repairing radio and television broadcast information technology systems, broadcast technology transmitters, studio production systems and terminal equipment.

Ensure station transmission reliability and quality.

Standardize equipment operation and establish professional standards of workmanship for engineers and technicians supervised.

Research and specify new systems or solutions to replace outdated systems or equipment.

Outline equipment tests to be made by those under direct supervision to ensure compliance with FCC rules and regulations as well as industry standards.

Supervise and participate in the operation of studio production, channel origination, transmission and streaming equipment.

Schedule maintenance and when necessary perform hands‑on repair.

Provide for the maintenance of records and inventories of data from transmitters and equipment performance measurements for status analysis.

Prepare and organize engineering records, systems design, component parts inventories as well as equipment proof‑of‑performance data for submission to senior network engineering management.

Requirements / Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications : High school education or equivalent plus six years’ experience in broadcasting electronics – television, radio or cable operations; preferably including varied broadcast areas involving both operational and maintenance experience. Bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering can substitute for four years’ experience. Experience should include at least two years in a supervisory capacity.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

These may be acquired on the job and are needed to perform the work assigned.

Skills :

Understanding of IP‑based radio and television broadcast equipment, systems, signals and workflows. Understanding of RF, ASI and SDI signals as they pertains to satellite downlink / uplink and over the air transmission. Experience maintaining studio production, channel origination and streaming equipment. Knowledge of FCC policies, rules and regulations, electronic, television, and radio broadcast theory, and best information technology practices.

Ability to operate equipment associated with television and radio broadcast systems; supervise and schedule the work of others; recommend and purchase needed equipment; interpret and apply the proper application of pertinent FCC and NPM policies and procedures.

Skills :

Experience with Imagine Communications channel origination (playout) systems and equipment. Experience with SMPTE 2022 / 2110 signals, routing and workflows.

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