Broadcast engineer
Career outlook for broadcast engineer
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£20,000
£20,000
Experienced
£50,000
£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
Environment
Travel
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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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.