Optical Network Engineer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Optical Network Engineer - Corporate Communications Transmission Network (CCTN)

Who We Are

We provide safe and reliable energy to our customers while protecting the environment and fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. Whether during heat waves, severe storms, or cold snaps, we are committed to delivering the reliable service our customers depend on every day.

Join us and help build the energy infrastructure of the future.

About the Team - Corporate Communications Transmission Network (CCTN)

The Corporate Communications Transmission Network (CCTN) is the clients mission-critical telecommunications organization responsible for planning, engineering, deploying, operating, and maintaining the communications infrastructure that supports electric, gas, steam, and corporate operations throughout service territories.

CCTN delivers highly reliable and resilient telecommunications services connecting Energy Control Centers, substations, generating stations, data centers, field facilities, and corporate locations. These networks support critical operational technologies and business systems, including:

• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
• Energy Management Systems (EMS)
• Feeder relay protection systems
• Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
• Operational Technology (OT) networks
• Corporate data communications
• Voice communications
• Cybersecurity infrastructure
• Data center connectivity and disaster recovery services

CCTN manages and maintains a diverse telecommunications portfolio that includes fiber-optic transport systems, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks, MPLS and IP communications networks, microwave radio systems, carrier services, and supporting DC power infrastructure. The organization plays a vital role in ensuring the reliability, resiliency, security, and modernization of the communications systems that enable safely operate its electric, gas, and steam delivery systems.

What's In It For You

Join our team as an Optical Network Engineer and work alongside telecommunications and network engineering professionals responsible for designing, implementing, operating, and maintaining mission-critical optical communications networks that support Client and Orange & Rockland utility operations.

This position plays a key role in ensuring the reliability, resiliency, capacity, and modernization of the company's telecommunications infrastructure that supports critical utility services throughout New York City, Westchester County, the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and Orange & Rockland territories.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop design architectures for the Corporate Communications Transmission Network (CCTN), including Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), Outside Plant Fiber Cable, microwave transport systems, and DC power infrastructure supporting optical transport equipment.
• Develop engineering plans, scopes of work, bills of materials, technical specifications, and project schedules for the installation of DWDM systems, Outside Plant Fiber Cable, microwave systems, DC power systems, and related telecommunications infrastructure.
• Develop engineering plans, scopes of work, bills of materials, and project schedules for the construction and installation of communications huts, equipment rooms, relay racks, cabinets, grounding systems, and supporting telecommunications infrastructure.
• Develop Methods of Procedure (MOPs) for network implementation, service migrations, maintenance activities, change management, testing, troubleshooting, and emergency restoration efforts.
• Design optical transport networks supporting SCADA, feeder relay protection, Operational Technology (OT) systems, Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), voice services, cybersecurity applications, Energy Management Systems (EMS), and corporate network connectivity.
• Perform network engineering activities supporting telecommunications services between Energy Control Centers, substations, generating stations, data centers, microwave sites, and corporate facilities.
• Perform equipment commissioning, network turn-up, acceptance testing, troubleshooting, service restoration, and lifecycle upgrades using optical and telecommunications test equipment.
• Perform Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) and physical- and transport-layer validation, including end-to-end commissioning, circuit turn-up, troubleshooting, and performance verification across legacy TDM, MPLS, DWDM, microwave, Ethernet, and Fibre Channel transport systems.
• Utilize optical test equipment including Optical Time-Domain Reflectometers (OTDRs), optical power meters, light sources, optical spectrum analyzers, fiber-inspection equipment, and related telecommunications testing tools.
• Install, route, label, inspect, clean, test, and document fiber-optic cabling and jumper connections, verifying fiber assignments, port assignments, wavelengths, optical power levels, and end-to-end circuit connectivity.
• Develop and maintain DWDM network designs, including wavelength plans, optical power and loss budgets, resiliency improvements, equipment configurations, capacity expansions, and lifecycle modernization initiatives.
• Operate, maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot DWDM network elements and supporting systems, including transponders, muxponders, amplifiers, ROADMs, multiplexers, demultiplexers, and network management platforms.
• Support microwave radio network engineering activities, including path analysis, equipment deployment, performance verification, service integration, troubleshooting, and maintenance coordination.
• Supervise and coordinate telecommunications installation vendors and contractors, review installation quality, and verify completeness and accuracy of as-built documentation.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, design templates, configuration standards, and network documentation.
• Participate in emergency restoration efforts associated with telecommunications and utility infrastructure.
• Travel throughout service territories to support engineering, implementation, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting, and emergency-response activities.
• Transport, stage, load, unload, and move telecommunications equipment, materials, tools, test equipment, and spare inventory between storage facilities and project implementation sites.
• Work outside normal business hours, as required, to support network implementations, maintenance activities, service migrations, emergency restoration efforts, and critical production issues.
• Perform other related assignments and responsibilities as required.

Required Knowledge and Experience

• Strong knowledge of DWDM network design, deployment, operation, maintenance, monitoring, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management.
• Strong understanding of optical transmission theory, fiber-optic communications, optical power and loss budgets, and transport networking technologies.
• Strong knowledge of SONET, TDM, Ethernet, MPLS, DWDM, and related transport technologies.
• Experience with optical equipment commissioning, acceptance testing, troubleshooting, and network performance validation.
• Experience evaluating emerging telecommunications technologies and developing engineering standards and best practices.
• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and their application to telecommunications and critical infrastructure networks.
• Demonstrated experience using optical testing equipment and interpreting results associated with fiber characterization, optical performance verification, equipment commissioning, network acceptance, fault isolation, and troubleshooting.
• Experience developing technical documentation, including engineering drawings, procedures, scopes of work, bills of materials, test plans, and as-built records.
• Familiarity with Cisco Company 2006, Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP/MSPP platforms, Cisco Transport Planner (CTP), and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) is preferred.
• Familiarity with microwave radio systems, RF communications, MPLS networking, and applicable FCC requirements is preferred.
• Experience supporting critical infrastructure, utility telecommunications, Operational Technology (OT), industrial control systems, or energy-sector communications networks is preferred.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related discipline and a minimum of three (3) years of IT or telecommunications experience.

Associate Degree

Associate degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related discipline and a minimum of five (5) years of IT or telecommunications experience.

High School Diploma or GED

High school diploma or GED and a minimum of seven (7) years of IT or telecommunications experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong analytical, organizational, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong collaboration and team-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively with engineers, operations personnel, project managers, vendors, contractors, and business stakeholders.
• Ability to prepare clear and concise technical, engineering, and operational documentation.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid driver's license required.
• Personal vehicle required to support travel between company facilities, storage locations, project sites, and emergency-response locations.
• Mileage and tolls incurred while conducting authorized company business will be reimbursed in accordance with company policies.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to push, pull, and lift up to 40 pounds.
• Must be able to transport, load, unload, and move telecommunications equipment, tools, materials, and test equipment.
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods while using computers and engineering tools.
• Must possess the manual dexterity necessary to use hand tools, telecommunications test equipment, and computer hardware.
• Must be able to stoop, bend, reach, kneel, climb ladders, and work within telecommunications equipment spaces.
• Must be able to read equipment labels, technical documents, wiring diagrams, engineering drawings, and network schematics.

Additional Requirements

• Must be available to participate in off-hours work, system cutovers, maintenance windows, and emergency restoration activities.
• Must be able to respond to company emergencies and perform a System Emergency Assignment (SEA) in support of restoring service to customers.
• Must wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, and safety footwear, when required.

Why Join CCTN?

This position offers a unique opportunity to engineer and support the telecommunications infrastructure that enables the safe and reliable operation of one of the nation's largest energy delivery systems. As an Optical Network Engineer, you will play a direct role in the modernization, resiliency, cybersecurity, and operational reliability of the mission-critical communications networks that support operations.
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