Fiber Construction Engineer | Allentown, PA

FirstLight Fiber, Inc; Allentown (Lehigh County); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstLight Fiber is seeking a qualified Fiber Construction Engineer to lead initial design, permitting, and budget management for fiber builds in the Allentown area. The role involves field coordination, BOM generation, and coordinating with contractors to ensure on-time delivery and safety compliance.

The ideal candidate has 2+ years in fiber construction or telecom, with an Associate or Bachelor’s in engineering or related field, and proficiency in GIS and MS Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, telecommunications or related field preferred.
• Alternative: 5 years of relevant telecommunications experience.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Travel to customer locations to collect fiber optic project information and determine equipment requirements and routes.
• Prepares preliminary OSP and ISP designs and provides data for Fiber Engineering.
• Complete Mop forms with customer signature for access to structures with fiber optic cables.
• Engage in meetings to deliberate requirements for backbone, lateral, and riser fiber builds.
• Establish partnerships with stakeholders to identify project updates and timelines.
• Develop strategic customer relationships to secure service contracts for FirstLight.
• Oversee all construction phases including bidding, preconstruction assessments, site visits, safety audits, and documentation finalization.
• Work with fiber design engineers to ensure uniformity and accuracy in project documentation.
• Direct and manage construction activities with approved contractors to meet specifications and timelines.
• Keep Team and Project Managers updated on issues affecting timelines or budgets.
• Foster open communication and collaboration within the team.
• Oversee procurement and organization of equipment and materials for projects.
• Develop Bills of Materials (BOMs) with precision.
• Conduct site inspections to address discrepancies and ensure material efficiency.
• Comply with field activity protocols and best practices.
• Handle emergency and on-call fiber impairment responses as needed.
• Coordinate repair teams with NOC, Field Operations, and Fiber Design.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

GIS

MS Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Travel as needed

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in engineering or telecommunications

5 years of relevant experience

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Fiber Construction Engineer

Full Time IC Allentown, PA, US

Salary Range: $75,000.00 To $90,000.00 Annually

FirstLight is a leading telecommunications company with a strong commitment to innovation and excellence. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions to our customers while fostering a dynamic and inclusive workplace culture.

Summary:TheFiber Construction Engineer (FCE) is responsible for managing the initial design which includes identifying and initiating local and state permitting, pole and conduct license requests. The FCE will oversee project and budget management, ensuring all aspects comply with Firstlight’s high standards. The FCE will be responsible to request and manage project materials through the completion of the project. The FCE will manage project construction with in-house or external resources. The FCE is required to simultaneously manage multiple projects while strictly adhering to timelines, budgets, quality, and safety. This position plays a key role in supporting the organization with the field design, installation, and support of the fiber optic network. This position is work from home office with some fieldwork required. Site walks and pole data collection are part of the job,

Responsibilities:

• Travel to customer locations to collect fiber optic project information, determining equipment requirements and best fiber optic routes.
• Prepares preliminary OSP and ISP designs, providing all requiring data for Fiber Engineering
• Completes Mop (Method of Procedure) forms, including customers signature, allowing Firstlight to enter the structure with fiber optic cable(s)
• Actively engage in meetings to deliberate on the requirements for new backbone, lateral, and riser fiber builds.
• Establish partnerships with stakeholders to identify project updates and establish accurate forecasts/timelines.
• Develop strategic customer relationships that contribute to securing service contracts for FirstLight.
• Involvement on all phases of construction, including bidding, preconstruction assessments, ongoing site visits, safety audits, and documentation finalization.
• Work in tandem with fiber design engineers to guarantee uniformity and precision in all project documentation.
• Directs and manages construction work activities with approved contractors to ensure conformance with project specifications and on-time delivery of customer service.
• Ensure Team and Project Managers are promptly updated on any issues that may affect project timelines or budgets.
• Cultivate open communication and collaboration within the team to drive successful outcomes.
• Oversee the procurement and organization of equipment and materials for designated projects.
• Build expertise in generating precise Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Conduct thorough site inspections to identify and address any discrepancies, ensuring efficient material acquisition.
• Comply with all field activity protocols and best practices.
• Handle emergency and trouble responses related to fiber impairments as a participant in an On-Call rotation.
• Work jointly with the NOC, Field Operations, and Fiber Design to coordinate repair teams.
• Other duties as assigned.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Fiber Construction Engineer to join our team who has a strong knowledge of Inside & Outside fiber network, initial design, and construction. Identify and initiate local and state permitting, pole and conduit license requests. Oversee project and budget management, ensuring all aspects align with our high standards. Your ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while strictly adhering to timelines and budgets is crucial. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 2 years of industry experience, with a proven track record of success with fiber installations.

Requirements:

• Preferred: Associate and / or bachelor’s degree in engineering or telecommunications.
• Alternatively: 5 years of relevant experience in telecommunications.
• Consideration for equivalent combinations of education and experience.
• Solid business acumen and experience in managing large telecom construction projects.
• Vast knowledge of fiber construction processes and best practices.
• Vast knowledge of fiber Splicing / Testing processes and best practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Solid experience using GIS, MS Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to travel as needed to manage field operations, which can include overnight stays throughout the network.

About FirstLight

FirstLight provides fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast connecting more than 13,000 locations in service with more than 125,000 locations serviceable by our more than 25,000-route mile network. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber services as well as dedicated Internet access solutions, data center, cloud and voice services. FirstLight’s clientele includes national cellular providers and wireline carriers and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments.

FirstLight is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, and inclusion. We recognize that our differences are assets that strengthen us as a team, and FirstLight is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected and recognized. FirstLight Fiber is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with state and federal laws, FirstLight’s equal opportunity policy is that all applicants and employees are treated equally by the company with respect to employment opportunities, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status or veteran disability.