Senior Audio Visual Design Engineer

Senior Audio Visual Design Engineer

Southern Methodist University (SMU), located in Dallas, Texas, is a nonsectarian university serving more than 12,000 diverse, high‑achieving students from all 50 states and over 80 countries. SMU offers small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study, and innovative programs. The university’s data‑driven supercomputing ecosystem, paired with entrepreneurial drive, creates an unrivaled environment for delivering research excellence. SMU’s relationship with Dallas, the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest‑growing regions, provides unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that launch students for global impact.

SMU is committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

The Audio Visual (A/V) Systems Engineer will support the design, development, and installation of A/V technology hardware, peripherals, and system installations located in classrooms, conference rooms, offices, event spaces, and digital signage for the University. This role consults and collaborates with campus stakeholders, vendors, architects, electrical and carpentry trades, and internal IT departments. The engineer ensures that A/V standards are applied consistently, projects are delivered with quality and reliability, and vendor work meets university requirements.

Responsibilities also include customer training, documentation and communications during project implementation, maintaining A/V system configuration and programming expertise, and providing event and classroom support during peak times. This is an on‑campus, in‑person position.

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

• Evaluate and recommend AV technologies that support in‑person, hybrid, and distance learning
• Partner with the Office of Facilities Planning and Management and OIT Network Security Team to support capital construction projects
• Configure and integrate AV systems including displays, projectors, microphones, speakers, lecture capture, and control systems
• Integrate AV systems with campus IT infrastructure and learning platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Panopto)
• Define and enforce quality control standards, ensuring vendor and internal work meet OIT standards and specifications
• Perform system testing, commissioning, and quality assurance prior to room handover
• Ensure designs align with institutional AV standards, accessibility requirements, and pedagogical needs
• Troubleshoot AV issues in live teaching environments with minimal disruption
• Participate in preventative maintenance and system upgrades
• Coordinate quality control visits with commissioning team, and manage handover process, including end‑user training
• Develop and maintain technical documentation and room guides
• Procure the as‑built drawings from AV vendors and confirm they are correct
• Deliver training and guidance to academic and support staff on AV system use
• Evening and weekend work may be required due to event support requests or classroom schedules
• Other duties as assigned

• High school diploma is required.
• A bachelor's degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience is required for applicants with a high school diploma.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience is required for applicants that have completed a bachelor's degree.

• Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies.
• Candidate must also demonstrate strong written communication skills.
• Candidate must possess strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions.
• Must also have strong organizational, planning and time‑management skills.
• Experience designing and installing AV systems in educational or large‑scale environments is required.
• Prior understanding of classroom AV, lecture capture, and collaboration technologies is preferred.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and ability to work calmly in live…