The customer-based and customer-directed Technical Support Engineer - Video Headend Services provides dedicated operational, out-of-hours, and on-call support for Video Headend Engineering (VHE) services, ensuring service continuity, rapid incident response, and effective escalation management across critical broadcast and video delivery platforms.
The role supports a complex broadcast and video ecosystem that includes contribution, encoding, transcoding, multiplexing, monitoring, encryption, IPTV, OTT, and disaster recovery services. The Technical Support Engineer works closely with Network Operations Centre (NOC) teams, Service Desk personnel, incident managers, broadcasters, suppliers, vendors, and internal engineering teams to restore services quickly and maintain high levels of operational availability.
Key Responsibilities
The Technical Support Engineer - Video Headend Services will be responsible for:
- Providing dedicated operational and technical support for all Video Headend Engineering-related services and platforms.
- Responding to 24/7 on-call activations initiated by the NOC, Service Desk, incident managers, automated monitoring systems, equipment alerts, or service alarms.
- Investigating, troubleshooting, and coordinating the resolution of incidents affecting:
- Video headend platforms
- Contribution feeds
- Encoding and transcoding systems
- Multiplexing environments
- Encryption and conditional access platforms
- IPTV services
- OTT and ABR delivery platforms
- Supporting on-demand activation of disaster recovery workflows, including migration to alternative contribution feeds, cloud playout environments, and backup service paths.
- Monitoring service performance using operational monitoring tools, probes, and analytics platforms to identify service degradations and performance issues.
- Taking ownership of incidents through to resolution, ensuring timely communication with all stakeholders.
- Escalating complex technical issues to engineering teams, vendors, broadcasters, or third-party suppliers while maintaining overall incident ownership.
- Ensuring accurate documentation of incidents, troubleshooting activities, corrective actions, escalations, and service outcomes.
- Supporting planned migration activities from legacy platforms to newer vDCM and next-generation video delivery technologies.
- Participating in operational reviews and contributing to service improvement initiatives.
- Supporting change implementation activities where required and ensuring operational readiness for service-affecting changes.
- Maintaining awareness of platform architecture, operational procedures, and customer-specific requirements.
Technical Knowledge and Experience
The successful candidate should possess a strong understanding of video headend operations and demonstrate the willingness to further develop expertise across the customer environment.
Essential Knowledge
- Video contribution technologies including:
- Satellite contribution
- IP contribution
- SRT contribution
- SDI
- ASI
- IPTV architecture and multicast delivery workflows.
- OTT and Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming technologies.
- Video multiplexing, feed normalisation, service packaging, and stream management.
- Encoding and transcoding technologies, including third-party encoder platforms such as ATEME.
- Synamedia DCM and vDCM platforms, particularly within multiplexing and migration environments.
- Encryption, conditional access, and content protection technologies, including Verimatrix.
- Service monitoring tools and probes, including:
- BridgeTech
- Skyline DataMiner
- Operational support of VSPP and Velocix platforms where applicable.
- MPEG transport streams and video compression technologies.
- Strong understanding of IPTV and OTT broadcast environments, including the ability to:
- Diagnose ETR 290 transport stream issues
- Identify root causes
- Recommend and implement appropriate resolutions
On-Call and Support Model
- The role forms part of a dedicated support team providing operational coverage for Video Headend Engineering services.
- Participation in a 24/7 on-call rota is required during assigned support periods.
- Duty rota handovers take place every Tuesday at 08:00.
- The current support pool consists of four engineers, with each engineer typically covering one week in every four.
- Typical weekly call-out volumes range between 0 and 10 incidents.
- Engineers should expect approximately 2 to 3 automated overnight call-outs per week during duty periods.
- The engineer is expected to provide professional incident ownership and service restoration support during all assigned duty periods.
Training and Development
Comprehensive training will be provided on customer-specific systems, platforms, and operational processes.
Areas of development include:
- ATEME encoding platforms
- Synamedia DCM platforms
- vDCM technologies
- Skyline DataMiner
- BridgeTech monitoring solutions
- Legacy and future-state video delivery platforms
- Migration programmes and service transformation initiatives
- Customer-specific operational and escalation procedures
The successful candidate will be expected to continuously develop technical knowledge and maintain awareness of emerging technologies within the broadcast and video delivery industry.
Required Skills and Behaviours
Technical Skills
- Strong troubleshooting and fault diagnosis capabilities.
- Ability to analyse complex service-impacting incidents.
- Understanding of broadcast, IPTV, OTT, and video delivery technologies.
- Ability to work effectively within structured incident and escalation processes.
- Strong documentation and knowledge management discipline.
Professional Skills
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to remain calm and methodical during major incidents.
- Strong communication skills when dealing with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation abilities.
- Ability to work independently during on-call periods.
- Strong customer focus and commitment to service excellence.
- Collaborative approach when working with operational and engineering teams.
Language Requirements
- Fluent English, both written and spoken.
- Ability to understand and respond in writing to Dutch and French communications.
Preferred Experience
Candidates will ideally have experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Broadcast operations and support environments.
- Video headend operations.
- Managed services organisations.
- Mission-critical service support environments.
- IPTV platform operations.
- OTT and streaming technologies.
- Video contribution networks.
- Encoding and transcoding solutions.
- Video multiplexing systems.
- Encryption and conditional access platforms.
- Skyline DataMiner administration and support.
- BridgeTech or similar video monitoring and analysis platforms.
- Operational support within a 24/7 shift or on-call environment.
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant experience within broadcast, video delivery, telecommunications, or technical support environments.
- Demonstrable experience supporting complex technical services and infrastructure.
Desirable
- Degree or equivalent qualification in:
- Telecommunications
- Broadcast Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electronic Engineering
- Network Engineering
- Industry certifications relevant to broadcast, networking, cloud, or video delivery technologies.
.