Sr. Venue Technology & Systems Engineer (Providence Park) at Portland Timbers

The Portland Timbers (operators of Providence Park – home of the Portland Timbers and Thorns) are hiring a senior, hands-on engineer who thrives in live event environments—someone who can lead onsite IT operations on match days, concerts, and special events while keeping day-to-day systems secure, reliable, and well-documented. This is a critical “run the building on event day” role. You’ll partner closely with our current stadium SME to learn the venue’s core systems and become the primary event-day IT lead, bringing operational redundancy and improving work/life balance across the team. What You’ll Do Event & Venue Operations • Serve as the event-day IT lead—coordinating incident response, triage, and escalation with internal teams and vendors • Provide onsite, hands-on support for IP-based venue systems such as: • POS, access control, ticketing, IPTV/digital signage, broadcast/transmission, and related edge devices • Ensure venue readiness: pre-event checks, redundancy validation, failover procedures, and post-event reporting Network & Systems Engineering • Implement, configure, test, and maintain LAN/WAN infrastructure (switching, routing, firewalls, network services) • Implement, configure, test, and maintain telephony/VoIP services • Maintain security and integrity of network environments; monitor performance/availability; perform root-cause analysis and corrective actions • Recommend hardware/software improvements based on observed patterns and data Platform Ownership & Tooling • Manage and support IPTV infrastructure for events and daily operations • Assist with fiber and IP-based transmission infrastructure (troubleshooting and upgrades) • Contribute to wireless (Wi-Fi) design/operations and virtualized server environments (e.g., Hyper-V) Operational Excellence • Provide on-call support as needed for critical issues • Produce clear documentation: runbooks, diagrams, and post-incident reports • Build strong relationships with venue staff, partners, and technology vendors Help Desk & Team Support • Support ~150 employees with standard office technology (with escalation support from the VP of Technology) • Respond to tickets and assist with escalated issues; help drive root-cause resolution for recurring problems • Manage a full-time IT Operations Analyst What You’ll Bring (Minimum Qualifications) • Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent practical experience • Ideally 7–10 years relevant experience • 5+ years hands-on experience implementing/administering/supporting enterprise LAN/WAN, server, and Microsoft environments • 5+ years hands-on network hardware/software experience in Microsoft/Windows Server environments, including: • Cisco Catalyst switching (9200/9300/9500) • FortiGate firewalls • Network monitoring/management tools (Cisco and/or third-party) • Strong understanding of OSI model, Ethernet, TCP/IP; practical experience with DNS, DHCP, LDAP, HTTP, FTP, SSH, SMTP, and related services • Proven ability to lead onsite IT during live events, handle escalations, and communicate clearly under pressure • Excellent written/verbal communication and a strong customer service mindset • Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays aligned to event calendars Nice to Have (Preferred Qualifications) • Venue technology experience (stadium/arena, concert hall, convention center, or similar public space) • High-density Wi-Fi operations experience • Hyper-V and virtualized server environment experience • Familiarity with IPTV/digital signage, broadcast contribution/transmission workflows, scoreboard/control room environments, or other A/V-over-IP systems • Project leadership experience (owning deliverables, coordinating vendors, driving timelines) Work Schedule & Environment • Primary work location is onsite at Providence Park • Schedule varies based on event calendar; evening/weekend/holiday work will be required • Role involves moving between office, concourses, and technical spaces; comfort navigating venue areas and handling equipment is important • Team aims to balance schedules (late events are typically offset during the week when possible) • Hybrid policy may allow limited WFH, but this role is primarily in-person due to hands-on venue responsibilities Equal Opportunity We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.