Technical Director I, Studio Ops

Disney is hiring a Technical Director I, Studio Ops at ESPN’s broadcast facility in Bristol, CT. This role sits within Studio Operations and centers on switching and preparing video elements for live and pre-recorded studio productions in a control room environment. It’s a good fit for a broadcast professional with control room experience who’s ready to work across a high volume of studio shows at the network level.

About the Role

The Technical Director I, Studio Ops works inside ESPN’s production operations structure, supporting a wide range of studio programming that spans daily shows and major live event coverage. Day-to-day work involves operating broadcast switchers, building and maintaining effects for specific productions, and measuring video signals against ESPN’s quality control standards. This is a hands-on control room position that requires fluency in plant signal flow and broadcast production workflow.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate broadcast equipment and switching technology within assigned control room areas during live studio production and pre-recorded programming.
• Build and maintain effects packages for various productions and communicate associated documentation to the full Technical Directing team.
• Monitor and measure video signals to ensure compliance with broadcast quality control standards across all operations.
• Participate in special event coverage, which may require schedule changes, overtime, and availability on nights and weekends.
• Generate training documentation and support onboarding for other operators in assigned areas when required by the department.
• File operational reports on equipment status, working conditions, and personal development as requested by management.

What You Bring

• Minimum two years of practical experience in broadcast content production at a regional, large market, or network level.
• Proficient knowledge of TV production equipment and technology used in live broadcast and studio production environments.
• Demonstrable experience with Grass Valley switchers and automation systems is preferred.
• Solid understanding of signal flow, routing, and broadcast communications equipment within a production operations workflow.
• Familiarity with remote event workflows and terminology is a plus, along with bilingual ability in English and Spanish.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Studio Production, or a related field is preferred.

Why This Role

ESPN produces more live sports programming than any other network, which means the volume and variety of work running through the Bristol facility is unlike most broadcast environments. Disney offers a full benefits package including medical and financial plans, and the hiring range for this Technical Director I, Studio Ops position in Bristol, CT is $54,000 to $72,300 per year based on a 40-hour work week, with bonus and long-term incentive units possible depending on the offer. For a TD looking to build credits across live event production and daily studio programming at the network level, this is a substantive next step.

Apply now for the Technical Director I, Studio Ops role at Disney and bring your control room experience to one of the most active broadcast operations in the country.