Telecom Consultant Assc - Sr

American Electric Power•Corpus Christi, TX

2d•$74,551 - $128,688•Onsite

About The Position

Performs straight forward network architecture assignments under moderate direction. Uses knowledge to support the planning, researching, evaluating, designing, and developing network systems. Participates in configuration, installation, and performance analysis of networks. Position is posted in a range; Pay, title and grade will be based on the qualifications of the individual selected.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, computer science, telecommunications, or related field of study; OR Associate's degree in a field mentioned above with 2 years of relevant work experience; OR HS diploma/GED with 4 years of relevant work experience required.
Valid Driver's License is Required.
No additional experience, other than what is listed above, is required
Possess entry- to basic-level knowledge of communications technologies, inter-networking principles, and OSP infrastructure (aerial, underground, fiber, copper).
Demonstrate competency in analytical techniques necessary to handle basic assignments (e.g., dividing a problem into component steps and performing the analysis to complete each step).
Exhibit a fundamental understanding of pertinent telecom equipment, materials, systems, and business processes, including basic optical-loss concepts and cable/closure hardware.
Develop familiarity with safety requirements affecting OSP field work, including OSHA, confined-space (manhole entry), and traffic-control (MUTCD) basics.
Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; relate to people in an open, friendly, and sincere manner; demonstrate the ability to be a team player.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities, presenting new ideas and approaches, and increasing job knowledge and technical skills.
Develop decision-making skills under the guidance of higher-level employees.
2 years of relevant work experience in addition to any experience mentioned above.
Possess intermediate-level knowledge of communications technologies, inter-networking principles, and OSP plant design.
Demonstrate competency in analytical techniques necessary to handle assignments of moderate complexity.
Exhibit understanding of pertinent telecom equipment, materials, systems, and business processes, and the interrelationships between systems and component equipment, including optical-loss budgeting and material specifications.
Apply OSHA, confined-space (manhole entry), and traffic-control (MUTCD) requirements in design and field activities.
Support administration of joint-use pole agreements and resolution of attachment matters with co-occupants.
Demonstrate the ability to extrapolate beyond known facts to reach logical conclusions.
Demonstrate an attitude and desire to listen to and satisfy both internal and external customers.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities, presenting new ideas and approaches, and increasing job knowledge and technical skills; relate to people in an open, friendly, and sincere manner.
5 years of relevant work experience in addition to any experience mentioned above.
Apply advanced safety governance including OSHA, confined-space, MUTCD, storm-hardening, and loading-district criteria.
Demonstrate ability to develop new approaches and make informed decisions in the absence of a definite framework or where few precedents exist; identify, clarify, and resolve problems involving inadequate or conflicting data.
Demonstrate the ability to extrapolate beyond known facts to reach logical conclusions; seek out opportunities and embrace new ideas and approaches.
Effectively lead and facilitate meetings; communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; satisfy internal and external customers.

Nice To Haves

Preference to have either an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certificate in any U.S. state or a Cisco CCNA certification.
Possess solid-level knowledge of communications technologies, inter-networking principles, and OSP engineering; demonstrate superior technical skills in a single area of specialization.
Demonstrate competency in analytical techniques necessary to handle complex assignments and to understand interrelationships between systems and component equipment.
Keep abreast of new products, developments, technologies, procedures, and equipment.

Responsibilities

Learns and adheres to policies, procedures, standards, codes, and regulations relevant to assignments, including NESC clearance and loading fundamentals.
Develops knowledge of AEP networks, components, and facilities to enable more efficient and comprehensive responses to projects and problems.
Learns AEP's organizational structure and the specific role and responsibility of one's individual organizational unit.
Reviews and adheres to AEP's budgeting and approval processes as part of annual planning, project planning, and trouble-response scenarios.
Assists with aerial, underground, and buried fiber/copper route design using GIS/CAD tools (AutoCAD, MicroStation, Esri ArcGIS, MyWorld, etc.).
Supports fiber count and capacity planning by compiling demand and spare-capacity data for review.
Assists in identifying splice points, closure types, and basic fiber management layouts for distribution segments.
Prepares cost estimates for routine engineering assignments using established guidelines.
Supports production of construction drawings, staking sheets, and bill-of-materials (BOM) packages.
Assists with permit application preparation for DOT, municipal, and private right-of-way (ROW) crossings.
Helps manage 811 / One-Call locate requests and Dig Safe coordination prior to excavation.
Participates in field walks to verify route conditions, pole loading, clearances, and ground conditions.
Performs documentation of project work using established guidelines and assists with as-built record capture in the GIS/network inventory system.
Uses approved applications and tools to perform routine engineering tasks; assists higher-level employees in handling well-defined routine projects and problems.
Participates in design, installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and performance analysis of AEP's intermediate and enterprise telecommunication networks and systems; resolves technical problems.
Independently produces aerial, underground, and buried route designs and engineers make-ready for new attachments per NESC and utility standards.
Engineers underground conduit, duct-bank, manhole, and handhole configurations and aerial-to-underground transitions (riser/dip poles).
Determines splice locations, closure types, fiber-management architecture, and specifies slack storage/coil placement.
Sizes fiber counts for current demand with appropriate spare capacity for growth.
Performs optical link-budget and end-to-end loss calculations across spans.
Follows policies, practices, procedures, standards, and company rules, and complies with regulations and procedures required by external agencies, including NESC and utility communications standards.
Prepares and submits permits for DOT, municipality, railroad, and private ROW crossings; manages 811 / One-Call coordination.
Produces permit- and construction-grade drawings, staking sheets, and BOM packages; conducts field staking and verification of clearances, loading, and ground conditions.
Provides technical direction to OSP construction contractors and inspects work for quality and specification compliance.
Reviews OTDR traces and insertion-loss results to verify installed fiber meets specification prior to acceptance.
Ensures accurate as-built records are captured in the network inventory system (e.g., Smallworld, Esri/Telcordia, OSS).
Prepares cost estimates using established guidelines; applies economic-analysis techniques and adheres to budgeting and approval processes in project development.
Analyzes network performance, troubleshoots OSP failures (cable cuts, moisture intrusion, splice degradation), and provides resolutions.
Specifies bonding and grounding of metallic OSP components per IEEE/NEC/telecom standards and applies ice/wind loading-district criteria.
Demonstrates ability to analyze and recommend enhancements to business processes; initiates corrective action when project objectives are not being met.
Collaborates across work group, department, and corporate entities; provides cross-training to other employees as assigned; effectively leads and facilitates meetings.
Independently plans, evaluates, designs, installs, configures, troubleshoots, and analyzes performance of telecommunication networks and systems; resolves complex technical issues.
Engineers diverse, redundant, and hardened/resilient routes that eliminate single points of failure for critical communications circuits.
Designs OSP routes supporting DWDM/wavelength transport and high-capacity backbone networks.
Prepares detailed specifications from high-level designs, including optical power budgets, slack-storage strategy, and transition design.
Performs or directs pole-loading structural analysis to confirm pole integrity after new attachments.
Owns network inventory accuracy and governs approved-materials lists and spec-compliant hardware selection.
Leads, facilitates, and coordinates the work activities of others within the work group, team, department, or other entity, and assumes the role of project manager for assigned tasks.
Develops and tracks project schedules, milestones, and in-service dates, coordinating engineering deliverables with construction.
Interfaces across planning, construction, OSP maintenance, real estate/ROW, and regulatory teams to align execution.
Monitors actual-vs.-estimated project cost, manages change orders and scope adjustments, and utilizes economic-analysis techniques in project development and approval.
Partners with network planning to develop multi-year OSP build strategies aligned with demand, reliability goals, and capital budgets.
Participates in and helps develop standards relevant to the area of assignment; identifies and implements LEAN/continuous-improvement efficiencies in design, permitting, and documentation.
Administers joint-use and attachment agreements, tracks attachment rentals, and resolves disputes with co-occupants.
Ensures all work activities comply with company policies and the regulations and procedures required by external agencies, including NESC, storm-hardening, and applicable utility/NERC-related communications standards.
Leads root-cause/failure analysis of OSP outages and directs corrective resolution.
Specifies bonding/grounding architecture and environmental/SHPO route navigation for wetlands, floodplains, and historic districts.
Makes decisions affecting long-range plans and goals based on analysis of uncertain inputs and outcomes; develops new approaches where few precedents exist.
Mentors junior engineers and field staff, coordinates and conducts training sessions, and contributes to internal design standards and best practices.
Understands how technical strategies and decisions impact business units and overall business functions.