Telecommunications Engineer I, II, III, or IV

Position Summary

Incumbent coordinates and performs Telecommunications engineering evaluations, functional analysis, compatibility analysis, design, security, testing, deployment, planning, and project coordination for existing and new Telecommunications and IT products. The position provides engineering technical support, project engineering and development, strategic planning, engineering analysis, maintenance and operational support, and engineering design. Areas of engineering focus are:

• Design, configure, maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot network routers/switches and other network components to support day-to-day operations (Cisco preferred)
• Comprehensive understanding of layer 3 routing protocols, including OSPF, BGP, and EIGRP
• Expertise in configuring LAN and WAN networks to ensure optimal performance and security
• Ability to coordinate with business units and stakeholders to install/configure equipment on site
• Strong communication and documentation skills to effectively communicate technical issues to team members and stakeholders.
• Adhere to business and industry standards (NERC CIP / FERC / NIST)
• Assist in developing business unit strategy and future planning
• Create and develop project scopes and project estimates
• Create and maintain system documentation (Topology Diagrams, Design Docs, Technical Procedures)

Education, Training and Experience

Telecom Engineer I:  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Technology, or related field (OR) an Associate’s Degree in Electronics, Information Technology, or related field and 3 years of hands on experience with telecommunications equipment or configuration associated with radio frequency technology, fiber optic management, microwave configuration and setup, data networking equipment or systems, or any associated telecommunications equipment, platform, or systems is required.  Ability to communicate with technical and non-technical staff and customers in a positive manner.

Telecom Engineer II:  Bachelor’s degree as listed above and 2 years’ experience (OR) an Associate’s Degree as listed above and 5 years of experience is required.  Increased level of technical competency in a minimum of one discipline listed as demonstrated by position history.  Project management of small size projects are researched, outlined, planned, coordinated, and implemented at this level of Engineer, which is based on Enterprise Technology project portfolio management criteria.  Demonstrated ability to perform research and evaluate the ongoing changes in technology and continued evaluation of best practices in support of telecommunication services.

Telecom Engineer III:  Bachelor’s degree as listed above and 4 years’ experience (OR) an Associate’s Degree as listed above and 7 years of experience is required.  Subject matter expert level competency in one discipline listed as demonstrated by position history and knowledgeable of another discipline.  Project management of medium size projects are researched, outlined, planned, coordinated, and implemented at this level of Engineer.

Telecom Engineer IV:  Bachelor’s degree as listed above and 6 years’ experience (OR) an Associate’s Degree as listed above and 9 years of experience is required.  Subject matter expert level competency in two disciplines listed as demonstrated by position history. Project management of large size projects are researched, outlined, planned, coordinated, and implemented at this level of Engineer.

**The first four levels of Telecommunications Engineer are considered a career path and is approved by the appropriate manager. NPPD telecommunications engineering positions are managed under the NPPD Telecommunications Engineering Career Path document.

Licenses and/or Certifications

Professional Engineer, Telecommunication vendor certifications such as but not limited to Cisco CCNA/CCNP/CCIE (or equivalent), or other certification as defined by the engineering discipline is desired.  May be required to obtain unescorted NERC or CNS facility access based on position responsibilities.  

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The required Essential Duties & Responsibilities below are a summary of the core concepts and tasks performed by all levels of the Telecommunications Engineering Team.  Requirements specific to each level are outlined in the Telecommuncications Engineering Career Path (OG-ET-ST-040), and increase in complexity as teammates gain knowledge and demonstrate expertise in their assigned role.

Engineering Studies - Activities and associated skills which are required to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of new construction projects, modifications to existing systems or equipment, or changes in operation or maintenance of existing systems or equipment. Typical tasks may include: A detailed and specific understanding of the electric utility industry, obtain field data, investigate new technology, review regulatory requirements, review design standards and codes, develop conceptual design, detailed understanding of economic/ accounting principles, determine economic feasibility, determine technical feasibility, develop scheduling, generate specific/detailed technical reports, present reports.  

Modification & New Design or Construction Projects – Activities & associated skills which are required to design & implement new construction projects, as well as system-wide designs, that would impact new or existing systems. Typical tasks may include: Independent completion of engineering projects, utilizing appropriate software, ensuring compliance with standards & regulations, deploying new technologies, overseeing field installation, coordinating work between departments, assisting with contract preparation, material coordination, project inspection, ongoing support, updating documentation, & providing peer training to O&M crews.  

Operations and Maintenance Support - Activities and associated skills which are required to provide technical support to the operation and maintenance of existing equipment or systems. Typical tasks may include: Analyze problems (Root Cause Analysis), perform equipment condition assessments, perform system assessments, establish guidelines for system administration, provide outage support, provide subject matter expertise, develop operating procedures, conduct performance testing, interpret, and analyze results.  

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (Continued)

Customer Relations - Activities and associated skills which are required to support the customers' business needs. Typical tasks may include: Understand the customers' needs, provide project status, maintain effective customer contact, coordinate and communication outage & maintenance activities, communicate service options available from individual support to department and NPPD offerings. This position will exhibit high-level communication and customer service skills.  

Consulting - Activities and associated skills which are required to provide technical direction or input to others. Typical tasks may include: Create Requests for Proposals (RFPs), provide direction to teammates through work packages, provide technical leadership within specific areas of expertise, develop or review technical feasibility of proposed solutions.  

Accountable for other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies