Audio Engineer

Alliance Defending Freedom•Scottsdale, AZ

8h•Onsite

About The Position

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is seeking a dedicated Audio Engineer to lead audio operations for both live and virtual events, including conferences, seminars, galas, and webinars. This role involves managing front-of-house, monitor, and broadcast mixes to ensure clear audio for all program elements. Additionally, the Audio Engineer will be the primary audio engineer for ADF’s Arizona studio and media hit studio, responsible for capturing and mixing audio for video productions, podcasts, and live national media appearances. The position requires a strong understanding of audio systems, live sound reinforcement, studio recording, and post-production practices, with a commitment to protecting religious freedom, free speech, and other fundamental rights.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in audio engineering, music production, media production, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
3+ years of professional audio experience in live event production, studio recording, and post-production audio settings, including primary A1 responsibility for events using professional-grade systems.
Demonstrated experience with mixing front of house and monitors live, for spoken word and music, in rooms of varying size and acoustics.
Ability to manage multiple events, studio sessions, and competing deadlines simultaneously, delivering consistent audio quality with sometimes limited crew, taking a show from load-in through load-out independently when required.
Knowledge of live sound reinforcement principles, digital audio consoles and the workflow of building, saving, and recalling show files (Yamaha, DiGiCo, Allen & Heath, Avid).
Knowledge of RF and wireless microphone systems, audio-over-IP and digital audio networking as applied to production (Dante, AES67), and the networking fundamentals that support it.
Knowledge of broadcast and streaming audio requirements, studio recording and post-production practices.
Ability to lift, carry, and set up audio equipment and road cases, and work from ladders or lifts where loudspeaker deployment requires it.
Ability to travel to and work on-site at event venues, including some evenings and weekends as events require—approximately 20% travel (85% domestic, 15% international; the ability to obtain a valid passport is required for international travel).

Nice To Haves

Dante certification
AVIXA CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) or similar industry certifications.

Responsibilities

Serve as the A1 for assigned ADF events, designing and operating the audio system (front of house, monitors, and broadcast/stream mixes) to a high standard of clarity, intelligibility, and consistency.
Design system and loudspeaker configurations for each room, tune and align systems to the space, and adapt to venue acoustics and house infrastructure.
Coordinate and manage wireless microphone and in-ear monitor systems, including frequency coordination, RF scanning, antenna distribution, and battery management.
Prepare input lists, patch sheets, stage plots, and console show files in advance of load-in, and communicate audio requirements to the producer, venue, and crew.
Mic, sound check, and support presenters, panelists, and musicians, briefing them on microphone technique and monitoring.
Load in, set up, operate, strike, and load out audio systems, including consoles, amplification, loudspeakers, cabling, playback, and production intercom.
Coordinate audio with video switching, lighting, and show control cues.
Diagnose and resolve audio problems in real time during live events, applying redundancy and backup plans.
Serve as the primary audio engineer for ADF’s Arizona studio and media hit studio, setting up and operating microphones, mixers, and monitoring for video shoots, podcasts, and interviews.
Provide audio for live media hits with national broadcast outlets, including IFB, mix-minus, and clean feeds to remote networks, and confirm signal quality and levels before air.
Record, edit, mix, and master audio for produced content, including dialogue cleanup, noise reduction, loudness normalization, and delivery to broadcast and web specifications.
Maintain and improve studio acoustics, signal flow, and routing, including audio-over-IP networks (e.g., Dante).
Deliver finished audio assets to the standards required by ADF’s post-production and communications teams, and archive session files and raw audio for reuse.
Maintain, test, and repair audio equipment and inventory, including consoles, wireless systems, microphones, and cabling, and keep firmware and show files current.
Prepare and pack audio packages for travel, tracking equipment out and back and confirming everything returns in working order.
Recommend equipment purchases, upgrades, and standardization to the Production Manager, Arizona, including specifications and cost estimates.
Maintain safe working conditions during load-in, show, and load-out, including safe electrical loading, rigging of loudspeaker arrays where applicable, and cable management.
Observe hearing conservation and sound level practices appropriate to each venue, program, and audience.
Partner with the Live Event Producer, video and lighting technicians, and freelance crew to deliver a unified production, and serve as the audio point of contact for presenters, communications staff, and event owners.
Train and support other AV team members on basic audio operation.
Conduct post-event review of audio performance and apply lessons learned to future events and studio work.
Research developments in audio technology and recommend adoption where they would strengthen ADF’s events and studio capabilities.