Lead Telecommunications Designer

WSP USA; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 130,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement savings

Flexible workplace

Job summary

WSP USA's kW Mission Critical Engineering unit seeks a Telecom Lead Designer to provide technical leadership for telecommunications systems on mission-critical data center projects. You will own design decisions, BIM/CAD work, and coordination with Electrical, AV, Security, and MEP teams.

You will mentor junior designers, guide multi-discipline teams, and ensure quality and constructability from early design through construction closeout.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience designing low voltage systems for mission critical/buildings.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in a related field.
• Experience with AutoCAD and Revit; strong verbal/written communication.

Responsibilities

• Serve as design authority for telecommunications on assigned projects.
• Independently perform BIM and CAD design tasks for Telecommunications.
• Develop and maintain telecom spaces, pathways, and ICT infrastructure.
• Coordinate with Electrical, AV, Security, and MEP teams throughout design.
• Lead QA/QC reviews and ensure design accuracy and standards compliance.
• Mentor junior designers and participate in client-facing design discussions.

Skills

Telecommunications design

Leadership

Communication skills

BIM coordination

Team mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

Great people. Great places. Great projects. kW Mission Critical Engineering, a WSP company, is a high-performance, fast-paced consulting engineering firm designing data centers and mission critical environments across the globe. We hire smart, responsive, team players to work in collaborative and mentoring office settings. Our mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, controls, telecommunications, and security building system designs keep many of the world’s top Fortune 100 financial, technology, enterprise, hyperscale, and colocation companies up and running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We work on innovative, award-winning, large-scale projects. We travel to construction sites to see our designs being built. As part of WSP, we are able to offer our employees increased professional development and career opportunities in addition to kW MCE’s office culture which is consistently recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work.” Join our great people at our great places designing great projects.

This Opportunity

Be involved in projects with our Building Technology Systems (BTS) team and be part of a growing organization that meets our clients’ objectives and solves their challenges. At WSP, we are driven by inspiring the right people to be part of our future-focused business objectives. Our devotion to teamwork has allowed us to build communities and expand our skylines. Here at WSP, anything is within our reach—and yours as a WSP employee.

kW Mission Critical Engineering, a WSP USA company, is currently initiating a search for a Telecom Lead Designer to support mission critical and high-performance building projects. This role provides technical leadership and design authority for telecommunications systems, supporting projects from early design through construction closeout.

Our staff work on high-quality, high-profile, local, national, and international projects. You will actively participate in the complete project lifecycle, collaborating with architects, engineers, contractors, and owners to deliver reliable, scalable, and constructible telecommunications infrastructure.

Your Impact

Telecom Design & Technical Leadership

• Serve as the design authority for telecommunications systems on assigned projects, owning technical decisions, design intent, and final deliverables.
• Independently perform and lead BIM and CAD design assignments supporting the Telecommunications discipline.
• Design telecommunications systems including structured cabling infrastructure, telecom spaces (MMR, IDF), pathways, cable tray, wireless access point layouts, and related ICT infrastructure.
• Integrate telecommunications systems with other building systems including Electrical, AV, Security, Controls, and MEP disciplines.
• Develop and maintain Division 27 specifications, design narratives, and supporting technical documentation.
• Define system architectures, routing strategies, redundancy concepts, and constructability approaches aligned with mission critical requirements.

BIM, Documentation & Quality

• Produce accurate 2D drawings and 3D BIM models using Revit or equivalent BIM platforms.
• Develop coordinated floor plans, riser diagrams, room layouts, equipment elevations, schedules, and details.
• Prepare cable schedules, pathway documentation, and technical specifications.
• Perform Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) reviews of telecommunications design packages, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and compliance with client and industry standards.
• Implement and apply discipline best practices, internal standards, and BIM execution requirements across all deliverables.
• Meet required schedules while maintaining a high level of design quality and consistency.

Project Delivery & Construction Support

• Support projects through all phases of design and construction, including construction administration activities.
• Review contractor submittals, respond to RFIs, and resolve field coordination issues related to telecommunications systems.
• Survey and evaluate existing conditions to support retrofit, expansion, and brownfield projects.
• Participate in site walks and coordination meetings to verify constructability and field alignment with design intent.

Leadership, Coordination & Mentorship

• Lead telecommunications design efforts on assigned projects, coordinating scope, deliverables, and technical direction.
• Mentor and guide junior designers, providing technical oversight, feedback, and professional development support.
• Collaborate within multidiscipline project teams to deliver coordinated drawing and specification packages for architects, contractors, and building owners.
• Attend and represent the Telecommunications discipline in internal coordination meetings and client-facing design discussions.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the broader services provided by the kW Mission Critical Engineering design teams and how telecommunications integrates within those services.

Who You Are

You are an experienced telecommunications designer with strong technical depth, a high standard for quality, and the ability to lead design efforts within a multidiscipline environment. You communicate clearly, work independently, and understand how telecommunications systems support the operational and resiliency requirements of mission critical facilities.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience designing low voltage systems for high performing commercial, industrial, or mission critical/data center buildings
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent relevant work experience in lieu of a degree
• Experience with applicable software packages including AutoCAD, Revit
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Attention to detail, highly organized, self-starter?
• Ability to travel to project sites
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Mission critical / data center project experience.
• Experience with international or multiregion projects.
• Hands-on construction administration and field experience.
• Industry certifications such as RCDD, DCDC, or related credentials.

Compensation and Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

Expected Salary: $130,000 - $182,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

www.wsp.com

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.