Media Services and A/V Specialist / LMS Support Technician

Sweet Briar is a liberal arts college for women with a long history of forging female leaders. Sweet Briar College is repeatedly named by the US News and World Report as one of the most innovative liberal arts colleges in the nation. Sweet Briar College is growing rapidly, attracting students who are drawn to it for its excellent liberal arts program, coupled with distinctive programs in women leadership, engineering, sustainability, arts and its legendary equestrian program. Its finances are robust, and validated by balanced budget and positive bond ratings.

Located in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains approximately 12 miles north of Lynchburg and 54 miles south of Charlottesville. Its campus is one of the nation's most spectacular, replete with nature sanctuaries, lakes, forests, trails, and most recently, vineyards, apiary and greenhouses.

The College boasts a modern core curriculum focused on women's leadership in the 21st century and undergraduate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. It is one of only two women's colleges in the United States with an ABET-accredited engineering degree. The women's leadership core curriculum is innovative and energizing.

When students graduate, they are persuasive communicators who know how to think on their feet and bring people together. No matter what they study or where they go, Sweet Briar women are prepared to lead. The campus community is a family of faculty, staff, coaches, and alumnae who support and encourage students and each other. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, students lead research, ask questions and forge supportive relationships with faculty that can last for decades.

Job Title: Media Services and A/V Specialist/LMS Support Technician

Classification: Hourly

Reports To: Director of Technology Services

Job Summary/Objective:

The Technology Services department of Sweet Briar College seeks an individual skilled in the field of digital media and Audio/Visual (A/V) systems for the support of college classrooms, events and the constantly evolving audio-visual needs of the campus community. Core responsibilities include the management and maintenance of all physical media resources on campus including video conferencing, digital projectors, flat panel displays, PAs and integrated room A/V control systems. Additional key responsibilities are the support of end users as well as the setup and teardown of equipment for events. Some events can require varying degrees of evening and weekend support.

The ideal candidate will bring existing skills or a demonstrated capacity to build fundamental knowledge of digital media including basic audio and video editing, media management and online streaming (both live and pre-recorded) and knowledge of Learning Management System (LMS) such as Canvas. Opportunities will exist to exercise and build these skills in support of collaborative projects with faculty, staff and students.

The Media Services Specialist/LMS Support Technician role is client-focused and, in partnership with our Help Desk team, requires good verbal and written communication, problem solving and customer service skills. Working well both collaboratively and independently is a necessity. Anyone with a passion for their field and an appetite for learning will feel very much at home, receiving support and encouragement within our team.

Position Type/Expected Work Hours: Full-time, M-F 8:30 - 5:00; Some events can require varying degrees of evening and weekend support.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Student employees

Essential Responsibilities:

• Help faculty/staff and students with LMS-related issues and request.
• Train faculty/staff in utilization of Canvas LMS.
• Design, support and maintain the digital A/V infrastructure of the campus including classrooms, public spaces and conference facilities.
• Conduct routine maintenance and monitoring of A/V resources to assure minimum downtime and a good end-user experience.
• Provide support with an eye toward improving end user knowledge and comfort in the use of key systems including Canvas.
• Develop and revise guides for end users in the use of A/V systems as well as offer individual or group training where needed.
• Determine A/V needs for events and conduct setup, support and teardown of required portable equipment.
• Keep software and firmware up to date on relevant systems.
• Manage inventory, maintain and support A/V devices available for checkout by campus community members.
• Monitor innovation in the fields of classroom technology, A/V and media services to guide future implementations in a financial stewardship manner.
• Train and manage a small staff of student assistants to aid in the support of the infrastructure and to provide real world learning opportunities for the students.
• Act as the campus advocate for the innovative use of instructional technologies including multimedia/ and A/V technologies in teaching and learning, assisting all members of the community in expanding their skills and knowledge.
• Work closely with the Technology Service Help Desk to monitor and maintain the health of campus computer labs, classrooms and conference facilities.

Required Qualifications:

• Working knowledge and experience with common A/V systems including digital projectors, flat panel displays, mics, and PA systems
• Experience with modern video conferencing tools including Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts in both individual and room integrated formats
• Basic knowledge of Canvas or other LMS.
• Good problem solving skills with a penchant for resolving issues of device compatibility and integration within an A/V environment.
• Strong research skills and a penchant for remaining current with trends in the industry to assist with planning upgrades and new implementations.
• A friendly, customer service attitude and the ability to work well on a team

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with or working knowledge of live streaming services, software and hardware.
• Prior experience in a higher education environment.
• Familiarity with various educational technology systems
• Working knowledge of Crestron systems and programming.
• Skilled in the use of Macintosh and Windows platforms.
• Experience with digital video and audio editing platforms from Apple and/or Adobe.
• Comfort with the use of Microsoft Office and GSuite (Google Docs).
• A zeal for knowledge, appreciation of an elegant hack and inability to tolerate an unsolved problem a significant plus beyond words.

Work Environment: Primarily classroom, office and conference rooms with the occasional need to assist with outdoor events.

Physical Demands: Considerable need for frequent walking (indoors or between buildings) and climbing of stairs with the ability to lift and carry equipment up to 25 lbs. Ability to drive the department golf cart for carrying equipment to distant parts of the campus.

Travel: Some travel may be required for professional development

Deadline for Submission: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until filled.

Other Duties: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

How to Apply: If applying for a faculty or staff position, please ensure you have attached a cover letter, résumé and three professional references to your online application, and that you have fully completed the online applicant profile information.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Sweet Briar College is committed to enhancing our community and encourages applications from qualified individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences and ideas who would increase the diversity of the College.