Director of Engineering - WFTV/WRDQ Orlando

Position Overview

WFTV/WRDQ Orlando TV is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the station’s technical operations, broadcast infrastructure, facilities systems, regulatory compliance, and technology modernization efforts. This role is responsible for ensuring reliable on-air operations, protecting the station license, maintaining studio and transmitter facilities, and partnering with News, Production, Sales, Traffic, Master Control, IT, and station leadership to support high-quality local journalism and business continuity. The Director of Engineering leads the technical team, oversees capital and operating budgets, manages vendor relationships, and drives continuous improvement across broadcast, IT, RF transmission, automation, production, network, cloud, and facility systems.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead all technical operations for the station, including studio production systems, newsroom technology, master control workflows, automation, media storage, signal distribution, ENG, remote production, and transmission facilities.
• Ensure reliable, compliant operation of transmitters, towers, RF systems, satellite and microwave systems, EAS equipment, monitoring systems, generators, UPS systems, HVAC, and other critical infrastructure.
• Protect the station license by maintaining compliance with federal, state and local regulatory agencies, including required documentation, inspections, testing, and corrective actions.
• Develop and lead a strong engineering culture focused on safety, accountability, service, collaboration, training, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Manage, coach, and develop the station technical team, including staffing plans, performance expectations, succession planning, technical training, and emergency coverage.
• Partner with station leadership to align engineering priorities with operational goals, audience needs, local news production, company initiatives, and long-term technology strategy.
• Plan, execute, and track annual operating and capital budgets, including forecasting, business case development, bid solicitation, vendor selection, documentation, and project delivery.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Lead capital projects from concept through implementation, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and with minimal disruption to on-air operations.
• Support modernization of the station’s broadcast and IT environment, including IP-based workflows, automation, cloud or hybrid systems, cybersecurity practices, disaster recovery, network resilience, and scalable production tools.
• Maintain strong working relationships with vendors, contractors, corporate technology teams, property management, and internal departments to resolve issues and improve service.
• Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders during outages, planned maintenance, project work, and operational incidents, including impact, status, timelines, and follow-up actions.
• Lead after-action reviews for significant technical incidents, document root causes and corrective actions, and implement improvements to reduce repeat issues.
• Prepare timely status reports, budget updates, project documentation, technical records, and leadership briefings as required.
• Serve as an essential leader during emergencies, severe weather, breaking news, major technical failures, or other events requiring immediate technical response.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in broadcast engineering, electrical engineering, information technology, media technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5–10 years of progressively responsible broadcast, media technology, or engineering experience, including leadership or management responsibility.
• Strong understanding of television broadcast operations, RF transmission, studio production, newsroom systems, master control, automation, signal flow, media workflows, and FCC compliance.
• Working knowledge of IT infrastructure, networks, firewalls, switches, servers, operating systems, endpoint management, cybersecurity fundamentals, and business continuity practices.
• Experience managing operating budgets, capital budgets, technical projects, vendor relationships, documentation, and cross-functional project teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, prioritize, and develop technical staff in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, 24/7 operational environment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, organizational, and decision-making skills, including the ability to assess operational risk and respond effectively during urgent situations.
• Customer-service mindset and professional approach when working with internal departments, corporate partners, vendors, contractors, clients, and the public.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple priorities, and provide leadership during nights, weekends, holidays, emergencies, or outages as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a mid- or major-market television station, multi-site broadcast environment, or highly complex live production operation.
• Experience with IP video/audio, cloud playout, broadcast automation, newsroom systems, remote production, bonded cellular, streaming, virtualization, and disaster recovery workflows.
• Familiarity with ATSC 3.0, HDR, SMPTE standards, cybersecurity frameworks, and emerging broadcast technology trends.
• SBE certification, PMP certification, cybersecurity certification, or other relevant technical credentials.