Core Network Technician III - (Fairbanks, AK)

GCI Communication Corp•Fairbanks, AK

5d•Onsite

About The Position

GCI's Core Network Technician III will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the company’s core networks to ensure optimal network availability, performance, and reliability. This includes proactively monitoring and supporting critical systems and network components to ensure uninterrupted infrastructure functionality, adherence to industry standards, and alignment with performance objectives—all with a focus on maximizing customer satisfaction. Collaborates closely with technical support teams, engineering staff, and internal business units to coordinate the installation, upgrades, testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting of network elements across multiple vendor platforms. Ensures that all planned and unplanned changes to the network infrastructure comply with established company change management policies and procedures.

Requirements

A combination of relevant work experience and/or education sufficient to perform the duties of the job may substitute to meet the total years required on a year-for-year basis
High School diploma or equivalent.
Minimum of eight (8) years of increasing responsibility and experience within a telecommunication central office, or related environment.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, a satisfactory driving record, and successfully complete Defensive Driving course.
Ability to work in stressful situations and maintain focus on proper troubleshooting and maintenance procedures.
Excellent computer skills and basic MS Office knowledge (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel), and technical applications common in a telecommunications environment.
Ability to clearly distinguish colors for driving, identifying cables or other electrical components, and safety signage.
Auditory acuity necessary to operate equipment; capable of distinguishing between equipment signals and the human voice often amidst background noises, such as wind, rain, and traffic.
Must be able to pass and maintain US Government Background check within the first two (2) weeks of employment if required.
Must be able and willing to work flexible hours including, but not limited to, overtime, on-call, and/or additional time on weekends, holidays, evenings, before or after normal shift hours.
Ability to pass pre-employment or return to work physical and fitness for duty examination may be required to satisfy conditions of a contract or proposed contract with a business partner or client.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in electronics or relevant field, telecommunications trade school, or equivalent training.
Telecom industry or job specific certifications.
Experience with Ciena and Nokia.
Advanced knowledge of transport technologies including T-Carrier, SONET, DWDM, CWDM, and PON systems.
Strong understanding of Internet Protocol (IP), including address planning, IP schemes, and subnetting.
Thorough knowledge of fiber optic safety standards and installation best practices.
Proficient in the operation and maintenance of DC power systems supporting network infrastructure.
Skilled in the use of a wide range of industry-standard test equipment for installation and troubleshooting.
Ability to operate and accurately interpret results from OTDR, Ethernet, and other advanced testing tools.
Ability to communicate effectively on outage bridges, including oral reporting, working with other technicians and engineers, documenting problems, and filing reports.
Ability to work in a team environment on maintenance bridges with minimal supervision.
Able to communicate technical information effectively verbally to customers, contractors, utility workers, fellow employees, and the public in an effective manner with their level of understanding.
Procedurally oriented with excellent customer service.
Organize assignments, equipment, and routing to maximize productivity.
Broad-based knowledge of and ability to maintain equipment typically found in Telecommunication Core transport networks.
Familiar with all test equipment common to a core central office.
Knowledge of telecommunication protocols, availability, redundancy, reliability monitoring, signaling, and testing.

Responsibilities

Conduct daily operational checks and perform routine preventative maintenance on all Core Network elements and associated infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and maximize overall network availability.
Provide technical support for a variety of network elements to ensure compliance with established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Proactively monitor performance, address service-impacting issues, and escalate incidents to the appropriate next-level support teams when resolution falls outside the scope of responsibility or expertise.
Diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair network equipment and related hardware, including the replacement of electronic components as necessary, with a focus on minimizing Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and ensuring timely restoration of services.
Delivers technical assistance and guidance to both internal teams and external partners to effectively resolve issues impacting customer experience and service delivery.
Effectively communicates real-time system status updates to relevant stakeholders, including the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) and Base Transceiver Station (BTS) teams, particularly during network outages or service disruptions.
Ensures all required incident documentation and reporting are completed accurately and submitted within established timelines to support transparency and efficient issue resolution.
Administers and provides ongoing support for system applications across multiple vendor platforms, ensuring optimal performance, stability, and integration within the network environment.
Initiates, tracks, and manages vendor trouble and support tickets to ensure timely issue resolution and adherence to service-level expectations.
Coordinates and executes system software, firmware, and hardware upgrades in collaboration with vendors, engineering teams, and other cross-functional groups.
Ensures all upgrades are planned, tested, and implemented with minimal disruption to network operations, while adhering to established change management protocols and performance standards.
Coordinates the installation, testing, and troubleshooting of transmission facilities to ensure proper functionality and compliance with technical standards.
Maintains accurate and up-to-date system documentation, including daily logs with site-specific details and operational updates.
Monitors and tracks repair parts and materials in accordance with established inventory and asset management procedures.
Submits Network Change Service Requests (NCSRs) for all scheduled maintenance activities, ensuring proper documentation and adherence to change control processes.
Operates with a high degree of autonomy and exercises sound independent judgment in day-to-day decision-making.
Serves as a resource and mentor to junior technicians by providing technical guidance, sharing best practices, and supporting their development through hands-on training and knowledge transfer.
Executes both basic and complex equipment installations, testing, and system turn-ups with minimal supervision, ensuring adherence to technical standards and operational excellence.
Commissions and provisions new equipment and services, working independently while ensuring system integrity and alignment with network performance objectives.
Applies in-depth knowledge of Change Management processes and procedures, serving as a peer approver and technical resource for junior technicians to ensure compliance and reduce risk.
Executes High Availability (HA) Methods of Procedure (MOPs) with minimal oversight.
Routinely conducts inspections and preventive maintenance to ensure that central office environments are organized, safe, and compliant with operational and safety standards.