Broadcasting is the distribution or transmission of electronic signals to the public using TV, radio, or cable technologies. Behind the scenes of every live TV broadcast or sporting event, there is a team of engineers constantly working hard in order for everything to run smoothly.
There are various broadcast industry jobs in areas like public radio, commercial television, and community radio.
Due to the industry being so extensive and at a high demand, there are plenty of opportunities for engineers. So, if you’re looking to get started or advance your career in the broadcast industry continue reading!
Overview
- Why the Broadcast Industry: A broadcast industry outline, the need for skilled engineers in this sector, and who the industry is most suited to.
- Popular broadcast industry jobs: Broadcast Engineer, RF Engineer, Technical support Engineer, and more.
- Broadcast Salary Expectations: Get the salary benchmarks on senior & entry level broadcast jobs.
- Employers: Which companies are hiring for broadcast industry jobs right now.
- Broadcast Work Experience Opportunities: Gaining broadcast industry skills in a hands-on way is imperative for securing your broadcast job.
- Professional Development for Broadcast Jobs: Gain all the relevant skills and certifications to make your CV stand out.
- Utilising a Tech Recruitment Agency: Working with a specialist tech recruitment agency or media tech recruitment agency streamlines your process for finding a broadcast industry job.
Why the Broadcast Industry?
The broadcast industry allows professionals to be creative while still working in the technical sector. As broadcasts are live and often streaming on lots of different platforms all over the world, the field is very fast paced. This creates an exciting environment for those who work well under pressure. High quality content on all platforms is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the sports and events sector. In the UK alone, 15 million people watch sports on a yearly basis, with some people valuing it as an important part of their identity. As a result, media and broadcast companies are constantly looking for people to improve their broadcast technology and media and broadcast systems.
When you’re looking to join a broadcast engineering team, working with a tech recruiting company or even specialist broadcasting recruitment agencies will help you find the right opportunity.
Popular Broadcast Industry Jobs
Broadcast Engineer
Broadcast engineering works closely with hardware and broadcast systems that are used across all platforms. These systems will need to be maintained to ensure their efficiency and so that they are producing content in a timely manner. These broadcast engineering jobs can be done across a variety of locations, depending on the specific situation. The role of the broadcast engineer entails the installation, maintenance, and repairing of the equipment being used. Therefore, it is important that these engineers have an expertise in signal processing, transmission systems and technical fault finding. You will work with a range of people including producers, studio managers and other technical staff, so broadcast engineers need to have excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Broadcast Engineering Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for broadcast engineers is approximately £20,000
- The broadcast salary for experienced engineers that are in senior lead roles and in large broadcasting companies generally range from £30,000 to £50,000.
RF Engineer
The RF Engineer is one of the most sought after and important roles in the broadcast industry. RF Engineering ensures that there is a smooth transmission of signals in various broadcasting systems via wireless communication. The role entails designing, developing and maintaining radio frequency systems. This enables wireless communication across platforms like TV, radio, and streaming services. Where an RF Engineer works is highly dependent on their specific industry. For example, some work with wireless communication on high ground in order to reach as large an area as possible, and some work in the studio or onsite helping to produce programs. This often means that they sometimes work for long periods of time to meet strict deadlines.
RF Engineering Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for radio frequency engineers is approximately £25,000 to £35,0000 a year.
- For experienced engineers, salaries can range between £40,000 and £70,000 per year.
Technical Support Engineer
If you’re looking for a career in broadcast engineering, an IT support engineer job gives you plenty of variety. As a technical support engineer in the broadcast industry, you will be responsible for managing and maintaining all the broadcast technology that allows everything to run smoothly. The responsibilities of the job include:
- Installing new software
- Fixing issues with broadcast equipment
- Troubleshooting network issues.
They work closely with production staff behind the scenes with the broadcast technology they need to get a programme on air. These engineering teams often provide 24 hour support all year round, there is likely to involve shift work. In terms of repairing broadcast technology, it could include video and audio kits, teleprompter devices and the TV gallery. In case of any losses, support engineers also need to know how to correctly store data and create backup systems.
Technical Support Engineer Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for technical support engineers is approximately £20,000
- The broadcast salary for experienced technical support engineers that are in senior lead roles and in large broadcasting companies generally range from £30,000 to £50,000.
Systems Engineer
As computer networks play a huge role in broadcasting, systems engineers are vital in the broadcasting industry. Their responsibilities include: systems design, test execution, and the maintenance of engineering documents. This work might affect the efficiency of other departments; a production team being able to check their scripts or budget at any time of day, or that footage can reach miles away from where it is shot. Since broadcast industry jobs are very fast paced, it is important to get well equipped as a systems engineer. Network systems are made up of both hardware and software that systems engineers overlook to ensure they run smoothly and successfully. If there is an issue with the network, systems engineers would need to figure out what is causing it and find a solution to fix it.
System Engineer Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for system engineers is approximately £23,000
- The broadcast salary for experienced engineers that are in senior lead roles and in large broadcasting companies generally range from £30,000 to £60,000.
Design Engineer
Design engineers plan and execute broadcast projects. They work closely with other technical teams to ensure their projects include the broadcast technology that they want to use. Their daily responsibilities include: manage developments, troubleshoot plans and fixing them and testing products and analysing data. They will also often have to work to a budget and plan the design based on a list of technologies required. Attention to detail is especially important for these engineers as it is their responsibility to know exactly how a project will be put together.
Design Engineer Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for design engineers is approximately £25,000
- The broadcast salary for experienced design engineers that are in senior lead roles in large broadcasting companies generally range from £30,000 to £50,000.
Software Engineer
These engineers design, develop, and look after and test software used in broadcasting. Their developments would need to be safe from cyber threats and bugs to avoid running into any problems. In order to work collaboratively with the rest of the engineers, they are required to write testing plans for any new features that are added for the rest of the engineers using it. There are a range of programming languages that software engineers could need to be proficient in. These include: C++, Java, Rust, Python and CSS.
Software Engineer Salary Expectations:
- The starting salary for software engineers is approximately £25,000
- The broadcast salary for experienced software engineers that are in senior lead roles in large broadcasting companies generally range from £35,000 to £60,000.
Qualifications Required for the Broadcast Industry
Most broadcasting recruitment agencies and broadcasting companies require at least a bachelor’s degree when considering someone as a prospective employee. However, advanced degrees like a masters would allow you to get a better salary. These will allow you to keep up with the other fast paced broadcast industry jobs you will be supporting.
Here are some of the typical bachelor’s degree or higher required:
- Electrical Engineering
- Telecommunications
- Computer Engineering
- Broadcast and Communication Technology
- Computer Science
- Software Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
These qualifications, along with hands-on experience in the industry allow you to have a good chance in securing a role in the broadcast industry.
Professional Development in the Broadcast Industry
Due to the advancement of broadcast technology, it is important to stay up to date by taking further training. Professional development will allow you to build on your existing broadcast skills and use new equipment.
Here are some of the courses and specific certifications you can take:
- Screenskills’ master classes
- The University of Surrey’s 5 day course
- Interlligent UK’s customised training courses
- Internet Protocol Engineering Professional (IPEP)
- IT Online Learning courses
- The vast range of courses on The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Employers for Broadcast Industry Jobs
In terms of the biggest and main employers for broadcast industry jobs, there are many options:
How to Apply for Broadcast Industry Jobs
- Write a Strong CV: After researching the job role, outline your technical and soft skills, achievements in a way that is visually appealing and easy to read. Include any programming languages you are proficient in, such as Python, MATLAB or CAD software.
- Write a cover letter specific to the role: Display your passion in the broadcast industry. Write about any specific projects or skills that are relevant to the role and would portray you as a good fit.
- Network in the Industry: Attending broadcast industry events, like The Media Production Show, and Broadcast Tech fest, can allow you to get a deeper insight into the industry and show a genuine interest. This will allow you to stand out against other candidates who are also applying for the role.
- Using Tech Recruitment Agencies: Finding a broadcast industry job through a tech recruitment agency like Hexwired Recruitment, or a broadcast recruitment agency can make your job search an easier process. Our recruitment specialists can make this search easy for you and connect you with the right role for your needs.
Industries and Demand for Engineers in the Broadcast Industry
Broadcast industry jobs are in demand across all industries and it is important to know which one is most suited to you. This way, the job of the tech recruitment agency or broadcast recruitment agency like Hexwired will be as tailored as possible.
- Television: This is a broadcasting service consisting of the transmission of visual images intended for direct reception by the general public. TV services may be transmitted over cable, terrestrial wireless or satellite platforms.
- Audio Production: This is the process of creating and manipulating sound recordings, often using tools like digital audio workstation and other audio technology.
- Radio: This is the transmission of sound from one place to another. It includes sending this audio over AM and FM, DAB and streaming over the internet. This is in demand as its purpose is to send our information like news, or sports commentary quickly and accurately.
The demand for these skilled professionals and engineers is still growing due to the increasing need for media to be sent overseas to different countries at a faster pace. This makes the broadcast industry extremely stable, and a perfect industry to get into.
Now that you have all the insights, get into the broadcast industry today.
By registering with Hexwired, the top tech recruitment agency in the UK, or a broadcast tech recruitment agency, you can get matched with a broadcast industry job in the UK that meets your needs.
About Hexwired Technology Recruitment
Hexwired recruitment provide a tailored and cost-effective tech recruitment services for our clients, helping employers to hire skilled professionals in software engineering that are suited to the business needs quickly. Our technical consultants’ knowledge and understanding of the sector, alongside their experience in the tech industry is one of the reasons we excel at finding you the right candidates in software.
We provide both contract and permanent solutions to the technology sector, covering areas such as Embedded Software, Electronics (FPGA, Digital Design, RF, IC Design), Software Test, C++ software engineer, Python, Golang, Machine Learning and Data Science, Technical Sales and Project management, and more. Need help hiring permanent/contract talent or looking for a new job? Contact us today.
