Senior R&D Engineer

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JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent.
DEPARTMENT: BBC R&D
LOCATION: London: The Lighthouse - Hybrid, Manchester: Salford Dock House - Hybrid
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Up to £65,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights. + London Weighting £5,441

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application - though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

You'll have responsibility for researching and evaluating new video codecs, shaping picture quality analysis and the technical design, assurance and optimisation of the BBC's technical output on IP distribution and broadcast platforms.
You'll be working as a Senior R&D Engineer in an area that shapes and defines connected TV platforms and seeks opportunities to exploit them with innovative new services.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

As Senior R&D Engineer you will be responsible for leading and conducting R&D activities and transferring results in order to identify and solve complex technical problems and carry out ground breaking research in relevant areas, delivering solutions for the BBC, informing the BBC's decisions, help create products, services, and/or contribute to global standards. Collaboration with third parties (such as manufacturers and universities) is required in order to achieve these goals. Projects in the area generally produce an audience benefit within 12 months and/or provide long term research.
This role is strategic in terms of evaluating and advising on the opportunities and risks associated with the BBC's video coding solutions in the coming years.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:
1. Conduct innovative and impactful video coding research to shape and deliver BBC's media coding and distribution strategy.
2. Lead standardisation and IPR management activities, ensuring BBC's position as a global leader in video coding technology.
3. Design, evaluate and implement novel video processing, coding and distribution methods for BBC's future content formats and services.
4. Steer integration of new video formats, codecs and workflows across all BBC platforms, working with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver best value for our audiences.
5. Oversee and evolve our on-prem and cloud infrastructure for codec testing, integration and evaluation.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

You'll have a background in video coding and video standards development ideally in a research and development or academic background. You should have a track record of creating and/or maintaining IPR in the field of video codec development. You'll have strong skills in using software development as a tool for evaluation/experimentation/learning purposes, algorithm validation and benchmarking, although producing production-ready code is not required.
We want a Senior R&D engineer that can identify and resolve important problems and answer research questions using creativity and inventiveness and is also ready to get hands-on with our broadcast and IP distribution infrastructure.
Some industry knowledge and familiarity with encoding methods and products in use in the broadcast or media streaming industry would be beneficial.
You're enthusiastic, curious and full of ideas. You keep up to speed with industry trends and technology developments and can collaborate across the sector.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:
• Track record of creative thinking, analysis and good judgement to propose innovative solutions to technical problems and to invent and manage new IPR.
• Substantial experience of video compression and related standards development.
• Demonstrable evidence of collaborative working across multi-disciplinary teams and being able to transfer results of research in the form of technical reports, inputs to standards bodies, software prototypes or licensing to manufacturers.
• Strong skills in using software development as a tool for evaluation/experimentation/learning purposes, algorithm validation and benchmarking (e.g. C, C++, Java).
• Ability to carry out formal picture quality evaluation using objective methodologies and awareness of subjective methods.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:
• Working knowledge of video codecs and systems such as AVC, HEVC, VVC, and awareness of futures developments in MPEG, e.g. use of neural networks.
• Understanding of TV industry standards (broadcast and IP) for the distribution of content from MPEG, DVB, W3C, etc., and associated systems engineering of such technologies.
• Strong understanding of issues around video engineering or a willingness to learn its use in all aspects of media workflows.
• Experience of leading project work in a research environment, being able to motivate self and others to learn new knowledge and skills and produce original work.
If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

Information at a Glance This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world's best loved content, and the BBC's mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Find out more about the BBC Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pensionscheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis.

Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

Candidate pack You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we'd be happy to discuss:

BBC Group and Public Services, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, United Kingdom, W1A 1AA. BBC Studios Distribution Limited, company no: , registered address: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7FA.