Radio Broadcast Technician I (USAGM)

United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) • Grimesland, NC

22h • Onsite

About The Position

The Radio Broadcast Technician-I applies basic and some advanced technical knowledge to solve routine problems by interpreting manufacturers’ manual or similar documents. Work requires familiarity with the interrelationships of circuits and judgment in planning work sequence, in selecting proper tools and equipment, testing instruments, and it is reviewed for compliance with accepted practices. This technician works under immediate supervision and receives technical guidance, as required, from the supervisor of higher-level technician.

Requirements

• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, standard rules, procedures, or operations requiring substantial training or experience in standard electronics, methods, and equipment sufficient to: (1) Devise means of arranging, mounting, and wiring components in a chassis or system to ensure: (a) possible sources of electrical or RF interference are physically isolated or shielded; (b) high voltage sources are adequately addressed and comply with standard practices; and, (c) mounting, spacing, and related configurations are sufficient to avoid malfunctioning under extreme temperature, shock, vibrations, and high voltage and current conditions. (3) Construct working model of prototype designs for equipment modifications or changes to installation requirements to meet specific shape, space, and overall functional requirements. (4) Construct nonstandard components and circuits from sketches and CAD drawings or schematics produced in conjunction with more senior technicians or engineers.
• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, specialized electronics principles, concepts, methods, and equipment requiring extensive training or experience sufficient to: (1) Gather research, technical data, and information on unusual design characteristics; (2) Analyze technical data to determine applicability to design problems; (3) Determine and advise engineers on relative practicality of developing new or adapting existing equipment. (4) Test and evaluate for electromagnetic characteristics and performance in a varied spectrum environment.
• Specialized knowledge related to Radio Frequency (RF) broadcast principles including: (1) Vacuum tube design, parameters and applications. (2) Antenna impedance and matching characteristics. (3) Traditional practices and methods incorporated into amplitude and digitally modulated RF broadcast radio designs to minimize distortions, increase efficiencies, and optimize broadcast quality.
• Knowledge and abilities to use established guidelines and procedures, operate and make operational adjustments to a variety of instruments and equipment.
• Knowledge and abilities to extract data and measurements from a variety of prescribed sources; recognize and resolve errors that are readily apparent.
• Knowledge of, and skill to process data according to well-defined methods and established formulas using mathematics, elementary algebra and geometry, and standard formulas.
• Assist higher-graded technicians working in a variety of specialized processes, with a variety of equipment, and performing tests having various complexity levels.
• Knowledge of, and skill in the preparation of notes for descriptions and revisions, selecting standard abbreviations and legends common to the field or specialty.
• Ability to keep appropriate records and prepare information by several graphical means through the use of standard computer software programs.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize work.
• Outstanding attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Creative mind with an ability to suggest improvements.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the tuning, operation and maintenance of high power, (up to 500,000 watts),high frequency radio broadcast and telecommunications transmitters and all ancillary electronic and mechanical subsystems maintenance and operation of digital telephony equipment, operation and maintenance of analog and digital microwave communications systems, and operation and maintenance of station computer controlled systems.
• Monitors operation of all transmitter and ancillary equipment, recording operating parameters, analyzing and diagnosing performance variations and determining appropriate corrective action for equipment malfunctions.
• Ensures the proper functioning of mechanical equipment such as pumps, ventilating systems and various water, vapor and cooling systems necessary to prevent damage and/or destruction to high power transmitters, and environmental control systems for receiver and satellite communications equipment.
• Works with more senior technicians in the development of solutions to technical problems to minimize outages by improving equipment efficiency and operational reliability. Solutions may include: (1) redesign and modification of existing equipment; (2) redesign of individual parts and subsystems; (3) minor fabrication of new parts or adjustments to existing parts; and, (4) installation and testing new units.
• Performs routine preventive maintenance and ‘proof of performance’ routines on broadcast transmitters and associated equipment at the transmitting station. Utilizes variety of electronic test and measurement equipment to evaluate system performance characteristics.
• Performs data entry into station computers for maintenance logging, schedule changes, and outage reporting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed