Senior Outside Plant Network Engineer

At PEARCE
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Join the nation’s leading independent service provider for critical telecommunication and renewable energy infrastructure. We are the premier independent service provider for our nation’s critical infrastructure. With over 2,500 team members nationwide, Pearce delivers comprehensive engineering, maintenance, repair, and repowering solutions, ensuring the seamless operation of our nation’s wireless and wireline telecom, commercial and utility‑scale solar and wind projects, EV charging stations, as well as large‑scale power generation, critical power and energy storage assets.

This role ensures the successful planning, engineering, and permitting of outside plant networks across Ohio, with a focus on joint use design, government permitting, and technical leadership. The position requires extensive experience in OSP engineering and direct utility collaboration, along with working knowledge of transmission and protection principles. By leveraging decades of engineering expertise and strong relationships with municipal, cooperative, and investor‑owned utilities, the individual in this role will be instrumental in driving efficient, compliant, and technically sound infrastructure deployment that supports Frontier’s long‑range and short‑range network expansion.

• Outside Plant Engineering & Planning

  • Lead and support the development of highly complex outside plant networks for both short‑ and long‑range planning.
  • Prepare work orders, design documentation, engineering records, and bid packages to support construction and provisioning processes.
  • Provide technical leadership in the development of cost comparisons, planning studies, and network expansion strategies.

• Permitting & Regulatory Coordination

  • Manage and execute permitting activities with Ohio state and local government agencies.
  • Interpret and apply permitting regulations, ensuring compliance with municipal, cooperative, and investor‑owned utility requirements.
  • Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for permitting processes and ensure timely approval of construction projects.

• Joint Use & Utility Collaboration

  • Oversee joint use design projects involving investor‑owned, cooperative, and municipal electric utilities.
  • Coordinate with utility partners to ensure pole attachment, conduit, and right‑of‑way agreements meet design and compliance standards.
  • Resolve conflicts in utility design, alignment, and capacity.

• Transmission & Protection (T&P) Engineering Support

  • Apply working knowledge of T&P standards (IEEE, NEC, NESC, GTEPS, Bellcore, Telcordia).
  • Support engineering design for high voltage protection schemes, ground fields, and mitigation of AC influences on OSP facilities.
  • Use test equipment (soil resistivity meters, power influence meters, ground megger) and software tools (e.g., GPR Calculator) to analyze and document T&P requirements.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration

  • Partner with project managers, permitting teams, and construction personnel to align schedules and deliverables.
  • Ensure accurate and timely updates to stakeholders on permitting status, engineering designs, and construction readiness.
  • Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and permitting staff.

• Required (but not limited to):

  • 20 years of outside plant (OSP) engineering experience.
  • 15 years of direct Ohio government permitting experience.
  • 15 years of joint use design experience with investor‑owned, cooperative‑owned, and municipal utilities.
  • 5 years of transmission and protection engineering experience.

• Technical Proficiency:

  • Strong knowledge of outside plant engineering work, including design, permitting, work order preparation, and engineering documentation.
  • Familiarity with PC applications, mechanized support systems, and industry‑specific tools.
  • Knowledge of copper cable makeup, basic electronics and electricity (BE&E), and application of Ohm’s Law to OSP facilities.

• Soft Skills:

  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
  • Strong organizational, documentation, and communication skills.
  • Proven track record of navigating government permitting processes and utility design challenges.