AI Connect Engineer

Verizon•Ashburn, VA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

When you join Verizon, you want more out of a career. A place to share your ideas freely — even if they’re daring or different. Where the true you can learn, grow, and thrive. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play by connecting them to what brings them joy. We do what we love — driving innovation, creativity, and impact in the world. Our V Team is a community of people who anticipate, lead, and believe that listening is where learning begins. In crisis and in celebration, we come together — lifting our communities and building trust in how we show up, everywhere & always. Want in? Join the #VTeamLife. What you’ll be doing... As an Outside Plant Engineer, you will play a pivotal, end-to-end role in the successful deployment of our AI Connect Ultra Long Haul Network by driving the engineering, real estate acquisition, and construction of In Line Amplification (ILA) and Outside Plant (OSP) infrastructure. In this highly cross-functional position, your responsibility revolves around conceptualizing project plans and driving timelines for key business initiatives, such as Data Center Interconnectivity (DCI) and Verizon Long Haul Infrastructure. You will have the autonomy to select and implement optimal deployment strategies while working closely with Global Real Estate, Network Planning, Power/Space/Cooling (PSC), AI Connect, VBG Sales, and multiple external vendors to ensure seamless execution of the network build.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or four or more years of work experience.
Four or more years of relevant experience, demonstrated through work experience and/or military experience (specifically in OSP/fiber engineering, construction, or site acquisition/real estate).
A valid driver's license.
Willingness to travel up to approximately 25% of the time.

Nice To Haves

A Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Facility/Construction Management, or a related technical/STEM field.
Deep knowledge of Outside Plant Engineering practices, Hi-Capacity Services, FTTC, FTTP, FIOS, Network Transformation, and CORE procedures.
Experience in A&E design, as well as Engineering and Network Assurance standards.
Strong planning, time management, and multitasking skills with a track record of driving complex project timelines.
Exceptional leadership abilities with strong interpersonal and communication skills for navigating regulatory and community stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Design, engineer, and maintain outside plant infrastructure.
Conduct route analyses for underground and aerial fiber optic installations.
Conduct site walks with contractors to ensure construction, power, and fiber requirements are met.
Lead strategic infrastructure expansions in Central Offices and Technical Facilities.
Analyze potential site locations, create business cases for site acquisition, and act as a 5G MLA Real Estate project specialist to obtain and track all necessary construction-related permits.
Manage external vendors and purchasing during site acquisition and construction to ensure schedules align with activation targets.
Develop service order requirements for internal and external customers.
Provide regular updates on construction progress, changes, and risks to leadership.
Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
Act as the primary interface between landlords, government employees, community officials, legal counsel, and building contractors.
Provide guidance to junior OSP engineers to monitor infrastructure and troubleshoot/repair fiber and equipment issues.
Direct internal departments and coordinate efforts to ensure the best outcomes.