CoSTAR Technical Operations Manager

Royal Holloway, University of London; Borough of Runnymede; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university specializing in creative technology seeks a Technical Operations Manager to lead the technical infrastructure at the CoSTAR Stage. The role involves managing a multidisciplinary team, overseeing systems integration, and ensuring operational excellence. Candidates should have significant experience in media technology and hands-on knowledge of production tools like Unreal Engine. A commitment to diversity and innovation in creative tech is essential. Generous benefits include training, pension scheme, and annual leave.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Training and Development opportunities

Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution

Cycle to Work scheme

Free parking

Qualifications

• Significant experience in media technology or R&D.
• Strong technical knowledge of AV and stage systems.
• Hands-on understanding of immersive production tools.
• Ability to manage teams and suppliers in innovative settings.
• Strategic thinker with a problem-solving approach.
• Commitment to equality and diversity in tech.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multidisciplinary team for operational excellence.
• Oversee systems commissioning and maintenance.
• Coordinate workflows with in-house teams and suppliers.
• Develop operational procedures and workflows.
• Forecast technical resource needs aligned with strategic goals.
• Integrate new R&D technologies into core infrastructure.
• Promote innovation and sustainability across operations.

Skills

Leadership in technical operations

Integration of AV and IT systems

Managing multidisciplinary teams

Problem-solving

Tools

Unreal Engine

Disguise

Job description

Right to work: Please note that it will not be possible for the University to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to the successful candidate for this position. Therefore, the appointable candidate will need to be eligible to work in the UK or have leave to remain in the UK and associated right to work for the duration of their employment with the University, in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Full-Time, Permanent

The role

We are seeking a highly skilled and collaborative Technical Operations Manager to lead and optimise the technical infrastructure and operations of the CoSTAR Stage at Pinewood Studios – the flagship facility of the UK’s National R&D Lab for Creative Technology.

This is an exceptional opportunity to play a central role in the delivery of world-class technical operations that underpin cutting‑edge research and development in virtual production, AI, immersive media and converged creative technologies.

You will recruit and lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers, technicians and external suppliers to ensure operational excellence, technical integration and continuous improvement across all aspects of the CoSTAR Stage’s technical systems and facilities.

Working closely with the Director of Technology and Studio Manager, you will ensure the seamless coordination of hardware, software and network infrastructure, supporting innovation and production workflows across the CoSTAR National Lab and its partners.

About the National R&D Lab

The CoSTAR National Lab for R&D in Creative Technology is the largest ever investment in creative industries R&D in UK history: a £51.1 m programme led by Royal Holloway, University of London to develop a National R&D Lab for creative technologies to ensure the UK’s screen and performance industries have innovation infrastructure needed to compete globally. Our consortium brings together world‑leading research teams from media production, psychology, business and drama at Royal Holloway; Creative‑AI at the University of Surrey; and Creative (Games) Technologies at Abertay University; as well as the professional training at the National Film & Television School. By partnering with Pinewood Studios, BT and Disguise, the CoSTAR National R&D Lab will place R&D at the heart of UK storytelling and storytelling at the heart of R&D.

What you will be doing

1. Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team of studio technicians, systems engineers and creative technologists to ensure technical and operational excellence.
2. Oversee commissioning, maintenance and optimisation of studio and production systems, ensuring reliability, security and compliance.
3. Coordinate workflows between in‑house teams and suppliers, managing schedules, SLA and performance reviews.
4. Develop and document operational procedures, workflows and escalation processes in collaboration with the Studio Manager.
5. Forecast technical resource requirements and align operational goals with CoSTAR’s strategic objectives.
6. Integrate new R&D technologies (including AI and immersive systems) into the Lab’s core infrastructure.
7. Promote innovation, inclusivity and sustainability across all aspects of technical operations.
8. You will work closely with partners across the CoSTAR network and Royal Holloway to ensure the Lab remains at the forefront of media technology integration and creative R&D.

Qualifications

1. Have significant experience leading complex technical operations within a media technology, R&D, or virtual production environment.
2. Demonstrate a strong technical knowledge of AV, IT and stage systems, with proven ability to integrate and optimise complex infrastructures.
3. Possess hands‑on understanding of Unreal Engine, Disguise or similar real‑time and immersive production tools.
4. Are adept at managing multidisciplinary teams, suppliers and stakeholders in fast‑paced, innovative settings.
5. Are a strategic thinker with a practical approach to problem‑solving and continuous improvement.
6. Are committed to advancing equality, diversity, inclusion and sustainability within the creative technology sector.

In return we offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Training and Development opportunities
• Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
• Various schemes including Cycle to Work, Season Ticket Loans and help with the cost of Eyesight testing.
• Free parking

This post is initially based in Egham, Surrey, but with the expectation of significant working time at the National Lab located within the region and some national travel expected.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is a priority for CoSTAR. As such, we actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are especially keen to recruit people from groups currently under‑represented in creative technology including women, non‑binary and disabled people and ethnic minority/ global majority candidates.