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Broadcast engineer

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Career outlook for broadcast engineer

UK Salary Ranges

Entry-level

£20,000

Experienced

£50,000

Currently employed in Scotland

5,200

Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.

What's it like?

You would set up and operate the equipment to make sure TV and radio broadcasts go out to viewers and listeners at the right time.

You’d make sure that they can enjoy the programmes without any technical faults or interruptions and fix problems quickly if something goes wrong.

You might work on studio and outside broadcasts (OBs), post-production operations, and new media such as interactive TV and webcasts.

You might be directly involved in broadcasting programmes or you might focus on servicing the equipment.

You would:

  • Set up studio equipment for transmission and editing
  • Design and set up audio and video circuits
  • Install multimedia hardware, software and other digital broadcast technology systems
  • Set up and operate links between studios and OB units
  • Do vision mixing, which means editing programmes live as they are being transmitted or recorded
  • Test and service equipment
  • Find and repair technical faults as quickly as possible, with minimum loss of service

You would work as part of a team that can also include producers, studio managers and presenters.

Working with electrical equipment, you’d need to have a good awareness of health and safety in the workplace.

Working conditions

Hours

You would normally work around 40 hours a week. Shift work is common, including weekends and nights. You may need to work extra hours at short notice, particularly for news programmes.

Environment

You could work in recording studios, studio galleries, control rooms and maintenance workshops, and on outside broadcasts (OBs) in all weather conditions and locations.

Travel

Location work and outside broadcasts (OBs)could involve working away from home around the UK and possibly abroad.

UK employment status

Full-time

86%

Part-time

0%

Self employed

14%

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  • Cooperating
  • Verbal communication
  • Working with technology
  • Resourceful
  • Problem solving
  • Attention to detail
  • Developing a plan
  • Taking responsibility

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Getting in

Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Qualifications

Most entrants normally start as a trainee broadcast engineer and for this you usually need a Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7), Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) or degree (SCQF level 9/10) in electrical, electronic or broadcast engineering though other science, design technologies and ICT subjects may be considered.

You might also apply to an in-house engineering training scheme from other roles within a broadcasting company; you might start work as a runner for a broadcasting company and then apply for in-house engineering training.

Useful subjects

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science subjects
  • Technologies subjects such as engineering and ICT

You will also need

Entry to this career is highly competitive so you will need experience in working with electronic equipment and using broadcast technologies.

You will need to register with the Engineering Council as a professional engineer once you have relevant qualifications and experience.

You should have normal hearing and colour vision.