Maintenance Engineer, Central Region

Application Deadline: Monday, Feb 07, 2022

Description

Application instructions for this and all current OPB employment opportunities are available at OPB’s careers page.

About OPB

OPB is a leader in public media, serving diverse communities of the Northwest with fact-based, in-depth news and information about politics, the environment, science, arts, history, and cultures; business, education and more. Powered by the generous support of members, OPB seeks out a variety of voices in our communities and lifts up authentic stories of the people, places, events and issues of the region, providing context and a deeper understanding. OPB’s independent journalism and programs are available at opb.org, on OPB Radio and OPB TV. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

The Opportunity

Do you enjoy traveling to remote areas, long drives through beautiful countryside, and working outdoors on top of mountains? Are you experienced with working in complex technological systems and safely operating 4WD vehicles? Do you have curiosity about how broadcast systems work? If so, OPB is hiring a Maintenance Engineer in Bend, and this could be a great opportunity for you.

In this position you will support OPB’s mission by keeping our infrastructure running, enabling our content creators to keep our audience informed 24/7. This role performs a blend of IT and traditional broadcast tasks and as such we’re looking for someone with an agile mind, innate curiosity and priority for safety who can work in remote outdoor settings. This position is a part of a team of four based in Bend, OR that is responsible for maintaining OPB’s distribution and broadcast infrastructure at 32 sites on the east side of the Cascades. The territory stretches from the Columbia River down to Lakeview, and from Bend to Payette, ID.

It’s an exciting time for OPB as the technological landscape continually evolves. By maintaining uptime of our transmitters, your work enables our radios shows such as “Think Out Loud®” to broadcast to our hundreds of thousands of listeners, the airing of Sesame Street to children across the region, and access to important news around the clock.

Check out our Oregon Field Guide episode on Tower Engineers to see the team in action.

Position Details

The Maintenance Engineer for OPB’s Central and Eastern regions assists the Bend-based Chief Engineer in the design, configuration, installation, updating, preventative maintenance, emergency repair, and operation of the technology that supports OPB’s content delivery systems to ensure OPB is there for listeners and viewers east of the Cascades. This includes television and radio transmission facilities, television and radio translators, microwave and fiber optic distribution systems, two-way radio systems, and traditional IT infrastructure such as switches, servers, and LAN/WAN equipment.  This position also performs routine maintenance on the facilities and infrastructure supporting these systems.  Maintenance Engineers may also travel to support other regions in the Engineering department’s collective effort to maintain OPB’s statewide broadcast uptime.

Responsibilities

30% – TECHNICAL

• Work independently and with the Chief Engineer and other team members to troubleshoot and maintain OPB broadcast and distribution equipment, including TV and radio transmitters, microwave radios, test equipment, and other various technical equipment that supports OPB’s broadcast network. This work happens primarily in the maintenance shop following all safety protocols.
• Perform basic vehicle maintenance.

50% – REMOTE SITE MAINTENANCE

• Travel to transmitter, microwave, and translator sites, sometimes using 4-wheel drive and tracked snow vehicles. Certain sites require overnight stays, hiking, snowshoeing, and tower climbing.
• Independently perform routine and emergency maintenance on equipment at transmitter sites, including work on TV transmitters, radio transmitters, microwave systems, AC generators, building mechanical systems, remote control systems, fiber optic systems, IT systems, LAN/WAN networks.

10% – PLANNING AND DOCUMENTATION

• Document projects such as equipment installation, systems changes, and equipment operation parameters.
• Produce drawings and block diagrams of completed systems.
• Partner with Chief Engineer in planning and designing new systems.

5% – EDUCATION

• On the job training provided by the Chief Engineers in the use of test equipment as well as repair and maintenance of transmission facilities. Attendance when possible at industry seminars. Study towards Society of Broadcast Engineering certification is encouraged.

5% – FIELD SERVICES

• Represents OPB in the field by interacting with viewers/listeners, cable operators, for resolution of reception issues and quality improvements. Build working relationships related to broadcast facilities with Field Maintenance Engineers from other stations and/or organizations.

Working Conditions

This position is based out of the Bend offices and involves travel to sites throughout Central and Eastern Oregon. Occasional travel to other OPB regions is required. Much of this work will be at transmission facilities and involves varying shifts to respond to technical emergencies including evenings, weekends and holidays with possible callbacks and periods of being on-call for 24 hours. Travel and work at remote sites will require the operation of (and possibly the need to perform, in the field, basic emergency mechanical repairs to) 4-wheel drive vehicles and tracked snow vehicles. On occasion, operation of forklift, boom lift, or other heavy equipment will be required. The work will require the use of hand tools, electronic test equipment, power tools, and may involve working alone.

Exposure to very high voltages and RF non-ionizing radiation is possible at most sites. The work may require challenging physical activity, including lifting up to 50 pounds and moving up to 75 pounds, working in inclement weather, walking or hiking around 2 miles (possibly in snowshoes), and possible tower climbing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, administrative and planning work that would typically be completed at OPB’s Bend facility may take place remotely.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience with the technical design, construction, maintenance, and operation of complex electronic systems such as broadcast, radio, radar, microwave, cellular, communications, or military tactical systems.
• Ability to work outdoors in inclement weather, including knowledge of outdoor safety and best practices when working in challenging remote conditions, including cold weather survival and wilderness first aid.
• Experience with and solid understanding of the fundamentals of signal flow in complex systems.
• Experience with system and equipment level troubleshooting skills.
• Good computer skills, with knowledge of computer-based control systems, browser-based GUI’s, and office software programs.
• Good oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information and instruction clearly and effectively to co-workers.
• Must be tactful, maintain harmonious relationships with co-workers and interact with co-workers and the public in a professional and competent manner.
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to manage projects effectively and efficiently.
• Basic mechanical and safety skills such as mechanical assembly, operating power tools, and working on vehicles.
• Experience operating 4WD off-road vehicles, including knowledge of safe operation on unimproved, muddy, or snowy roads.
• Enthusiasm for the mission of OPB.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electronics, computer science, telecommunications or broadcast engineering.
• Experience with RF and electronic theory as it applies to broadcast systems, including radio and television translators, high power transmitters, and microwave systems.
• Experience with IP-based technology, including routers, switches, and LAN/WAN management.
• Experience with component-level troubleshooting.
• Experience maintaining AM radio transmission systems.
• Experience with system design and documentation using either CAD and/or Visio.
• Tower climbing experience or tower/rigging certification.
• SBE Certification.

Additional Information

• This position reports to Chief Engineer Central Region, is union represented and benefits eligible.
• The probable hiring range for this nonexempt position is between $28.61 and $32 hourly, depending on qualifications.
• This position requires a valid driver’s license and requires consent to OPB conducting a driving record check. Employees will not be allowed to use a company or personal vehicle for work purposes without completion and satisfactory results of this check.

How to Apply

For application instructions, please visit OPB’s careers page. You will be asked to create an account, upload your cover letter and resume and answer a few position related questions. Once you click “submit” you cannot make changes to your application.

Your application materials are due by 8:59 PM Pacific Time on February 7, 2022.

OPB is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For additional information about this position, please contact: