Lab Technician

ADTRAN, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

ADTRAN, Inc. is hiring a Telecommunications Lab Technician in Huntsville, AL. The role supports local and remote engineering teams, maintaining a reliable lab environment with GPON, Ethernet, and wireless gateway setups. You will configure, troubleshoot, and document lab networks, equipment, and procedures.

The position requires hands-on lab experience, strong organization, and the ability to work across time zones. Onsite work with occasional cross-team coordination is expected.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in telecommunications lab or related field.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting switches, routers, VLANs, and IP addressing.
• Familiarity with GPON/fiber access networks, OLT/ONT, optical patching, and fiber handling.
• Experience setting up wireless gateways and customer premises equipment.
• Proficient with common lab/test tools like power meters, traffic generators, packet capture, and PDUs.
• Ability to document procedures and maintain lab records clearly.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and support telecommunications lab infrastructure for local and remote teams.
• Configure and troubleshoot network devices and wireless gateways.
• Manage GPON lab components (OLT/ONT, patching, cabling).
• Set up lab test equipment and ensure readiness for testing and validation.
• Document topology, procedures, and troubleshooting steps for repeatable operations.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve issues quickly.
• Assist remote engineers with hardware swaps and diagnostics.
• Maintain inventory and ensure safe handling of powered equipment.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Multi-tasking in lab environment

Ability to work across time zones

Technical documentation

Safety procedures (ESD)

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree / technical certification

Military technical training

Tools

Ethernet switches

Routers

GPON infrastructure

Wireless gateways

Lab test equipment

IP addressing / VLANs

Fiber patching

Job description

Welcome! Our Growth is Creating Great Opportunities! Our team is expanding, and we want to hire the most talented people we can. Continued success depends on it! Once you've had a chance to explore our current open positions, apply to the ones you feel suit you best and keep track of both your progress in the selection process, and new postings that might interest you! Thanks for your interest in working on our team!

Position Summary

Adtran is seeking a Telecommunications Lab Technician to support local and remote engineering teams by maintaining a reliable, well-organized, and operational telecommunications lab environment. This role is responsible for day-to-day lab operations, including network equipment configuration, switch and router administration, GPON infrastructure maintenance, wireless network gateway setup, test equipment readiness, equipment inventory, cabling, and hands-on troubleshooting. The ideal candidate is technically curious, dependable, highly organized, and comfortable supporting engineers across multiple time zones.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and support telecommunications lab infrastructure used by local and remote engineering teams.
• Configure, administer, and troubleshoot Ethernet switches, routers, access networks, wireless network gateways, and related lab networking equipment.
• Maintain GPON lab infrastructure, including OLTs, ONTs/ONUs, optical splitters, fiber patching, test connections, and associated power and cabling.
• Set up, configure, and validate residential and small-business wireless gateways, including Wi-Fi configuration, SSID/security settings, LAN/WAN connectivity, and basic performance verification.
• Operate and maintain lab test equipment such as traffic generators, optical power meters, packet capture tools, managed PDUs, console servers, attenuators, and wireless test or monitoring tools.
• Provision and validate network connectivity for engineering test setups, customer simulations, product validation, and regression testing.
• Perform routine lab audits to ensure equipment is labeled, documented, powered, connected, and available for engineering use.
• Support remote engineers by setting up hardware, performing equipment swaps, capturing basic diagnostics, power-cycling devices, and validating service availability.
• Manage lab IP addressing, VLAN assignments, switch ports, patch panels, fiber jumpers, and physical topology documentation.
• Assist with firmware loading, device resets, console access, basic configuration changes, and recovery of lab systems.
• Maintain inventory records for lab equipment, optics, fiber components, cables, power supplies, test equipment, wireless gateways, and spare hardware.
• Coordinate with engineering, IT, facilities, and operations teams to maintain reliable lab services and resolve infrastructure issues quickly.
• Follow safety, ESD, fiber-handling, and equipment-handling procedures within the lab environment.
• Document lab procedures, topology diagrams, configuration notes, and troubleshooting steps to support repeatable operations.

Required Qualifications

• Experience working in a telecommunications, broadband, networking, engineering, or lab support environment.
• Hands-on experience with switches, routers, VLANs, IP addressing, cabling, console access, and basic network troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of GPON or fiber access networks, including OLT/ONT connectivity, optical patching, splitters, and fiber handling.
• Experience setting up or troubleshooting wireless network gateways, Wi-Fi access points, customer premises equipment, or broadband home networking devices.
• Experience using common lab and network test equipment, including optical power meters, traffic generators, packet capture tools, managed PDUs, console servers, or wireless test tools.
• Ability to follow technical procedures, create clear documentation, and maintain accurate lab records.
• Comfortable supporting remote engineers through chat, email, video calls, ticketing systems, and step-by-step remote execution.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple lab requests, priorities, and equipment setups simultaneously.
• Ability to lift and move lab equipment, rack devices, connect cabling, and work safely around powered telecommunications equipment.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree, technical certification, military technical training, or equivalent experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Adtran, GPON, xPON, broadband access, wireless gateways, customer premises equipment, or carrier-grade networking platforms.
• Familiarity with Linux command-line tools, serial console access, DHCP, DNS, routing, switching, packet captures, Wi-Fi diagnostics, and basic automation scripts.
• Experience using advanced test equipment or lab tools such as optical power meters, traffic generators, managed PDUs, spectrum or protocol analyzers, wireless analyzers, attenuators, or lab monitoring tools.
• Certifications such as Network+, CCNA, JNCIA, fiber optic technician certification, wireless networking certification, or equivalent practical experience.

Schedule and Work Location

This position is based onsite in Huntsville, Alabama. The role requires an early morning start to provide timely support for engineering teams in Central European Time, while also covering U.S. Central Time and the early portion of Pacific Time. Flexibility may be required to support critical lab needs, customer escalations, release milestones, and planned maintenance windows.