Field Operations Specialist (Tower Climber)

Field Operations Specialist (Tower Climber)

DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk.

Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets.

We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it's not just what we do that mattersit's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.

The Field Operations Specialist will perform field installations, maintenance and tower-top activities across tower, mast, monopole and rooftop sites. Maintain safety documentation and equipment readiness, support logistics and inventory, and provide accurate field reporting to ensure safe, on-schedule execution of network work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Execute tower-top and rigging tasks to meet project schedules; target ?95% on-schedule completion for assigned work packages.
• Complete a Jobsite Hazard Assessment (JHA) for every assignment and submit JHA records for retention; escalate safety issues to the Field Operations Manager immediately.
• Deploy and maintain site-appropriate rigging/access solutions (masts, poles, rooftops, unconventional structures) and ensure 100% compliance with fall-protection standards.
• Perform RF and fiber terminations target ?98% first-time pass rate on acceptance criteria.
• Maintain and organize assigned work truck, tools, rigging and consumables; conduct pre-shift equipment checks and achieve ?98% deployment readiness.
• Support shop and truck inventory control, shipping/receiving and periodic restocking; update inventory records within 24 hours of transactions.
• Provide practical field feedback to improve SOPs, tooling or processes and participate in team training and knowledge sharing.
• Assist with logistics including booking lodging, scheduling training, and coordinating periodic truck maintenance to support continuous operations.

Skills & Competencies:

Technical Skills:

• Tower rigging and fall-protection systems; execution of rigging plans for diverse structures.
• RF/fiber termination: coax handling, OTDR and spectrum interpretation is a plus.
• Electrical fundamentals: AC/DC systems, grounding/bonding, multimeter diagnostics.
• Vehicle, trailer and aerial lift operation and basic preventive maintenance.

Soft Skills:

• Clear, concise communication with crew, project managers and supervisors.
• Strong situational awareness and disciplined adherence to safety procedures.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, multi-task under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to navigate and keep internal software ticketing tools up-to-date.
• Reliability and self-management in remote, variable conditions.

Experience & Education:

• Minimum 3 years' field experience climbing towers and performing installations as a Tower Hand (preferred 3+ years).
• Demonstrated experience across multiple tower types (monopole, guyed, SST), rooftops and water tanks.
• Preferred certifications: NWSA TTT-1 minimum, Tower Rescue, First Aid/CPR; OSHA-10 min, 30 is a plus.

Tools & Technologies:

• Path boxes, compass/orienteering, multimeters; aerial lifts, trailers, skid steers, tower rigging, rope access and fall-protection gear.

Working Conditions:

• Field-centric role: typically 5055 hours per week with ?75% of time onsite at remote locations; frequent evening and weekend work.
• Regular travel to remote sites and routine work at heights (50500 ft AGL) in variable weather while wearing full fall-protection PPE.
• On-call and schedule variability to meet project and emergency requirements.

The annual base salary range for this position is $55,000 to $70,000 + overtime depending on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.