Job Description
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Job Title: AV Systems Designer/Audio Visual Design Engineer
Posting Start Date: 8/4/26
Job Description:
Job Information
Salary Range: $115,000 - $125,000
The base salary range represents a good faith salary range for this position. This position is eligible for annual incentive pay and has the opportunity for continued salary growth. If you are hired at American Water your base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as market, geography, skills, education and/or experience. At American Water, we are committed to pay equity. In addition to compensation, you will be offered a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), Defined Contribution Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage, plus disability, paid time off, life insurance, voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs and much more!
American Water is also proud to offer employees learning opportunities and work experiences to grow professionally!
Primary Role
Leads the detailed engineering of enterprise audiovisual and collaboration systems from discovery and site survey through design development, construction documentation, technical review, commissioning support, and closeout. The role translates user, business, architectural, and technology requirements into complete, buildable, supportable AV solutions for conference rooms, training spaces, executive rooms, multipurpose spaces, divisible rooms, command environments, digital signage, and other AV-enabled facilities. The role also works closely with our AV partners to review integrator proposals, product data, shop drawings, submittals, bills of materials, substitutions, samples, mockups, and change requests for conformance with design intent and enterprise standards. The Lead Engineer will partner with a Senior AV Engineer, provide technical guidance, support design and implementation decisions, and assist with existing AV infrastructure support and lifecycle management.
Key Accountabilities
- Own detailed AV system design and documentation, including needs assessments, site surveys, basis-of-design narratives, engineering calculations, equipment selection, single-line and signal-flow diagrams, rack elevations, device layouts, cable and equipment schedules, and network requirements.
- Coordinate AV scope with architecture, interiors, structural, electrical, mechanical, lighting, acoustics, furniture, structured cabling, networking, security, and construction teams.
- Prepare or validate technical specifications, scopes of work, bid packages, equipment lists, labor assumptions, alternates, substitution criteria, and rough-order-of-magnitude budgets.
- Work closely with AV partners to review integrator proposals, product data, shop drawings, submittals, bills of materials, substitutions, samples, mockups, and change requests for conformance with design intent and enterprise standards.
- Provide technical support to project managers, integrators, programmers, installers, network teams, and field support during implementation.
- Support functional testing, commissioning, punch-list resolution, acceptance, and closeout while ensuring solutions are secure, maintainable, supportable, and aligned with lifecycle plans and a consistent end-user experience.
- The Lead Engineer will partner with a Senior AV Engineer to provide technical guidance, support design and implementation decisions, and assist with the ongoing support and lifecycle management of existing AV infrastructure components.
Knowledge/Skills
- Strong knowledge of digital audio, DSP, microphones, loudspeakers, video transport, EDID/HDCP, USB, control systems, unified communications, AV-over-IP, structured cabling, power, thermal management, and room acoustics.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Teams Rooms, Crestron, Extron, Q-SYS, Biamp, Shure, Dante/AES67, Cisco, Pexip, Logitech, Poly/HP, networked displays, and managed AV-over-IP switching.
- Knowledge of AVIXA documentation and performance-verification practices and relevant electrical, life-safety, accessibility, and building-code requirements.
- Experience with design reviews, document control, vendor management, procurement requirements, and multidisciplinary construction coordination.
- Understanding of Servers and Infrastructure for AV Applications
- Engineer complex audio, video, control, unified communications, streaming, recording, digital signage, assistive-listening, and AV-over-IP solutions.
- Calculate and validate display size and viewing distance, camera and microphone coverage, loudspeaker coverage, amplifier loading, gain structure, bandwidth, latency, power, heat load, rack capacity, cable distance, and spare capacity.
- Demonstrated technical ability to evaluate and review AV products, product data, specifications, compatibility, performance, supportability, and lifecycle fit, and to recommend appropriate equipment for enterprise AV solutions.
- Define AV network requirements including ports, VLANs, addressing, QoS, multicast, PoE budgets, bandwidth, security, monitoring, and remote management in collaboration with Network Support Team
- Read, coordinate, and validate architectural, reflected ceiling, structural, electrical, mechanical, lighting, furniture, telecommunications, and security drawings.
- Prepare or validate technical specifications, scopes of work, bid packages, equipment lists, labor assumptions, alternates, substitution criteria, and budgetary estimates.
- Use AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam Revu, Visio, BIM coordination platforms, and appropriate AV calculation or manufacturer design tools.
Experience/Education
- Five or more years of progressive commercial or enterprise AV design experience, including construction documentation and coordination with architects, engineers, contractors, and integrators
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics, architectural engineering, information technology, acoustics, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant professional AV design experience.
Certifications & Licenses
- Active AVIXA CTS; CTS-D strongly preferred or expected within an agreed period after hire.
- AVIXA Audiovisual Network Professional (ANP) or comparable AV networking credential.
- Audinate Dante certification (preferred)
- Crestron, Extron, Q-SYS, Biamp Tesira, Shure, Microsoft Teams Rooms, Cisco, or comparable manufacturer/platform credentials.
- Relevant AutoCAD, Revit, BIM coordination, CompTIA Network+, or Cisco CCNA credentials are beneficial.
Other
- Strong analytical, organizational, time-management, and prioritization skills across concurrent design and construction projects.
- Clear written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to explain design decisions to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
- High attention to detail, disciplined document control, and commitment to accurate, coordinated, construction-ready deliverables.
- Ability to work independently, facilitate discovery and design reviews, resolve coordination issues, and provide technical direction to consultants, integrators, and vendors.
- Customer-focused approach that balances user experience, constructability, cybersecurity, interoperability, maintainability, standardization, and lifecycle support.
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