Chief Engineer

The Personal Overview:
This Chief Engineer position is with Saga Communications / Jonesboro Radio Group in Jonesboro, Arkansas, 75 miles Northwest of Memphis, Tennessee. It is a great company. And you would work with me. A 50+ year radio veteran who is the market manager for this great company. You would have the job of having me shadow you at times, drive with you at times, and serve as your back-up at times. If you’re switching out a set of equipment pieces, one at the transmitter and one at the studio, chances are I’ll be the one with you. Because along with the mundane job of management and budgeting and payroll and doing an air shift, I have always loved the engineering and technical side of the business and have served as engineer support for most of my career.

Your knowledge of the RF side of our business is key. Knowledge of the IT side is right up there, too. We aren’t a market big enough to separate the two.

I can tell you that no company provides the engineering support that Saga does. We have been a part of this company for over twenty years now. I sold my company to them, and I still run this market for them over twenty years later. If we need it, the company provides it. It’s been that way for over twenty years, and I see no indication or reason for that to change.

I have at least five more years of gas left in my tank, maybe more, that I will be here to work with you should you join our team. If you are good at what you do and feel like you want to be in a position that you can stay for the rest of your career, have fun, and be well cared-for, then at least talk to me.

The Official Overview:
The Chief Engineer has primary responsibility for the technical operation of the studio, stations, transmitters, and translators, maintaining all its equipment, ensuring compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) technical operation rules and regulations, and maintaining around-the-clock broadcast capability. The Chief Engineer supervises the administration and operation of radio station computers and networking systems and responds to or assigns a qualified technician or contractual engineer to respond to technical emergencies on a twenty-four-hour basis.

Qualifications:
1. Associate degree in Electronics; bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Electronics or Computer Science or equivalent experience is preferred.
2. Recommended 6 years of experience in broadcast engineering.
3. Electro/mechanical skills in the use of small hand tools such as saws, drills, soldering irons.
4. Ability to install, operate, and repair various test equipment and a wide range of audio control equipment.
5. Ability to use, but not limited to, Spectrum Analyzers, Oscilloscopes, DVM, Power and reflected power meters, phase monitors, and multiple PC based test systems.
6. Must be able to lift and carry materials and equipment weighing 50-100 pounds.

Duties:
1. Ensure that our company and its group of stations and translators are in compliance with FCC rules and regulations regarding technical operations at all times, thus protecting the license and financial resources of the station.
2. Oversee the review of the station’s operations and maintenance logs, schedule regular on- site transmitter inspections, and perform regular reviews of station operations to keep them up to date with current FCC policies.
3. Maintain the technical operations of the company by overseeing the maintenance of all recording and playback equipment, receivers, transmitters, on-air studio equipment, and audio reproduction equipment.
4. Oversee the software and hardware maintenance of automation computer, control equipment, and calibration of remote instrumentation. Monitor and measure station audio signals for both FCC technical requirements and highest possible audio quality.
5. Promote and practice strategies of preventive maintenance, thus ensuring around-the-clock broadcasting capability for our stations and translators, by periodically testing all backup equipment (where applicable) including transmitters, generators, transfer switches and remote controls, knowing how to operate all test equipment needed to troubleshoot and maintain station technical operations, and responding to or assigning a qualified technician to respond to technical emergencies on a 365/24-7 hour basis.
6. Facilitate the purchase and installation of new equipment by researching new equipment, installing, or supervising the installation of new equipment, engaging in process improvement by identifying operation problems that have technical solutions and finding existing devices or designing and building devices as solutions, and inspecting and making recommendations for possible new locations for better operations.
7. Supervise radio station computer and network operations by researching and selecting software and hardware for in-house use, learning its use, and facilitating staff instruction on its use.
8. Oversee any programming and network administration necessary for efficient use of software and hardware, and trouble-shooting computer and networking problems and resolving them on site or sending the equipment out to be repaired by commercial vendors.
9. Assist in reviewing and/or filing all engineering related documents required by the FCC.
10. Maintain and review station records such as FCC required logs and other records as indicated by broadcast engineering practices ie: EAS.
11. Supervise any broadcast engineers, IT persons and/or contract employees we utilize.
12. Remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Negotiable

Benefits:
1. The finest benefits package in the industry including vacation, personal, and sick days off, the industry’s best medical insurance support, dental, vision, 401(k) with company contribution, short term disability insurance, long term disability insurance, life insurance, and typical cafeteria plan benefits.

Schedule:
1. 5×8 or as agreed.
2. Weekend availability

Ability to relocate to the Jonesboro, Arkansas area.

E-mail resume to: Trey Stafford President/General Manager trey@jradiogroup.com