AV Engineer
The AV engineer is the one who plays the central role in setting up, configuring, and maintaining systems such as cameras, lighting, microphones, and control systems for broadcasts and communications. Businesses and organizations of all industries and sizes need specialists with AV equipment on their side, so what does the role entail?
Job Description & Responsibilities of AV Engineer
AV Engineers are an authority figure in the operational of multimedia technologies for the business. As such, they choose, install, implement and configure both simple and complex AV technologies to meet the broadcasting needs of the organization. Furthermore, they’re often responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining the AV systems in question. An AV team may have multiple engineers, each with different responsibilities.
As such, the duties and job description of the average AV engineer can vary greatly. However, there are a few that are likely to be more frequently encountered than others, including the following:
- Ensuring that AV hardware and software is prepared to meet the needs of the organization.
- Offering plans and advice for live audio and video events, including broadcasts, conferences, and so on.
- Operating the master controls of AV systems during events.
- Maintenance, troubleshooting and problem-solving of hardware and software
- Storing, transporting, assembling and disassembling AV equipment.
- Ensuring the production and updating of AV documentation such as user guides.
- Cabling and wiring to implement technologies into AV setups.
Qualifications & Skills of AV Engineer
AV Engineer is a broad term. As such, it can cover a lot of different duties, each of which demands different levels of education. The more complex AV environments with more complex equipment are likely to require those with more education, such as a degree (bachelor’s or associate’s) in broadcast/AV technology, creative video production, communications and other relevant fields.
Furthermore, besides engineer capabilities, experience in multimedia, broadcasting, streaming, or other AV environments are essential for opening up other work opportunities. Here are some of the other skills you may be expected to bring:
- Competence with video conference and broadcasting systems
- Expertise in processing control, routing, and audio video signal flow with broadcast software.
- Understanding AV technologies and IT systems on a technical level
- Awareness of the latest trends, hardware, and features in AV equipment
- Familiarity with graphics, encoding and video editing software.
- Interpersonal, delegation, and teamwork skills.
- The ability to clearly understand to and respond to needs as communicated by other members of the team.
Certifications
The right certifications can be the proof that you need to demonstrate your skills. For freelance AV engineers, there is Field Engineer they are crucial for helping them stay competitive and to unlock more lucrative work opportunities. When you upload your resume to Field Engineer.
Bringing with you the following certifications can greatly increase your chances of finding better, bigger projects:
- AVIXA CTS
- Creston
- Extron
- CEDIA
Job Outlook
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the available full-time positions for AV engineers is expected to grow by around 8% by 2026, translating to roughly 10,700 new jobs available since 2016.
AV engineers usually work internally for organizations. Whenever there’s a broadcast, live event, video conference, or any other matter that needs AV help, the engineer is on hand to make sure that it goes smoothly. As such, engineers may be the sole expert with AV technologies on hand, or they may work as part of a greater overall AV team.
Freelance AV engineers tend to find opportunities that are much more diverse and often more specific than the work they would do as an employee of an organization. For instance, they may help manage different types of broadcasts and events for a single time only, or they may join an AV team for several projects before moving on. If you want to see the kind of work that a freelance AV engineer can find, Field Engineer is the place to see what’s available.
Pay Scale
According to PayScale.com, the average salary for an AV Engineer is $56,496. At the higher end of the scale, experience engineers in more desirable positions may make as much as up to $117,947 per year.
For freelancers, that can translate to an average of $24.40 per hour. However, this rate ranges anywhere from around $16 to $78. When freelancing, it’s essential to make sure you’re charging your worth based on your qualifications.
Field Engineer allows freelance AV engineers to find the positions most suited to their resume so you can see just how well valued your qualifications and certifications are by looking at what jobs are available to you. Get started with Field Engineer today and see where you can take your career as an AV engineer.
