Encoding Engineer: Live Event Broadcast

Job Title: Encoding Engineer: Live Event Broadcast Location: Cupertino CA Duration: 6 Weeks Schedule:Weeks 14: 10-hour days, business hours | Weeks 5G: Extended days up to 14 hours, including evenings and weekend work About This Engagement Clients Worldwide Events and Experiences team is seeking an elite-level Encoding Engineer to support a high-profile global live broadcast. This is a zero-tolerance-for-failure environment delivering to multi-million concurrent viewers worldwide. We need someone who has been in this seat before not someone learning on the job. This is a highly focused, operationally intensive, G-week engagement. The right candidate arrives ready to execute from day one, thrives in high-stakes broadcast environments, and holds themselves to the same bar we hold this event: extraordinary. What You'll Do Pre-Event (Weeks 15) Review existing transmission workflows and failsafe plans; identify risks and recommend updates Validate all redundancy, failover, and backup procedures Review, update, and test existing encoding configuration files and their execution Prepare a detailed run-of-show checklist Participate in all pre-show tests and platform validations Assist with content QC to confirm proper asset delivery through all transmission pipelines During the Event (Week 5/6) Operate HLS encoders for looping test cycles, platform tests, rehearsals, and the live show Continuously monitor the full signal path from Encoder to CDN boundary Verify quality and health of encoding, delivery, and encoders in real time Validate player output and behavior across multiple platforms Serve as Point of Contact for the CDN team Execute failover procedures as needed; provide real-time technical guidance Manage state changes to the .com player Perform test encodes and segment preparation for VOD Maintain live incident logs throughout the broadcast Assist with HLS VOD upload to CDN Post-Event (Week 6) Deliver a technical debrief and report documenting lessons learned Restore all media and resources to archival locations Complete all required documentation to GitHub and NAS Perform any post-event asset corrections, including re-encodes or content replacement Required Qualifications Given the stakes of this event, every requirement below is a genuine minimum bar. 10+ years of hands-on experience in online broadcast / live streaming operations at organizations that regularly deliver to >5 million concurrent viewers internationally Deep, expert-level command of HLS, including advanced manifest manipulation, multi-variant playlist generation, and adaptive bitrate (ABR) optimization Proven, recent operational experience with both on-premises and cloud-based encoding systems. On-prem AWS Elemental experience is critical Understanding of CDN behavior as it relates to encoding and packaging output, including packaging, downstream caching, origin configuration and ingest design. Demonstrated experience deploying and operating real-time stream health monitoring systems dashboards, telemetry, alerting across HLS manifest health, segment availability, bitrate laddering, and viewer QoE metrics Verifiable track record of designing and executing encoder failover and redundancy validation procedures at scale Experience authoring run-of-show documentation, incident logs, and post-event technical reports Fluency executing in high-pressure, zero-fail live broadcast environments candidates must be able to cite specific comparable engagements Preferred Qualifications Knowledge of accessibility and subtitle formats: WebVTT, TTML, CEA-C08/708 Familiarity with audio broadcast standards including Dolby Atmos and multi-channel formats Comfort coordinating with international partners across varying technical levels The Right Person This role is not suitable for someone building toward this level of work. The right candidate: Has done this exact job operated HLS encoders for global live events at the scale described above Can demonstrate a clear track record of specific events, viewer scale, and incident management Is comfortable with operational intensity extended days, fast decisions, and live event pressure Can hit the ground running in Week 1 with minimal onboarding time Applicant Notices & Disclaimers For information on benefits, equal opportunity employment, and location-specific applicant notices, click here At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position's starting pay is: $140.00/hr.