Cable Headend and Video Distribution SME

Company Profile    At Sand Cherry Associates, we excel in the design and delivery of strategic customer-centric initiatives through digitally native, data-empowered solutions.  Our client’s confidence in us is centered on exceptionally skilled, high-energy talent working with the support of the full Sand Cherry team.  Finding the right match for this role is a critical aspect of continuing that success.     Overview  We are seeking an experienced Cable Headend & Video Distribution SME with deep operational expertise in cable headend operations and video distribution. This role requires an individual who has worked directly with video delivery within cable headend environments and understands how video signals are received, processed, routed, distributed, monitored, and maintained through the headend. The ideal candidate will understand the complete video signal path—from satellite and RF reception through Integrated Receiver/Decoders (IRDs) and video processing to QAM and/or IP-based distribution. The individual will bring a strong cable operator perspective, helping evaluate technical and operational plans, challenge assumptions, identify implementation risks, and ensure proposed approaches are practical across a range of cable operating environments. Experience within a large cable operator is strongly preferred, combined with an understanding of regional and independent providers where infrastructure, staffing, technical capabilities, and operating models can vary considerably. This position requires working Eastern Time (ET) business hours. All qualified candidates MUST reside and be authorized to work in the United States without requiring visa sponsorship or visa transfers. Please note that we do not work C2C. Responsibilities · Serve as a senior Cable Operations and Video Distribution SME, providing operational and technical expertise to engineering and operations teams. · Provide deep subject matter expertise in cable video distribution and the end-to-end video signal path, including satellite reception, antenna systems, RF/L-band distribution, IRDs, video processing, QAM and IP-based video distribution, signal routing, monitoring, and associated headend infrastructure. · Review, assess, and challenge technical solutions, implementation approaches, assumptions, and operational plans from the perspective of an experienced cable video operator. · Provide insight into industry practices, operator expectations, headend capabilities, and video operations requirements across large, regional, and independent operators. · Assess what activities cable operators can reasonably be expected to perform independently and where additional technical, field, or implementation support may be required. · Evaluate downstream implications of infrastructure or signal-delivery changes on video processing, routing, modulation, distribution, redundancy, service quality, and continuity. · Identify operational risks, dependencies, site…