Distribution Operations Engineer

Warner Bros Discovery; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media company seeks an Operations Engineer to monitor and support its television distribution infrastructure. This role involves managing transmission systems during emergencies and maintaining communication with customers. Ideal candidates will possess experience in the broadcast or telecommunications sectors and the ability to troubleshoot signal quality issues effectively. A hybrid working model is available.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of television distribution systems, platforms, and standards.
• Ability to work without supervision, combining initiative with discretion.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Monitor all of WB Discovery’s channels.
• Manage transmission systems during emergency conditions.
• Respond to affiliate inquiries and maintain communication.

Skills

Experience in broadcast, media, or telecommunications

Knowledge of television distribution systems

Ability to troubleshoot signal quality issues

Excellent communication abilities

Tools

Video waveform monitor

Vector scope

Transport stream analyzer

Job description

Who We Are…

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the bringing our characters to life, the bringing them to your living rooms and the creating what’s next…

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

Our Team…

As Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) portfolio continues to grow – around the world and across platforms – the Technology & Operations team is building media technology and IT systems that meet world class standards for which WBD is known. T&O builds, implements and maintains the business systems and technology that are critical for delivering WBD’s products, while articulating the long-term technology strategy that will enable WBD’s growing pay-tv, digital terrestrial, free-to-air and online services to reach more audiences on more platforms.

Your New Role…

With a focus on networking, international satellite & fibre methodology and compression & distribution technologies reporting to the Senior Director of Distribution Engineering, this position is critical in monitoring and supporting WBD’s Global television distribution infrastructure and supporting our Live Events output. You will be a part of our Tier 1 behind-the-scenes operations support team expected to have a versatile skill set both technically and personally with the ability to stay focused and continually develop as an experienced and skilled technician. Operations Engineer’s in this role will have experience in leading difficult situations, staying calm, reacting quick under pressure and being able to execute on the key responsibilities noted below.

Your Role Accountabilities…

• Monitoring all of WB Discovery’s channels
• Manage the necessary switching of transmission systems during normal or emergency conditions to ensure that all services remain on the air.
• Respond to all affiliate enquiries and maintain on-going communication with customers, keeping them up-to-date with the progress of their tickets
• Serve as a liaison between other support teams and the customer as required by working collaboratively across all leadership levels
• Outage vetting – initiating of critical outage situations
• Manage incident and planned work tickets : uphold professional ticket management from the get-go for the benefit of the rest of the global support teams by ensuring all ticket types are logged, work logs comprehensively updated and then carefully manage routing to ensure resolution
• Liaise with third party fibre, uplink and playout providers during fault investigations.
• Provide input and issue written reports to various factions of the Technology & Operations groups about transmission system reliability.
• Routinely check the health of Distribution equipment.
• Proactively identify and address potential risks and vulnerabilities in our distribution infrastructure, recommending mitigation strategies
• Develop corporate oversight / participation in Distribution Technologies
• Assist with training and development of Distribution Staff Members as needed.
• Create and update documentation and procedures
• Implement, or assist with implementation of, changes to distribution infrastructure
• Identify, adjust, and help establish new monitors and metrics needs

Qualifications & Experience…

• Experience in a broadcast, media, or telecommunications environment.
• In-depth of television distribution systems, platforms, and standards.
• Working knowledge of digital baseband signals, SDI, HD-SDI and ASI for video and PCM, Dolby D and E and its variants for audio signals as well as awareness of TCP / IP Network concepts including multicast traffic
• Knowledge of and experience with SMPTE 2110
• Working experience with Television Distribution Systems – fibre and satellite based encoding, as well as Telemetry Monitoring and Control Systems
• Is able to operate associated test and analysis equipment including but not limited to video waveform monitor, vector scope and transport stream analyzer
• Specific experience and expertise in troubleshooting and correcting signal quality issues, signal routing, systems integration and maintenance
• Candidate should have working knowledge of MPEG-2 / 4 encoding technology, encryption / authorization technology and TVRO receive systems.
• Able to work without supervision, combining initiative with discretion
• Computer literacy, excellent oral and written communication abilities and close attention to details are required.
• Overnight, weekend, holidays, and rotating shifts are required as this is a 365 / 24 / 7 mission critical position to support the distribution reliability of WBD services.
• This position is considered an essential position. This means that during times of inclement weather, emergencies, or when access to the workplace may be impeded, that employees in this position are expected to report to work to support business continuance, unless otherwise instructed by their direct manager
• Able to communicate technical matters to technical and non-technical audiences
• Understand and be able to work with monitoring systems and related technologies
• Must be able to independently research, troubleshoot, and resolve trouble tickets within established Service Level Agreements
• Ability to provide Total Call Ownership to include handling irate customers, escalating issues as appropriate and providing the necessary follow up before incidents are closed
• Ability to define & document IT support procedures as required
• Ability to maintain focus in a high pressure environment

Hybrid Working - This role is advertised as a Hybrid work model, that combines remote and in-office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your Line Manager. Subject to any applicable laws, WBD / your Line Manager reserves the right to change this working agreement where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.

Onsite Working - This role is advertised as Onsite, meaning all working hours and days (regardless of shift pattern) will be carried out at the place of work. Subject to any applicable laws, WBD / your Line Manager reserves the right to change this working agreement, where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.

How We Get Things Done…

This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

Championing Inclusion at WBD

Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.