Football Tracking Systems Operator (RoC) in Reading

Location: Basingstoke, Hampshire. This is an in‑office role, and as such, will require you to live within a reasonable commute.

Contract: Casual hourly contract

Working Hours: Shifts typically 10–12 hours

Hourly Rate: £13.00–£18.20 per hour (exact rate will vary depending on role)

Start Date: July/August 2026

We are looking for candidates to play a key part in delivering Goal Line Technology (GLT) at our centre in Basingstoke; however, there is scope for successful candidates to be offered further opportunities in delivering Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS) and Semi‑Automatic Offside (SAO) in elite football competitions. Having successfully deployed this system across UEFA competitions, we are now expanding our remote operations to include the Premier League and Championship. Based in the Remote Operations Centre (ROC) at Hawk‑Eye’s Head Office in Basingstoke, you’ll play a crucial role in operating cutting‑edge technology, liaising with Hawk‑Eye colleagues on the ground across the UK, and a range of external stakeholders, contributing to the excitement of live sports events. While this is a casual contract, we are seeking candidates with full availability across the week. This role is designed for those looking to commit to significant hours, particularly during peak periods of the football calendar.

What Does A Typical Day Look Like

For a typical 3 pm kick‑off you can expect our call time to be 5–6 hours prior to the start of the match. Throughout the day you will be faced with several hard deadlines in which you will have to meet in order for the service to run effectively and efficiently. Initially, you will spend the first part of your day testing communications, calibrating, and optimising the technology. This ensures GLT is fully operational two hours prior to kick‑off, allowing match officials to test its integrity. Warm‑up is our final opportunity to ensure the system is fully functional before we enter the live match. During the live match you will be monitoring the data, fine‑tuning the calibration and constantly preparing to produce a virtual replay for broadcasters should a goal line incident occur and activate our GLT system.

Key Responsibilities

• Operation of the GLT system from the ROC during matches;
• Match‑day calibration of the GLT system;
• Monitoring of GLT live data;
• Delivering graphics and virtual replays for GLT that will be shared with the TV audience worldwide;
• Collaborating with supervisors and on‑site staff to ensure the system is operated to the highest standard;
• Investigating/troubleshooting software issues as technical support for the on‑site team.

Essential Skills, Attributes, and Requirements

• A technical grounding;
• Strong problem‑solving skills;
• A willingness to learn;
• Excellent communication skills, punctuality and ability to follow instructions and work towards a shared goal;
• Ability to work flexibly, including weekday evenings and weekends for matches in line with match schedules;
• Live within a commutable distance of the Remote Operating Centre, Basingstoke (RG22).

Desirable Attributes

• Experience, background or qualification in a technical‑related course such as computing, computer science, engineering, mathematics, science or technology;
• Understanding of PC networks and data collection;
• Camera optimisation.

Availability and Training

While this is a casual contract, matches take place strictly according to the football calendar. The journey will begin with training and testing during global sporting events from July and into August. It is crucial that you are able to provide a good level of availability to regularly contribute and participate in these exposure and training opportunities over the initial training period. The ultimate goal is that by the opening weekend of the Premier League in August we will have a pool of operators who are ready to deliver GLT across multiple competitions. This role will have an initial focus on UEFA Football events while you train and gain experience in operating our system, with successful candidates then being given further exposure during our EPL and EFL operations. A typical shift would start 6 hours before the designated kick‑off time to set up and test technology. The end of the shift is dependent on service, but typically would be 1 or 2 hours after the match has finished.

What Difficulties Might I Face

• Working Hours: Due to the nature of the sports industry, there is often work on weekends and midweek evenings, and we are expected to fulfil our roles until the final whistle and takedown is complete.
• High‑Pressure Situations: Working in a live broadcast environment on a production that is distributed to millions worldwide will bring high levels of pressure.

Team Culture

At Hawk‑Eye, we pride ourselves on a collaborative, high‑performance culture where trust, passion and innovation thrive. We believe in fostering an environment where every team member is empowered to push boundaries and contribute to the future of sports technology. Our work is guided by three core values:

• We are Brave: We challenge the status quo, embrace big ideas, and constantly seek new ways to innovate in the sports entertainment industry. We aren’t afraid to take risks in pursuit of excellence.
• We are Owners: We take personal accountability for our work, our decisions and our collective success. We celebrate our wins together and treat every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow and improve.
• We are Inclusive: We believe our diversity makes us stronger. We cultivate a welcoming environment where unique perspectives are valued, all while being united by our shared love for sports and technology.