Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Technical Operator

🎯 Role Definition

As a Technical Operator, you are the first line of defense for our entire technical infrastructure. You will be responsible for the 24/7 monitoring, operation, and initial troubleshooting of our production systems, whether in a broadcast, data center, or network operations center (NOC) environment. Your primary mission is to ensure maximum uptime and operational excellence by swiftly identifying, triaging, and resolving technical issues according to established procedures. This role is crucial for maintaining the quality and reliability of our services and requires a keen eye for detail and a calm, methodical approach under pressure.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

IT Support Specialist or Helpdesk Technician
Junior System Administrator or Field Technician
Production Assistant or Media Manager
Electronics or AV Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Technical Operator or Operations Team Lead
Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineer
Broadcast or Systems Engineer
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance (QA) Analyst
DevOps Technician
Technical Project Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Proactively monitor the health and performance of all critical production systems, applications, and infrastructure using enterprise-grade monitoring tools to ensure uptime and service-level agreement (SLA) compliance.
Operate and maintain complex technical equipment, including broadcast master control systems, server hardware, and network devices, ensuring they function within optimal parameters.
Execute a comprehensive daily checklist of operational tasks to verify system integrity, complete routine maintenance, and prepare for daily production activities.
Act as the first point of contact for all system-generated alerts and alarms, performing initial investigation and triage to determine the scope and impact of potential issues.
Conduct first-level troubleshooting for hardware, software, and network incidents, applying documented procedures to achieve a swift resolution and minimize service disruption.
Meticulously document all incidents, including symptoms, actions taken, and resolutions, within an incident management system like Jira or ServiceNow for tracking and analysis.
Escalate complex, unresolved issues to Tier 2/3 engineering teams with clear, concise, and detailed information to facilitate a rapid and effective response.
Manage the ingestion, quality control (QC), and processing of digital media assets, ensuring they meet technical specifications for broadcast or distribution.
Perform scheduled and emergency switching of on-air sources, and execute playlists and commercial breaks with precision in a live broadcast environment.
Troubleshoot and diagnose issues within complex signal flows, from source acquisition through processing and distribution, including SDI, ASI, and IP-based video/audio streams.
Install, rack, stack, and cable new server and network equipment within the data center or technical core, following best practices for cable management and labeling.
Conduct routine physical inspections of technical facilities, monitoring environmental controls such as power distribution units (PDUs), UPS systems, and HVAC for anomalies.
Follow and enforce strict change management procedures when deploying software updates, configuration changes, or hardware modifications in the production environment.
Assist in the execution of disaster recovery and business continuity plans, participating in regular drills and providing feedback to improve procedures.
Generate and distribute regular operational status reports, summarizing system performance, incident trends, and the status of ongoing maintenance activities.
Provide real-time technical support during high-profile live events, broadcasts, or critical processing windows, ensuring seamless execution.
Maintain the physical and logical security of the operational environment, managing access control and monitoring for unauthorized activity.
Collaborate closely with various teams, including Engineering, Development, and Customer Support, to ensure clear communication and coordinated efforts during incidents.
Create, update, and maintain comprehensive documentation for operational procedures, system configurations, and troubleshooting guides in the organization's knowledge base.
Monitor and manage resource utilization, including CPU, memory, storage, and network bandwidth, to identify performance bottlenecks and plan for future capacity needs.
Coordinate with third-party vendors and service providers for support, maintenance, and troubleshooting of their respective systems and circuits.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to assist engineering teams in root cause analysis.
Contribute to the organization's operational strategy by identifying opportunities for automation and process improvement.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs and service requirements into operational and monitoring configurations.
Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospective meetings as part of an agile operations team.
Assist in the training and onboarding of junior operators, sharing knowledge and promoting best practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

System Monitoring: Proficiency with enterprise monitoring tools such as Datadog, Nagios, Zabbix, SolarWinds, or similar platforms.
Incident Management: Experience using ticketing systems like Jira, ServiceNow, or PagerDuty for tracking and managing incidents.
Operating Systems: Strong working knowledge of Linux (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) and/or Windows Server environments.
Networking Fundamentals: Solid understanding of TCP/IP networking, DNS, DHCP, and common network protocols.
Scripting: Basic ability to read and/or write scripts in languages like Bash, Python, or PowerShell for automation and simple tasks.
Hardware Management: Hands-on experience with server and network hardware installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance in a data center setting.
Broadcast Technology (If applicable): Familiarity with master control automation, video/audio routing systems, waveform monitors, and signal standards (e.g., SDI, SMPTE 2110).

Soft Skills

Problem-Solving: Exceptional analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to remain calm and effective under high-pressure situations.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous and precise in executing procedures, documenting incidents, and monitoring for subtle system anomalies.
Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate technical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Teamwork & Collaboration: A collaborative mindset with a proven ability to work effectively within a team and across departments.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, 24/7/365 operational environment with shifting priorities and a continuous learning mindset.
Ownership & Accountability: A strong sense of personal responsibility for the stability and performance of the systems under your purview.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED combined with relevant technical certifications (e.g., CompTIA A+/Network+, Cisco CCNA).

Preferred Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Information Technology or Computer Science
Broadcast Technology or Media Production
Electrical or Computer Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of experience in a technical operations, network operations center (NOC), broadcast operations, or data center environment.

Preferred:

Direct experience working in a mission-critical, 24/7/365 environment is highly desirable and will be given strong consideration.