Radio Frequency Systems Technician

Columbia County (FL); Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia County in Florida seeks an RF Systems Technician to install, test, and maintain RF systems and dispatch centers at various site locations. This role requires on-call 24/7 rotation and readiness to travel to remote tower sites as needed.

The technician will work with Motorola ASTRO P25 systems, comply with FCC regulations, and assist in maintaining critical public safety communications infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, IT, RF Engineering preferred; seven years trunked simulcast Phase 2 network experience.
• Military training in tactical or higher echelon communications is a plus; or any combination of experience and education that provides needed knowledge.
• Within 14 days of employment, pass level 4 CJIS certification training per current guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Install, test, and troubleshoot RF systems and sub-assemblages.
• Maintain Motorola ASTRO P25 network equipment and infrastructure.
• Perform two-way radio programming, preventive maintenance, and repairs.
• Complete logs and paperwork clearly and timely.
• Travel to remote tower sites and coordinate with vendors and county departments.

Skills

Radio fundamentals

Simulcast Phase 2

FCC regulations

On-call availability

Travel readiness

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications/IT

Tools

Motorola ASTRO P25

Job description

Installation, repair, and maintenance of RF systems and dispatch centers. RF Systems Technicians must have a working knowledge Project 25 telecommunications equipment installation and repair. Must be able to be on call 24/7 within the needed rotation, as the job requires. Must be able to travel with minimal notice when required.

Working Conditions

Work is performed at various remote communication tower sites around Columbia County, in an office, or a shop and may require frequent travel as well as the transport of heavy equipment. Employee may be exposed to inclement weather conditions and hazardous work environments, such as high voltage power sources, including high ‘RF’ energy. Employee is subject to “on-call” status at any time.Must?be able to pass a pre-employment physical that screens for?acceptable?eyesight and hearing (with or without correction), the ability to sit for extended periods, and manual dexterity needed to?operate?office machinery.??

These are intended only as illustrations of the? various types?of work performed. The omission of?specific?duties does not?exclude?them from the?position.?

• Applicant must be able to perform unsupervised tasks using technical documentation
• Install, test, and troubleshoot a variety of RF systems and sub-assemblages
• Must be able to complete all paperwork and logs clearly and timely
• Maintain, optimize, test, and document complex Motorola ASTRO P25 Simulcast Network radio system and infrastructure equipment, including radio repeaters, GPS time server oscillators, network servers, controllers, power supplies, network routers, and switches
• Performs two-way radio programming, preventive maintenance, and repairs
• Aligns and adjusts radio equipment as needed to ensure compliance with FCC regulations
• Maintains 911 radio dispatch consoles and backup radio equipment
• Collaborate with management to stay ahead of industry standards to exceed customer's unique needs and concerns
• Maintain, test, and operate various models of RF repeaters, antenna subsystems, and microwave communications
• Perform server hardware/OS and software infrastructure maintenance and troubleshooting to resolve system/application-related issues as it pertains to the radio communications systems
• Install, test, repair, maintain repeaters, antenna systems, and other equipment for various brands and models
• Effectively communicate with vendor-specific engineering, project management and sales personnel to effectively maintain, optimize and support advanced communication systems that meet or exceed BOCC, County management and user expectations
• Maintain assigned vehicle inventory and vehicle maintenance
• Logging recording systems, RF interfaces, wired/wireless communications systems and networking equipment
• Employee is responsible for the installation, configuration, diagnosis, repair, and maintenance of all desktop computers, laptops, printers, and peripherals as pertains to the radio communication systems
• The Employee is responsible for networking PC Clients, which involves the setup and configurations of desktop computers, laptops, printers, peripherals, communications software, email, and internet access as it relates to the ASTRO25 network
• Employee utilizes the technical support Help Desk application to provide technical support and user assistance
• Employee assists in implementing new network applications, systems, and upgrades and in implementing servers, server applications, systems, and upgrades as it pertains to the communications systems
• Employee is on-call 24/7 to independently diagnose and repair RF and computer equipment
• Employee will maintain professional relationships with communication vendors who support the county communications system
• Regular attendance at work is required
• Employee shall maintain a professional relationship with elected officials and other County Departments, and affiliated Municipalities
• Provide both technical and strategic planning support to all public safety functions
• Employee shall provide administrative support for all of the County communications
• Occasional overnight travel may be required from time to time

Minimum Experience: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Communications, IT, Radio Frequency Engineer or closely related field is preferred; and seven (7) years trunked simulcast Phase 2 network experience. Military specialized training in tactical or higher echelon communications is preferred; or any combination of experience, education, and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Possession of a valid Florida Driver’s licenserequired.

Within fourteen days (14) days of employment, the employee is required to pass level four (4), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification training. Current CJIS guidelines determine the level and may change periodically. Certification is obtained by successfully completing web-based training courses that cover physical security, incident response, the protection of information, and other IT-specific security threats, vulnerabilities, and risks.

• Knowledge of the principles of two-way radio communication
• Knowledge of the design principles of radio equipment, components, and systems
• Knowledge of solid-state electronics, the operational design of circuits, and electronic testing equipment
• Knowledge of state and federal two-way radio regulations
• Knowledge of safety procedures, techniques, and equipment
• Knowledge of the common causes of failure that occur in radio transmitting and receiving equipment
• Preferred candidates will possess at least two years of experience in simulcast trunked radio systems
• Motorola ASTRO P25 Network experience is a plus
• Knowledge of wireless communications systems, such as RF repeaters, backbone microwave, GPS time servers, and simulcast cells
• Ability to read and use schematic diagrams
• Ability to apply rules and guidelines to specific situations
• Ability to use RF and handheld electronic testing equipment
• Ability to complete and maintain records and forms
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
• Ability to maintain favorable public relations.
• Ability to solve customer problems quickly during stressful situations
• Ability to understand technology and keep up with emerging trends
• Knowledge of wired communications systems, such as local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN), must be proficient in computer network installation, configuration, and maintenance systems, including cable, routers, switches, firewalls and bridges
• Server implementation, configuration, and management
• Advanced Routing and Switching implementation, configuration, and management CAT5 termination and management
• In-depth knowledge of applicable laws and regulations as they relate to IT
• Superior analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work without close supervision
• Ability to deal with complex tasks