Camera Operator

Churchill Downs Incorporated is hiring a Camera Operator at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. This role sits within the live broadcast production team, where you will operate professional broadcast cameras, including tower-mounted units and remote PTZ systems, to produce live television coverage of thoroughbred horse racing. It is a strong fit for a broadcast camera operator with live sports production experience who is comfortable working under a Technical Director in a real-time, multi-camera environment.

About the Role

The Camera Operator works directly within the live broadcast crew at one of the most recognized venues in American sports, covering race meets in Spring, September, and Fall, including the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. On any given production day, you may be assigned to a tower camera position or a remote PTZ camera position depending on the production schedule, and you need to be proficient at both. A typical shift runs 28 to 35 hours per week during the live racing season and includes capturing race action, paddock coverage, and beauty shots for broadcast.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate professional broadcast cameras, including traditional tower cameras and remote Pan-Tilt-Zoom systems, during live thoroughbred racing broadcasts under the direction of the Technical Director.
• Capture assigned live sports coverage including race action, paddock activity, on-track movement, and beauty shots as directed during production.
• Respond to real-time camera cues and production calls with accuracy, adjusting framing, focus, and movement to match broadcast requirements.
• Assist with camera equipment setup and breakdown at the start and end of each production day, including accessing elevated tower positions via ladder.
• Identify and communicate technical or equipment issues to the appropriate production team member before or during live broadcasts.
• Obtain and maintain a Kentucky racing license and complete all required background checks as mandated by the regulatory environment of the racetrack.

What You Bring

• Experience operating professional broadcast cameras in a live sports production or live event production environment.
• Hands-on experience with PTZ camera systems in a multi-camera broadcast setup.
• Ability to work a live broadcast schedule including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays as the racing calendar requires.
• High school diploma or GED required; familiarity with thoroughbred racing is a plus.
• Reliable transportation and the ability to work on-site at Churchill Downs Racetrack for the duration of the seasonal engagement.

Why This Role

Churchill Downs Racetrack has hosted continuous live sporting events since 1875, and the broadcast operation that covers its race meets reaches a national audience during some of the most-watched moments in American sports television. For a Camera Operator looking to build credits in live sports broadcast production, this is a direct path onto a professional multi-camera crew at a venue that carries genuine weight on a resume. The position is seasonal and part-time, which suits operators who work across multiple live production engagements throughout the year.

Apply now for the Camera Operator position with Churchill Downs Incorporated and bring your broadcast camera experience to one of the most recognized live sports productions in the country.