Telecommunications Aerial Designer

ISG; BLOOMINGTON (MN); On-site; USD 57,308,160 - 114,616,320; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

Paid time off

Paid holidays and volunteer time

Parental leave

Bi-annual profit sharing

Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP)

401K retirement plan

Life insurance

HSA and FSA options

Bereavement leave

Supplemental voluntary benefits

Short term and long-term disability

Parking reimbursement

Job summary

ISG is seeking a Telecommunications Aerial Designer to join our Telecommunications + Utility team in Bloomington, MN. You will design aerial OSP routes, perform make-ready analyses, and prepare construction drawings while leveraging CAD/GIS tools and NESC guidelines.

Ideal candidates have a technical degree, experience with pole loading and joint-use projects, and strong collaboration skills to coordinate with utilities, survey crews, and construction partners. Domestic travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of NESC clearance and loading rules.
• Experience with aerial OSP, joint-use, and make-ready design.
• Experience reading OSP construction prints and pole detail sheets.
• Proficiency with CAD/GIS tools and pole loading software.
• Valid driver's license.
• Associate or Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Produce aerial fiber design and pole loading deliverables per NESC.
• Perform make-ready engineering and identify required pole changes.
• Develop pole attachment applications and supporting calculations.
• Run sag and tension analyses against NESC rules.
• Prepare construction-ready drawings and route prints in CAD/GIS.
• Coordinate with utility joint-use and permitting agencies.
• Travel to field data collection when needed.

Skills

NESC knowledge

Pole loading

AutoCAD/CAD

ArcGIS/GIS

Communication

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree in a related technical field

Tools

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

SPIDAcalc

O-Calc

Job description

Description

ISG is seeking a highly motivated Telecommunications Aerial Designer to join our dynamic and growing team. As a key member, you will contribute to a variety of exciting projects within our Telecommunications + Utility Business Unit, utilizing innovative technology and collaborating with a diverse range of esteemed public and private clients across the nation. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a full-service, multi-disciplinary firm that consistently delivers exceptional results in planning, design, survey, and construction, and has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards.

Department: Telecommunications

Location: Bloomington, MN

Compensation: $20.00 - $40.00 / hour

Recent projects include Charter Communications Broadband Expansion (WI), TDS Telecommunications (IN, MI, MN, WI), and Minnesota Power.

Essential Duties

As a Telecommunications Designer focused on aerial OSP and joint use, you will engineer pole attachment and make-ready designs that keep fiber builds compliant, constructible, and on schedule. Day to day, you will:

• Produce aerial fiber design and pole loading deliverables for joint-use routes, applying the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) for clearances, loading districts, and grade-of-construction requirements
• Perform make-ready engineering, identifying clearance violations, required pole replacements, riser/down-guy needs, rearrangements and translate field conditions into actionable construction notes
• Develop and review pole attachment applications to utility and joint-use owner standards, including required forms, exhibits, and supporting calculations
• Run sag and tension analysis and verify mid-span and ground clearances against NESC Rule 232/235 and applicable loading cases, using sag tables and pole loading tools
• Interpret field survey and as-built data (pole heights, existing attachments, messenger/strand, span lengths) and incorporate terrain and elevation data into clearance analysis
• Prepare construction-ready drawings, route prints, and design packages in CAD/GIS, including pole-by-pole detail and make-ready summaries
• Coordinate with utility joint-use departments, permitting agencies, survey crews, and construction partners to resolve design conflicts and keep projects moving
• Support quality control of design deliverables and maintain documentation that holds up under utility and ROW review
• Ability to travel to perform field data collection when necessary

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Working knowledge of NESC, particularly clearance and loading rules as they apply to communications attachments in the supply/communications space
• Familiarity with aerial OSP and FTTH design concepts: joint use, make-ready, pole loading, messenger/strand, guying, and down-guy/anchor placement
• Experience reading and producing OSP construction prints, route prints, and pole detail sheets
• Proficiency with CAD and/or GIS tools (AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or equivalent OSP design platforms); experience with pole loading software (e.g., O-Calc, SPIDAcalc, or similar) is a strong plus
• Understanding of utility pole attachment standards and the joint-use application/permitting process
• Strong attention to detail, comfort working with field data, and the ability to translate survey conditions into compliant designs
• Effective communicator who can coordinate across utilities, permitting agencies, and construction crews
• Associate or Bachelor's degree in a related technical field, relevant certification, or equivalent OSP/joint-use design experience
• Entry-level candidates with a strong technical foundation and the right aptitude are encouraged to apply; compensation reflects a range from developing to experienced designers
• A valid driver's license

ISG Employee Owner Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Paid time off, pro-rated amount available on your start date
• Paid holidays and paid volunteer time
• Paid parental leave
• Bi-annual profit sharing
• Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP)
• 401K retirement plan
• Life insurance
• HSA and FSA options
• Bereavement leave
• Supplemental voluntary benefits
• Short term and long-term disability
• Parking reimbursement, varies on office location