Telecom Consultant - Telecom Consultant Sr. (Outside Plant Engineer)

American Electric Power•South Bend, IN

1d•$87,633 - $128,688•Onsite

About The Position

Act as Telecom Outside Plant Engineer (OSPE) representative in team settings during the planning and kickoff phases of Telecom Site and Fiber projects. Provide OSPE field support to those performing oversight duties associated with the safety, construction, and quality control of Telecom Site and Fiber projects. Support the efforts of Manager to hire and coach Telecom OSPE, Field Technicians to support and coordinate projects with Telecom Transmission Field Services. Performs Outside Plant fiber engineering and coordination for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and installation of fiber optic cable. Performs site visits to plan and engineer fiber projects and operations activities to complete fiber relocates, transfers, and replacements on AEP facilities and poles. Oversees internal and contractor resources performing work such as cable placement for overhead and underground fiber, splicing, testing and quality assurance. Responds to fiber outages 24x7 to evaluate, plan and implement repairs and replacements as needed. Participates in design, installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and performance analysis of AEP's intermediate and enterprise telecommunication networks and systems. Follows policies, practices, procedures, standards, and company rules relative to assignments. Complies with regulations and procedures required by external agencies. Prepares cost estimates for engineering assignments using established guidelines. Performs documentation of project work using established guidelines; Performs network assignments. Analyze network performance, troubleshoot when necessary, and provide resolutions to technical problems. Follow standard workflow for engineering projects; apply economic analysis techniques and adhere to budgeting and approval processes in project development. Demonstrate knowledge of AEP networks, components, and facilities to enable more efficient and comprehensive responses to projects and problems. Learn AEP's organizational structure and the specific role and responsibility of one's organizational unit. Support and promote ZERO Harm working with all AEP departments and contractors both in the office and in the field. Provide direct Telecom Site and Fiber interface to local Telecom Field Services, Transmission and Distribution management including oversight of schedules for drawings, materials, and construction for local capital and O&M projects. Support Outage Planning and Constructability with new project development. Work closely with Project Coordinator to help facilitate project labor coverage, and Safety Representation for all projects. Coordinate local communication of contractors to resolve issues caused by customer outages. Provide coordination of daily/weekly Region work plans and keep of project high level to meet construction schedules. This involves working with the Project Coordinator and Field Manager. Collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure successful project completion. Supervise/Coordinate AEP Technician and or Contractors to perform tasks to complete a project. Assist other OSPEs, AEP Technicians or any other AEP Personal in, but not limited to, Project execution, Design, Change Management, Routing and Splicing, Splicing, FMP process, etc. Manage compliance in accordance with AEP Regulations. Support Regional Storm Restoration efforts that require OSPE and contractor labor support. Support extra duties and committees as assigned by Manager. Adept with technical tools and applications, mobile devices tablet/phone; including but not limited to: Microsoft suite (MS 365, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) GIS, PDF editor, Smartsheet, Scheduling Software, CAD.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements for SG 07 Telecom Consultant: Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, computer science, telecommunications, or related field of study + 2 years of relevant work experience. OR associate’s degree in field mentioned above with 4 years of relevant work experience. OR HS diploma/GED with 6 years of relevant work experience required.
Licenses/Certifications: Valid Driver's License is Required.
Demonstrate ability to analyze and recommend enhancements to business processes.
Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrate the ability to extrapolate beyond known facts to reach logical conclusions.
Effectively lead and facilitate meetings.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities to increase job knowledge and technical skills.
Travel Required.
Possess intermediate level knowledge of communications technologies and internetworking principles.
Demonstrate competency in analytical techniques necessary to handle assignments of moderate complexity. (e.g., by dividing the problem into component steps, and performing the analysis necessary to complete each step.)
Exhibit understanding for pertinent telecom equipment, materials, systems and business processes.
Exhibit ability to understand interrelationships between systems and component equipment.
Collaborate with others within the work group, department, or other corporate entity as necessary to complete routine activities.
Provide cross-training to other employees as assigned and initiate corrective action when project objectives are not being met.
Demonstrate an attitude and desire to listen to and satisfy both internal and external customers who use and depend upon their organizational unit.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities and presenting new ideas and new approaches.
Relate to people in an open, friendly and sincere manner.
Core Competencies: Continuous improvement, team player, assume positive intent, safety first focus, continuous learning, professionalism.
Minimum Requirements for SG 08 Telecom Consultant Sr: Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, computer science, telecommunications, or related field of study + 5 years of experience. OR associate’s degree in field mentioned above with 7 years of relevant work experience. OR HS diploma/GED with 9 years of relevant work experience required.
Licenses/Certifications: Valid Driver's License Required.
Keep abreast of new products, developments, technologies, procedures and equipment.
Demonstrate ability to analyze and recommend enhancements to business processes.
Travel Required.
Possess solid level knowledge of communications technologies and inter-networking principles.
Demonstrate superior technical skills in a single area of specialization.
Demonstrate competency in analytical techniques necessary to handle complex assignments (e.g., by dividing the problem into component steps, and performing the analysis necessary to complete each step.)
Exhibit understanding for pertinent telecom equipment, materials, systems and business processes.
Demonstrate ability to develop new approaches to make informed decisions in the absence of a definite framework or where few precedents exist.
Demonstrate ability to make decisions affecting long-range plans and goals based on analysis of uncertain input and outcomes.
Identify, clarify, resolve and initiate solutions to routine problems that sometimes involve analysis of inadequate or conflicting data.
Exhibit ability to understand interrelationships between systems and component equipment.
Collaborate with others within the work group, department, or other corporate entity as necessary to complete routine activities.
Provide cross-training to other employees as assigned.
Coordinate and conduct training sessions as assigned.
Initiate corrective action when project objectives are not being met.
Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrate the ability to extrapolate beyond known facts to reach logical conclusions.
Demonstrate ability and desire to seek out opportunities and embrace new ideas and approaches.
Demonstrate an attitude and desire to listen to and satisfy both internal and external customers who use and depend upon their organizational unit.
Understand how technical strategies and decisions impact the business units and their overall business functions.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities and presenting new ideas and new approaches.
Relate to people in an open, friendly and sincere manner.
Effectively lead and facilitate meetings.
Use initiative in looking for opportunities to increase job knowledge and technical skills.
Core Competencies: Continuous improvement, team player, assume positive intent, safety first focus, continuous learning, professionalism.

Nice To Haves

Preference to have either an Engineering in Training EIT Certificate or Professional Engineering license in any U.S. State.

Responsibilities

Performs Outside Plant fiber engineering and coordination for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and installation of fiber optic cable.
Performs site visits to plan and engineer fiber projects and operations activities to complete fiber relocates, transfers, and replacements on AEP facilities and poles.
Oversees internal and contractor resources performing work such as cable placement for overhead and underground fiber, splicing, testing and quality assurance.
Responds to fiber outages 24x7 to evaluate, plan and implement repairs and replacements as needed.
Participates in design, installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and performance analysis of AEP's intermediate and enterprise telecommunication networks and systems.
Follows policies, practices, procedures, standards, and company rules relative to assignments.
Complies with regulations and procedures required by external agencies.
Prepares cost estimates for engineering assignments using established guidelines.
Performs documentation of project work using established guidelines; Performs network assignments.
Analyze network performance, troubleshoot when necessary, and provide resolutions to technical problems.
Follow standard workflow for engineering projects; apply economic analysis techniques and adhere to budgeting and approval processes in project development.
Demonstrate knowledge of AEP networks, components, and facilities to enable more efficient and comprehensive responses to projects and problems.
Learn AEP's organizational structure and the specific role and responsibility of one's organizational unit.
Support and promote ZERO Harm working with all AEP departments and contractors both in the office and in the field.
Provide direct Telecom Site and Fiber interface to local Telecom Field Services, Transmission and Distribution management including oversight of schedules for drawings, materials, and construction for local capital and O&M projects.
Support Outage Planning and Constructability with new project development.
Work closely with Project Coordinator to help facilitate project labor coverage, and Safety Representation for all projects.
Coordinate local communication of contractors to resolve issues caused by customer outages.
Provide coordination of daily/weekly Region work plans and keep of project high level to meet construction schedules.
Collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure successful project completion.
Supervise/Coordinate AEP Technician and or Contractors to perform tasks to complete a project.
Assist other OSPEs, AEP Technicians or any other AEP Personal in, but not limited to, Project execution, Design, Change Management, Routing and Splicing, Splicing, FMP process, etc.
Manage compliance in accordance with AEP Regulations.
Support Regional Storm Restoration efforts that require OSPE and contractor labor support.
Support extra duties and committees as assigned by Manager.