AY Student Broadcast Production Engineer (WS-ST2)

Job Title: Student Broadcast Production Engineer (WS-ST2)

Classification: Student Employee (non-exempt)

Name and Address of Employer: St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Ave, Northfield, MN 55057

Department Name: Broadcast Media Services

Unit Number (5 digits): 14127

Length of Position: See Employment Authorization 

Contact Person/Supervisor: Director of Broadcast/Media Services

Wage Range: $12.00-13.00/hour

Description of the Position: (Purpose of the Position):

The Student Broadcast Production Engineer supports the live and recorded audio, video, streaming, amplification, and presentation of concerts, worship services, academic programs, institutional ceremonies, and other College events. The position prepares and operates production systems and participates fully in equipment transport, setup, strike, and other physical production-support work.

Students begin with structured training and are approved for production roles based on demonstrated competence. Prior technical experience is helpful but not required. Following successful completion of an initial training and assessment period, the department anticipates continued employment throughout the student’s remaining time at St. Olaf, subject to satisfactory performance, continued eligibility, staffing needs, and available funding.

Required paid staff meetings and training sessions are generally scheduled during Community Time when SOAR is not in session.  

Transferable Skills:

• Communication: Share production information clearly, respond to cues, ask questions, and report problems accurately.

• Critical Thinking: Review event needs, monitor systems, recognize problems, and take appropriate action within training and authority.

• Professionalism: Arrive prepared and on time, remain attentive, represent the College appropriately, provide a service-minded attitude toward campus constituencies, and complete assigned work.

• Teamwork: Work cooperatively with professional staff and student crews in technical and physical production tasks.

• Technology: Learn and operate professional audio, video, recording, streaming, graphics, projection, and presentation systems.

• Career and Self-Development: Build competence through training, varied assignments, feedback, and experience.

• Community and Belonging: Contribute to a respectful and supportive working environment.

• Leadership: Take ownership of assigned work and demonstrate readiness for increasing responsibility.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Preparation, Setup, and Transport

• Review event information and production instructions; arrive with enough time to prepare and test assigned systems.

• Communicate with staff, coworkers, performers, presenters, and event partners to confirm needs and resolve missing information.

• Load, unload, transport, assemble, position, connect, and test audio visual equipment.

Audio Work

• Prepare and operate microphones, consoles, playback, recording, amplification, and related audio systems.

• Assist with microphone placement, cabling, patching, testing, and sound checks; monitor audio quality and intelligibility and respond to routine problems within established procedures.

• Coordinate audio cues, playback, starts, stops, and transitions with the production crew and complete routine recording, editing, export, or handoff tasks when assigned.

Video and Presentation Work

• Prepare and operate cameras, graphics, projection, presentation, recording, streaming, playback, and related video systems after completing applicable training.

• Frame cameras, prepare graphics and presentation materials, follow cues, monitor assigned outputs, and coordinate timing and transitions with the production crew.

• Recognize routine video, signal, graphics, playback, recording, projection, or streaming problems and take approved corrective steps; save or hand off recordings when required.

Cleanup and Assignment Completion

• Remain through assigned post-event and strike responsibilities unless released by professional staff.

• Disconnect, strike, transport, store, and account for equipment; remove tape, coil cables, and restore venues, vehicles, and workspaces.

• Report missing or damaged equipment, mistakes, technical problems, incomplete work, and follow-up needs clearly and promptly.

Safety and Equipment Care

• Follow College and departmental safety requirements for lifting, carrying, vehicle loading, carts, ladders, tools, cables, electrical equipment, outdoor work, and other production activities.

• Use appropriate assistance and equipment when moving heavy or awkward items; correct routine hazards and stop work when a task appears unsafe or exceeds training, authorization, comfort, or physical ability.

Training and Professional Expectations

• Complete required College and departmental training, including safety training, and participate in an initial training and assessment period.

• Attend required paid staff meetings and training sessions, communicate unavoidable absences in advance, and promptly review missed information or training.

• Record all work, meeting, and training time accurately; receive and apply feedback from professional staff and Student Lead Broadcast Production Engineers.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications: (Education/Experience/Skills)

• Ability and willingness to learn professional audio, video, recording, streaming, projection, graphics, presentation, and related production systems.

• Ability to communicate clearly, follow written and verbal instructions, respond accurately to cues, and remain attentive during live events.

• Ability to work cooperatively and complete preparation, setup, production, strike, cleanup, and reporting responsibilities.

• Willingness to work in environments occasionally involving loud sound, dust, dirt, outdoor temperatures, and changing weather conditions.

• Ability to attend required paid staff meetings and training sessions and to work frequent evenings, weekends, early mornings, academic breaks, and other event-dependent hours.

• Ability to complete required College and departmental training.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education/Experience/Skills)

• Previous experience with audio, video, live production, recording, streaming, photography, music, theater technology, event support, information technology, or equivalent experience.

• Experience working collaboratively in a team environment and demonstrated reliability in completing time-sensitive responsibilities.

• Familiarity with live-event settings such as concerts, worship, ceremonies, theater, athletics, or public presentations.

• Experience using computers and learning unfamiliar technical systems.

Prior technical experience is helpful but not required.

Physical and Environmental Factors

This position requires crouching, stooping, kneeling/crawling, climbing/balancing, reaching overhead, grasping/handling, pushing/pulling, lifting and carrying objects up to 50 lbs., repetitive motions, and operating equipment or machinery to perform the essential functions. It also may require exposure to loud noise and heights or cramped quarters to perform the essential functions. Candidates must possess the ability to safely perform the physical work required of all duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

This job description is for general information purposes.  It is not intended to list all duties and responsibilities of the position.  This job description is subject to change at any time by St. Olaf College, with or without prior notice.