OSP Licensing and Permitting Specialist

GoNetspeed; Time (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

GoNetspeed seeks an OSP Licensing & Permitting Specialist to obtain and manage permits for fiber and utility projects. You will coordinate with municipalities, utilities, and regulators to ensure compliant, timely approvals.

Essential duties include researching jurisdictions, preparing permit packets, tracking expirations, and guiding engineering on design changes for approvals.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 3–7 years of experience in OSP permitting or telecom coordination.
• Strong knowledge of permitting requirements and ROW rules.
• Experience with Make Ready Engineering (MRE) and pole loading basics.
• Ability to coordinate with utilities, municipalities, and regulators.

Responsibilities

• Determine required permits based on project scope and jurisdiction.
• Prepare, submit, track, and close permits for OSP construction.
• Review drawings for permitting compliance and environmental requirements.
• Coordinate with pole owning utilities on attachments and make‑ready timelines.
• Maintain permit logs, respond to agency comments, and provide status updates.
• Mentor Licensing & Permitting Coordinators and assist audits.

Skills

OSP construction

Permitting regulations

Make Ready Engineering

Pole attachments

Permit tracking

Coordination with utilities

Communication skills

Organization

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Permitting databases

Spreadsheets

Documentation systems

Job description

Here at GoNetspeed, we believe in the power of connectivity. We believe that life doesn't wait for us to catch up. We believe that providing the fastest and most reliable Internet to the communities we serve means committing to the present and building for the future.

And we believe that our amazing team of employees are the key to our future and vision of connecting communities for today and for whatever comes next. If this excites you, come and join our team.

The OSP Licensing & Permitting Specialist is responsible for obtaining, managing, and maintaining permits and approvals required for outside plant fiber and utility infrastructure projects. This role supports the successful delivery of OSP construction by coordinating with municipalities, utility companies, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with permitting requirements, joint use agreements, and project schedules.

Essential Job Functions:

• Determines required permits based on project scope, OSP design, and jurisdiction
• Performs jurisdictional research
• Prepares, submits, tracks, and closes permits and applications for OSP construction (fiber, conduit, aerial and underground facilities)
• Reviews engineering and construction/permit drawings for permitting compliance
• Ensures compliance with Right-of-Way (ROW), easement, and environmental requirements
• Performs and/or coordinates Make Ready Engineering (MRE) activities, including clearance analysis and utility coordination
• Reviews, coordinates, and validates pole loading analysis (PLA) to ensure structural compliance with joint use and utility standards
• Coordinates with pole owning utilities regarding pole attachment requirements, relocations, replacement, and make ready timelines
• Tracks permit status, conditions, fees, and expiration dates
• Responds to agency comments and revises applications as needed
• Advises engineering on design changes required for permit approvals
• Mentors or guides OSP Licensing & Permitting Coordinators as needed

Regulatory Compliance:

• Interprets and applies utility agreements, municipal ordinances, and state/federal regulations related to utility pole attachments, conduit use, and ROW work
• Coordinates with municipalities, DOTs, utility companies, railroads, HOAs, and private property owners
• Resolves escalated permitting issues and conflicts

Coordination and Communication:

• Coordinates traffic control plans, lane closures, and inspection scheduling
• Communicates permit requirements and constraints to coordinators, engineering, construction, and project management teams
• Supports construction start dates by ensuring permits are approved and active
• Coordinates inspections, restoration requirements, and final sign-offs
• Maintains permit logs, documentation, data base, trackers
• Assists with audits, regulatory reporting, and record retention

Completes special projects as assigned by the Licensing & Permitting Manager*.

• These tasks do not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act definition of essential job functions and are usually less than 5% of time spent. However, these tasks still constitute important performance aspects of the job

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of OSP construction (aerial, underground, fiber, conduit) and jurisdictional permitting requirements
• Ability to interpret utility agreements, municipal ordinances, ROW rules, and state/federal regulations
• Skilled in reviewing OSP engineering drawings, TC plans, and permit packages for compliance
• Experience with Make Ready Engineering (MRE) and basic pole loading analysis (PLA) review
• Ability to coordinate with pole-owning utilities on attachments, relocations, and make-ready timelines
• Proven ability to resolve escalated permitting issues and agency comments
• Strong communication skills for working with municipalities, DOTs, utilities, engineers, and construction teams
• Excellent organization, documentation, and permit tracking skills; able to manage high permit volumes
• Proficient with permitting databases, trackers, spreadsheets, and documentation systems
• Ability to mentor or guide junior permitting staff
• Ability to consistently follow-up and strong attention to detail
• Document control and reporting
• Professional, team-oriented, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• 3-7 years of experience in OSP permitting, joint-use licensing, or telecom utility coordination

GoNetspeed is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender identity, color, race, creed, national origin, religious persuasion, marital status, political belief, or disability.

Thank you for choosing GoNetspeed as your potential next employer! We know you have other options when selecting an employer of choice and are so glad you chose to apply with us.