Telecom and Life Safety & Security Low Voltage Design Specialist

Jacobs; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) plan with company stock option

Unlimited PPTO and holidays

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Telecommunications (Communications Systems) Designer to design building telecom, security, AV and low-voltage systems. You’ll collaborate with leadership and PMs through the full design lifecycle—from concept to construction administration.

You will develop basis of design narratives, cable schedules, and room layouts, coordinating with electrical, mechanical, and architectural teams, and leveraging GID tools and BIM workflows.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years designing communications systems for buildings.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD.
• Familiarity with ANSI/TIA and BICSI standards.
• Strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop telecom, security, AV, and low-voltage systems for buildings.
• Prepare drawings, specifications, and reports with accurate documentation.
• Coordinate with electrical, mechanical, and architectural teams for integration.
• Develop Basis of Design narratives, cable schedules, and room layouts.
• Work with GID teams to leverage global expertise and digital delivery tools.

Skills

Revit

AutoCAD

ANSI/TIA standards

BICSI standards

Communication skills

Coordination across disciplines

Project coordination

Education

High school diploma (or equivalent)

RCDD credential or working toward

Tools

Bluebeam Revu

MasterFormat/CSI

Excel

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

We’re seeking a Telecommunications (Communications Systems) Designer who’s passionate about contributing to projects that form the backbone of our clients’ operations.

At Jacobs, our Communications Systems Designers are at the heart of creating innovative, reliable, and future‑ready technology infrastructure. You’ll collaborate on diverse projects, working closely with leadership and Project Managers throughout the full design lifecycle—from conceptual design and assessments to construction administration and client coordination.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop technology systems for building projects, including telecommunications, electronic security, audio‑visual, and related low‑voltage systems.
• Prepare engineering drawings, specifications, and reports, and review technical documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Manage project assignments with minimal supervision while providing guidance and direction to supporting team members.
• Participate in multi‑discipline coordination meetings to ensure seamless system integration across design trades.
• Collaborate closely with Jacobs’ Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teams to leverage global expertise and digital delivery tools.
• Develop Basis of Design narratives, design criteria, calculations, drawings, specifications, and cost estimates.
• Design structured cabling systems, including horizontal copper cabling, fiber‑optic backbone cabling, and campus/backbone distribution.
• Design telecommunications pathways conduit, sleeves, cable tray, ladder rack, J‑hooks, pull boxes, trenches, ductbanks, and building entrance facilities.
• Design and lay out MDFs, IDFs, telecom rooms, equipment rooms, racks, cabinets, cable management, and equipment clearances.
• Coordinate telecom room power, HVAC, lighting, grounding/bonding, fire protection, access, and architectural requirements with electrical, mechanical, fire protection, and architectural teams.
• Develop cable schedules, rack elevations, floor plans, riser diagrams, pathway plans, details, equipment schedules, labeling schemes, and installation specifications.
• Design telecommunications grounding and bonding systems.
• Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), cellular enhancement, and public‑safety radio systems.
• Electronic security access control, CCTV/video surveillance, intrusion detection, visitor management, and intercom.
• Building automation and smart‑building low‑voltage infrastructure.
• Audio‑visual systems conference rooms, training rooms, digital signage, sound reinforcement, and control systems.
• Develop labeling, color‑coding, records, and administration requirements for telecom infrastructure.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Minimum 5 years of experience designing communications systems for buildings.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD
• Familiarity and demonstrated knowledge of ANSI/TIA and BICSI standards
• Strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and time management abilities.
• High school diploma (or equivalent).
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Self‑motivation and the ability to coordinate with multiple disciplines and clients effectively.

Ideally, You’ll Also Have

• Minimum 5 years of experience designing communications systems for buildings.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD. Autodesk Revit/AutoCAD model coordination, Autodesk Construction Cloud/BIM 360 or similar common‑data environments
• Revit family creation and management for telecom, AV, and security components.
• Credentials as an RCDD or working towards this title BICSI RCDD certification.
• Familiarity and demonstrated knowledge of ANSI/TIA and BICSI standards
• Bluebeam Revu for drawing review, markups, takeoffs, and submittal review.
• Microsoft Excel for cable counts, pathway‑fill calculations, equipment schedules, budgets, and design tracking.
• Ability to produce specifications using MasterFormat and CSI formats.
• Ability to read architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, fire‑protection, and civil drawings.
• Support project scopes, labor‑hour estimates, schedules, proposals, and fee development.

Benefits

• Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount.
• Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan.
• Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full‑time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave.
• And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $91,400.00 to $140,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Job posted on August 10, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

EEO / Diversity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Location and Working Arrangements

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Additional Information

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.