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Mastering Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Mastering QC Operator

New York, NY · On-site

$25 - $27/hr

Perform thorough mastering level quality control inspection noting any and all audio/ video impairments and anomalies. * Ensure reports are consistent and accurate across all previous versions of a ...

Design, develop, and maintain data mastering workflows using MarkitEDM or equivalent enterprise data management platforms * Support end-to-end mastering logic for security reference data including ...

CMF Designer

Foster City, CA · On-site

$150K/yr

Mastering Coordination: Organize, track, and distribute CMF mastering samples, setting up an efficient in-house mastering distribution system while managing inventory logs.Proactive Issue Resolution:

CMF Designer

Foster City, CA · On-site

$150K/yr

Mastering Coordination: Organize, track, and distribute CMF mastering samples, setting up an efficient in-house mastering distribution system while managing inventory logs.Proactive Issue Resolution:

CMF Designer

Foster City, CA · On-site

$150K/yr

Mastering Coordination: Organize, track, and distribute CMF mastering samples, setting up an efficient in-house mastering distribution system while managing inventory logs.Proactive Issue Resolution:

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Mastering information

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How much do mastering jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for mastering in the United States is $59.69, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51.20 and $67.31 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by mastering engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Mastering engineers often encounter challenges such as translating mixes to sound balanced across various playback systems and ensuring loudness standards are met without sacrificing audio quality. Addressing these issues typically involves critical listening skills, a deep understanding of audio formats, and meticulous attention to detail. Collaborating closely with mixing engineers and clients to clarify artistic intent also helps avoid miscommunication and ensures the final product meets expectations. Staying updated with evolving audio technologies and standards is essential for continued success.

What is the difference between Mastering vs Mixing Engineer?

AspectMastering EngineerMixing Engineer
CredentialsAudio engineering certifications, mastering-specific trainingAudio engineering certifications, mixing courses
Work EnvironmentPost-production, mastering studios, often working on final tracksRecording studios, mixing suites, working on multi-track sessions
Industry UsageFinalizing tracks for distribution, ensuring consistency across albumsBalancing and blending individual tracks during production

Mastering engineers focus on preparing the final audio for distribution, ensuring consistency and optimal sound quality across all playback systems. Mixing engineers work on combining individual tracks to create the desired sound before mastering. While both roles require audio expertise, mastering is the final step, whereas mixing is an earlier stage in music production.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Mastering Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Mastering Engineer, you need a strong background in audio engineering, critical listening skills, and a thorough understanding of music production, often supported by a relevant degree or significant industry experience. Familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs), mastering software such as iZotope Ozone or Waves, and high-end audio hardware is essential. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and effective communication with artists and producers are crucial soft skills for this role. These abilities ensure the creation of polished, professional-sounding final tracks that meet industry standards and client expectations.

What is mastering in the music industry?

Mastering is the final step in the music production process, where a mastering engineer prepares and polishes a mixed audio track for distribution. This involves adjusting levels, equalization, compression, and other enhancements to ensure the track sounds balanced and professional across all playback systems. The goal of mastering is to create a cohesive sound throughout an album or project and to optimize audio quality for formats like streaming, CD, or vinyl.
More about Mastering jobs
What cities are hiring for Mastering jobs? Cities with the most Mastering job openings:
What states have the most Mastering jobs? States with the most job openings for Mastering jobs include:
Infographic showing various Mastering job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 43% Full Time, 54% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 46% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 53% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $124,147 per year, or $59.7 per hour.
Distribution Operations Associate-Mastering

Distribution Operations Associate-Mastering

The Walt Disney Company

Glendale, CA

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago


Walt Disney Company rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 124 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 47 rated entertainment


Job description

Job Posting Title:

Distribution Operations Associate-Mastering

Req ID:

10151340

Job Description:

Department/Group Overview:

Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology

  • On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we're reimagining ways to create magical viewing experiences for the world's most beloved stories while also transforming Disney's media business for the future. Whether that's evolving our streaming and digital products in new and immersive ways, powering worldwide advertising and distribution to maximize flexibility and efficiency, or delivering Disney's unmatched entertainment and sports content, every day is a moment to make a difference to partners and to hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Additional details to include (optional):

  • Building the future of Disney's media business: DE&E Technologists are designing and building the infrastructure that will power Disney's media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.
  • Reach & Scale: The products and platforms this group builds and operates delight millions of consumers every minute of every day - from Disney+ and Hulu, to ABC News and Entertainment, to ESPN and ESPN+, and much more.
  • Innovation: We develop and execute groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news.

Content Operations is ultimately responsible for successfully delivering Disney's entertainment and sports content to millions of people every day. This involves developing, operating, and managing a global content supply chain - the myriad of steps involved from taking a finalized TV show/movie, or live piece of content, from inside Disney to audiences around the globe, in their preferred language and format. This team also manages technology operations in Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The Distribution Operations Mastering department are responsible for the mastering of all titles produced by 20th Television, ABC Signature Studios, Freeform, FX Productions, Disney Branded Television, Hulu, and other production entities, including content acquired for Disney+ and Hotstar. The Distribution Operations Mastering department liaise with studios, production companies, post-production, third party audio and QC vendors to acquire, QC, prepare and transform both preliminary and final materials for localization, servicing, and global archival purposes. The Mastering department are the gateway between production and consumption of over 300 television series enjoyed by global audiences on multiple platforms including Disney+, Hulu, Hotstar, FX, ABC Network, Disney Channels, and Freeform.

Job Summary:

The Mastering Distribution Ops Associate must be technically knowledgeable and effective in gathering and understanding of business requirements, technical specifications, schedules and workflows. The Mastering Distribution Ops Associate coordinates with the post production teams and third-party vendors to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient delivery; and "owns" the customer relationship between internal clients/stakeholders. In addition, the Mastering Distribution Ops Associate is a hospitality specialist who delivers excellent customer service by interacting comfortably with creative and executive team members. He/she must possess flexibility and creativity and be willing to assume challenges and increased responsibility, including handling routine matters in Manager's absence as well as keeping an eye out for ways to improve workflows/increase efficiency, etc.

  • Project Management: Coordinate the day-to-day delivery priorities while also forecasting the optimal approach to maximize resources. Additional tasks include:
  • Scheduling, status updates, reports, managing metrics, resolving issues, system status updates, billing, facilitate meetings and manage tracking and communication of assigned show schedule(s) and mastering progress across stakeholder groups.
  • Assist in assigning day-to-day priorities of third-party vendors and assist them to ensure they are set up for success while performing their work.
  • Client Services and partner management: The building and fostering of relationships with our customers and partners - being a friendly and helpful person who is happy to serve our clients and facilitate smooth deliveries with our partners.
  • Support management, partners and customers in understanding their Mastering Schedule needs and liaises with other departments and partners (i.e. Localization, Servicing, Global Content Ops, Studios, Total Quality Management, etc.) to ensure proper coordination and communication across teams.
  • Maintain daily communication regarding the status of the work. Due to the nature of production and postproduction, there is the need to proactively communicate how changing schedules impact work and timelines. Data entry must be entered in a timely manner.
  • Process Improvement & Innovation: Identify opportunities to improve existing workflows/systems and understand new technologies that we can leverage to be the most effective, innovative, and secure facility in the industry.
  • Work Order Creation: The APM creates work orders and is responsible for accurate billing of services offered. He/she works together with clients to ensure that the proper time and facility rates are billed.
  • Must be capable of solving a range of straightforward problems and analyzing possible solutions using standard procedures, while receiving a moderate level of guidance and direction.
  • Must have an understanding of technical elements, creation, repairs, localization, updating & tracking of work orders & purchase orders, coordination of distribution logistics, use of technical materials library, and knowledge of the range of formats used within the organization.
  • Must understand specific business processes and how those processes support the delivery of goods and services for mastering operations and business segment; Prior experience in a planning or scheduling function in either or all of a creative environment, manufacturing environment, or product development environment.
  • Guarantee timely, high-quality execution across the supply chain and assists in creating detailed project plans to ensure deadlines are met and handoffs are successful. Create and maintain documentation including project plans, templates, and post-mortems.
  • Must effectively solve problems and roadblocks as they occur while escalating when necessary.
  • This position interacts with internal and external peers and/or managers to exchange semi-complex information related to assigned activities. Must be able to distill information accurately and convey it (verbally and/or written) to business partners and stakeholders. This role serves as key contact with project team members to help resolve project resource conflicts. Communicate both detailed and high-level progress to stakeholders.
  • The role will perform extensive vendor & asset management and conduct research across all inventories, systems, and tools used for mastering operations.
  • 3+ years of progressively complex related experience in the digital distribution space.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

  • Vendor & Asset Management: reviewing QC reports and issues and ensuring assets are delivered on time to the right specification.
  • Title Management: including associated mastering work orders, overseeing all communications about the title including reporting timelines, issues or escalations to management, keeping other teams updated on the status and entering data into TWC systems and
  • Monitoring vendor performance against our SLA's and timelines
  • Managing relationships such as the third-party production partners or internal post production executive teams
  • Special Projects, such as System Ambassador, SOP Documentation and Governance

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal are essential, as is the ability to advocate and negotiate diplomatically within a matrixed organization. Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills.
  • Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously against short deadlines and minimal lead time. Must be an expert organizer with superb time management skills.
  • 3 years experience reading and understanding video and audio QC reports and is capable of conveying issues to post production and technical teams to resolve a variety of issues at once; takes a new perspective on existing solutions. Works independently while receiving minimal guidance. Exercises judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information.
  • Must be a master of workflow diplomacy; consistently auditing and analyzing localization and global launch plans and timelines against constantly evolving post production delivery schedules.
  • Must understand television postproduction and delivery schedules.
  • Metric, data analysis and financial acumen
  • Must be able to create concise, executive-friendly presentations.
  • Must have strong Microsoft Excel and Google Doc skills.
  • Strong computer skills with Microsoft Office Suite, experience using MAC, PC, iOS, Android, Web based applications and services.
  • Make decisions with help from manager

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree and minimum 3 years digital media/content production and/or distribution experience at a Studio, Network, Streaming Platform, or Post House.
  • Intermediate Level Technical knowledge and understanding of video and audio file formats including Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, UHD, HDR, SDR and digital media codecs (eg. ProRes, IMF, MXF, XDCAM, etc)
The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $79,100 to $96,500 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

Job Posting Segment:

CPO - Distribution Operations

Job Posting Primary Business:

CPO - Distribution Operations - Mastering

Primary Job Posting Category:

Content Digital Operations

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Glendale, CA, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2026-06-03

What Walt Disney Company employees say

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Hours and flexibility

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Walt Disney logo

About Walt Disney

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world. "We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!

Industry

Amusement, gambling, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

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