Maintenance Engineer Eastern Region

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The Field Maintenance Engineer is an onsite role working Monday through Friday. Quick response is needed for outages, including those caused by weather, planned maintenance, and system improvements. The position involves cross-training skills such as tower climbing, saw operation, driving, and first aid certification. Ideal candidates have strong technical aptitude, enjoy working outdoors, and demonstrate sound judgment, and a strong commitment to safety.

Experience in hands‑on field environments is highly transferable, as the technical aspects of the role can be taught.

The role is a balance between fieldwork and technical problem-solving. While tower climbing is only required about once a month, the job also includes troubleshooting equipment in-office. Experience with audio, video, or broadcast systems is preferred, along with the ability to install, troubleshoot, and repair electrical equipment. The role is best suited for self‑motivated individuals who can work independently and collaborate effectively within a small, close‑knit team.

The Field Maintenance Engineer is a member of the Bend‑based engineering team and is entrusted with a wide variety of duties supporting the Eastern Region of OPB’s statewide broadcast network. Our area of responsibility stretches from the Cascades to the Idaho border. This engineer works independently or with OPB staff and contractors on projects ranging from technical research, documentation, and test‑bench equipment repairs to winter trips accessing remote transmitter sites for maintenance.

We primarily work in digital television, FM radio, microwave, and fiber distribution. The engineer filling this position possesses methodical troubleshooting skills, safety awareness, and a spirit of adventure.

• Travel to transmitter sites in 4WD trucks or tracked snow vehicles, occasionally requiring hiking or snowshoeing
• Independently perform routine or emergency maintenance on equipment at transmitter sites, including TV, FM, and microwave air chains and controls, generators, building mechanical systems, and computer networks
• Erect, paint, reinforce, rebuild, or demolish site structures as necessary
• Trips are often 3-5 days long
• Perform basic vehicle maintenance as necessary

• Document installations, upgrades, and operational parameters
• Update databases with plans, drawings, and diagrams of changes
• Partner with staff in planning and designing new systems
• Create and revise simple documents for managing equipment, tools, programs, libraries, and supplies

• Represent OPB in routine interactions with viewers and listeners, vendors and contractors, fellow broadcasters and engineers, cable operators, utility companies, government agencies, emergency services personnel, and the people of the Pacific Northwest

• Participate in on‑the‑job training directed by Chief Engineers in signal flow, transmitter function, the use of test equipment, and repair and maintenance of broadcast facilities
• Create training presentations contributing to staff learning activities
• First Aid, CPR, and Wilderness Emergency Medicine compulsory
• Attendance when possible, at industry seminars

Conditions vary widely, from the Bend workshop to remote broadcast facilities across the state and include arduous travel and significant hands‑on activity outdoors year‑round. The position occasionally requires non‑traditional work hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays to respond to outages or emergencies.…