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JIM OSTER

Broadcast Systems Engineering Services
 

email:  resume@jimoster.com




















• Extensive experience in Broadcast System Design and Construction
 

• Skilled in use of project tools such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Word/Excel/Windows
 

• Emmy award-winning background in large-scale live event broadcasting including 5 Olympic Games, NFL Superbowl, Indy 500, and Academy Awards
 

• Talented TV system problem solver and troubleshooter
 

• Strong team leadership and decision-making skills
 

• Task oriented, honest work ethic and professional integrity
 
 
 



Relevant Work Experience

Apr 1994 – present  Sole proprietor of broadcast system consulting business.  Contracted to provide system design and documentation, system test and alignment, and major event system support.  Worked with production teams to verify technical operations of specific show elements and requirements.  Clients and projects include:
 


Aug 1994 – Jan 1995  Director of Engineering and Operations for KDNL-TV in St. Louis, Missouri.  Hired by River City Broadcasting specifically to convert their independent commercially oriented FOX station to an ABC network station. Managed technical projects to start local news coverage and handle network programming requirements.  Projects included construction of news and weather studios, news cuts-only edit rooms, satellite and microwave acquisition systems, ENG reporting packages and ENG microwave van.  Successfully broadcast station’s first live news programming starting on January 1, 1995.  Performed department management duties for staff of 15 IBEW Local 1 technicians, and 10 non-union administrative personnel.  Hired additional technical staff for news operations, prepared budget for 1995 fiscal year, and planned news technical schedules.


Aug 1990 – Apr 1994  Senior Systems Engineer for Sony Systems Integration in San Jose, CA.  Chief Project Engineer on 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France and 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway responsible for system test, alignment, maintenance and documentation of the CBS International Broadcast Center.  Designed, implemented, and tested turnkey systems such as ChicagoLand Cable News, Chicago Commisky Park, Kansas City Royals Stadium, Dallas Mavericks Arena, and Times Square Jumbotron Control Rooms.  Provided systems training on completed projects and event support.  Prepared and presented marketing proposals, helped develop department standards, and trained junior engineers.


May 1990 - Sep 1990  Project Manager and Engineering Consultant for Tam Productions in San Jose, CA.  Specified, designed, and installed state of the art component analog edit suite.


Nov 1988 - Feb 1990  Chief Engineer for Byvideo, Sunnyvale, CA.  Maintained two online edit bays and improved post-production and interactive video production system.


Jun 1988 - Nov 1988  Chief Engineer for Television Associates, Mountain View, CA. Maintained two on-line edit bays and developed documentation for system redesign and rewire.


Jan 1987 - Jan 1988  Chief Engineer for Varitel Video, San Francisco, CA.  Designed and supervised construction of online multiformat edit bay.  Redesigned and rewired main online edit suite to improve signal quality, remove Sony editor, and add GVG Editor and ADO.  Performed various administrative duties such as budget forecasting, personnel management, and project planning.


Mar 1985 - Jan 1986  Senior Field Service Technician for ADDA, Inc. in Campbell, CA.  Provided telephone support of full line of special effects, still store, and synchronizer/TBC television products.  Performed in-house component level troubleshooting of customer systems and circuit boards.


Jan 1988 - Jun 1988   Vice President of Engineering for Positive Video, Orinda, CA.  Managed department                  Jan 1986 - Jan 1987   and performed maintenance of large online edit bay.  Maintained and operated film-to-tape
Aug 1984 - Jan 1985  transfer system with computer color correction and Bosch flying spot scanner.


Feb 1981 - Aug 1984  Assistant Chief Engineer/Manager of R&D for The Post Group in Hollywood, CA.  Overall technical responsibility for ten online edit bays.  Designed and supervised construction of several new edit bays and system improvements.  Supervised ten engineer staff.


Feb 1979 - Feb 1981  National Service Manager for MCI/Quantel in Palo Alto, CA.  Performed and coordinated service of all Quantel digital video equipment in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.


Sep 1978 - Feb 1979  Field Engineer for Prime Computer, Inc., a minicomputer manufacturer in Boston, MA.  Maintained ten large scientific systems in San Francisco area.


Dec 1975 - Sep 1978  Tech Support Engineer for MSI Data Corp. in Costa Mesa, CA.  Coordinated national field service activity on assigned models of digital data entry products.


Sep 1972 - Sep 1975  Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force as a Special Electronics Technician.  Top Secret security clearance.  Operated and maintained highly classified tube/transistor hybrid signal processing equipment.  Served as shift chief in the field and as an instructor at Lowry AFB, CO.