Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

Responsibilities:

The Manager of TV Broadcast & Video Production leads JPL’s broadcast and video storytelling and project workflow for a multidisciplinary creative team. This strategic leadership role oversees live mission broadcasts, high-visibility events, and recorded content across digital and internal channels, ensuring narratives are clear, compelling, and aligned with JPL/NASA communications priorities.  This role also includes the management of the audio-visual team responsible for JPL’s large production and meeting venues as well as the individuals responsible for technical and event photo capture.  

Tasks include but are not limited to:

Leadership & Team Management:

• Lead, hire, and retain a highly qualified team of producers, videographers, editors, animators, photographers, engineers, and technical specialists.

• Understand the workflow, capacity, and resource constraints, and support the technical needs of the team.

• Prioritize and advocate for potential investments in infrastructure, equipment, and software to keep the team at the cutting edge.

• Establish creative standards and elevate visual quality across the team through mentorship and review.

• Provide career coaching, growth opportunities, and performance development.

Broadcast, Live Event Production and On-Lab Events:

• Direct live and live-to-tape productions for mission milestones, press conferences, institutional events, and public-facing broadcasts. Oversee multi-camera productions including switching, graphics coordination, and technical communication.

• Serve as primary point of contact for NASA HQ on major productions and video initiatives.

• Support executive and VIP-level productions with professionalism and polish.

• Understand and support audio-visual team resource needs for on-lab events.

Video and Photo Capture Production:

• Project manage video production workflow for the entire team.Develop a keen understanding of resource constraints, funding and budget priorities.

• Support team resource requirements for project files, media management, and archiving.

• Guide narrative and script development to translate complex scientific and engineering topics into clear, compelling stories.

• Identify opportunities to expand reach across YouTube and social platforms working closely with the JPL Digital Communications Manager.

• Monitor industry trends in digital storytelling, broadcast production, and science communication to guide long-term strategy.

Stakeholder & Brand Alignment:

• Partner with Strategic Communications, mission teams, and NASA counterparts to align video content with institutional priorities.

• Articulate and evolve JPL’s video brand standards in alignment with established guidelines. Ensure brand consistency across all productions and key messaging.

• Collaborate with creative, technical, and communications teams to meet audience and project needs.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Film/Media Production, Journalism, Broadcast Production, or related field with a minimum of 9 years of related experience; Masters in a related discipline with a minimum of 7 years of related experience; PhD in a related discipline with a minimum of 5 years of related experience.

• Experience in video production, broadcast media, or digital storytelling.

• Minimum 4 years of experience leading technical teams, where balancing budgetary and workflow priorities were the norm.

• Hands-on experience directing live or live-to-tape productions.

• Familiarity with professional editing software skills (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro) as well as camera set-up requirements.

• Deep understanding of production workflows: pre-production, production, and post-production.

• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including producers, editors, photographers, and engineers.

• Strong organizational skills, communication abilities, and attention to detail.

• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced environments such as mission events.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience producing content for science, engineering, aerospace, or research organizations. Background in broadcast production, documentary storytelling, or science journalism.

• Familiarity with JPL/NASA environments.

• Experience developing digital video strategies for platforms such as YouTube and social media.

• Experience using LED video walls or large-format displays in broadcast environments.

• Experience mentoring creative teams and guiding visual storytelling standards.

• Passion for space exploration and communicating complex concepts to broad audiences.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks

The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.

In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

EEO is the Law.

EEO is the Law Supplement

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.