Senior Media Engineer

Overview

Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology (DEE) is to delight consumers worldwide with the news, entertainment, and sports content they want most, with more choice, personalization, and convenience than ever before.

Comprised of Disney’s international media businesses and the Company’s streaming and linear services, the DEE Engineering Services segment aligns technology, content, and distribution platforms to expand the Company’s global footprint to deliver world-class, personalized entertainment experiences to consumers around the world.

DEE Technology is responsible for The Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer businesses globally, including the ESPN+ sports streaming service, programmed in conjunction with ESPN; Disney+, the Disney-branded direct-to-consumer streaming service; global advertising sales and ad technology for all of Disney’s media properties, including ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic, and the Disney Channels; HotStar, the leading over-the-top streaming service in India; and the Company’s majority ownership stake in Hulu.

Job Summary

Disney Media Engineers have a clear charter: to transform the capability and flexibility of how Disney acquires, produces, and distributes content worldwide, all while ensuring the highest levels of quality, efficiency, and resiliency.

Disney Media Engineers often find themselves at the crossroads between hardware and software-based technology and must possess a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of the technology that powers the generation, monetization, and distribution of all forms of consumer- facing linear and digital video/audio content. Responsibility includes numerous systems such as Playout Technology, Studios, Production Control Rooms, Remote Production, Post-Production, Contribution/Distribution Systems, Networking, Cloud Compute, Production Software and Virtual Environment and more.

The Sr. Media Engineer is, simply put, is an experienced engineer in the acquisition, production, and distribution of media content. They are well-versed in multiple technical standards and have hands-on experience in both the sustainment and design/build of production systems.

The Sr. Media Engineers are part of a tiered sustainment model where incidents are raised from a shared operations team (tier 1) to the Media Engineer II’s (tier 2) and beyond. They are able to address the most complicated technical issues, often spanning media software, networking and hardware troubleshooting with little assistance from senior engineers. The Sr. Media Engineer, while primarily focused on sustainment and incremental advancement of technology, will work on design/build projects that advance our overall business.

Responsibilities

• Respond to and resolve issues that affect acquisition, production, and content distribution across multiple DEE networks including system outages, malfunctions, and related technical problems, and conduct diagnostic testing,

• repair, and replacement activities vital to tackle routine, specialized, and sophisticated problems.

• Use system health and performance monitoring software and platforms; fix and participate in repairing system problems and failures, participates in maintenance of systems, installs software patches, updates etc, to resolve and avoid service problems, and fixes system problems as they relate to these services

• Performs upgrades to system hardware and software workflows under the supervision of a more experienced engineer or supervisor.

• When required perform preventative maintenance on all broadcast systems and equipment, such as distribution systems, switchers, consoles, playout servers, cameras, robotics, electromechanical equipment, automation systems and radio facilities to ensure optimum broadcast performance.

• Reviews and contributes to system/workflow documentation.

• Lead operational support of all activities related to operating, maintaining, and programming the audio and video production/distribution systems across the enterprise and other connected properties.

• Able to operate with limited resources, exhibit dispassionate critical-thinking, and creatively solve problems. Motivated and inventive, always finds a way forward—eternal optimist with a committed drive for contributing and making a difference.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of previous and proven experience in technical environments of Media Engineering and live media production and distribution environments.

• Bachelor’s Degree in electrical engineering, computer science or equivalent major, and/or equivalent work experience.

• Advanced understanding of broadcast control room equipment, including familiarity with modern broadcast cabling infrastructure used in broadcast environments.

• Advanced knowledge compression techniques such as MPEG2/4, HEVC, JPEG 2000, and JPEG XS.

• Proficient with Evertz software control systems such as frame control via VistaLink or Magnum, EQX/EXE routers, and their monitoring software VLPRO, SDVN, VIP, VUE, MVP.

• Profound familiarity with major media systems and the vendors that supply them in areas such as asset management systems, file-based workflows, media acquisition, transcoding/encoding, graphics, and NAS/SAN technologies.

• Expert level knowledge and experience with Nielsen (NACAT), VANC equipment, Linear Acoustics, and other related systems.

• Comprehensive proficiency in coordinated receiver decoders IRDs, core devices, edge devices, timing of video and audio systems, audio and video media file formats are a plus.

• Ability to create, read and interpret AutoCAD and other technical drawing/documentation tools.

• Extensive expertise in providing Tier 2 and Tier 3 support to in one or more of the following:

• IP-based broadcast equipment including routers, switchers, audio boards, signal processors, encoder/decoder, video scalers, playback systems, etc.

• Studio technology includes video walls, cameras, VR set technology, image processing systems, touch screens, lighting, etc.

• File-based workflows like enterprise Media Asset Management systems (Cloud-based Cloud Compute or Local Network-based) including storage, compute, encode and distribution.

• Production control systems such as Imagine Communications or Grass Valley automation systems, Avid, Adobe, Viz, Dalet, Riedel trunking, Lawo, Calrec, Evertz, Ross and others.

• Transmission systems such as RF (Radio Frequency), Satellite Distribution, Fiber Distribution, etc.

• Physical requirements and work environment: Ability to climb ladders, work on raised structures and building roofs, operate areal lift platforms and have valid driver’s license.