HOW TO APPLY *

To apply for this position, please include a copy of your resume and cover letter (make this the first page of your resume) and apply at https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/188969/outside_plant_engineer_associate
Your salary will be determined by your qualifications, experience, and education.

JOB SUMMARY *

Come join a team of passionate individuals at a non-profit serving Michigan’s public universities, colleges, K-12 organizations, libraries, state government, healthcare and other Michigan non-profit organizations for over 54 years!

You will report to the Outside Plant Manager and work under general supervision of more senior OSP staff to plan and conduct OSP assignments. In this role you will support outside plant operations, including maintenance, construction and ongoing quality assurance. You will provide support to senior engineering staff as well as with a variety of teams within Merit and outside teams including contractors, subcontractors and vendors.

The work is in diverse environments, both indoors and outdoors, to aid in solving problems and aid in implementing, maintaining, and expanding the outside plant infrastructure. You will primarily interface with the Merit Outside Plant (OSP) team, and will also support Technology Operations, and must be available 24x7 when On Call. You will also interact with the 24x7 Merit Support Center teams, in order to coordinate OSP activities, administrative requirements, material handling, etc. To be successful, you should have introductory outside plant engineering and construction technical skills; planning, organization, execution, and troubleshooting skills are a desired skill set. On call duties and overtime will be required periodically.

This position requires travel in support of the fiber network within Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

To learn more about Merit and our team, please visit our website: https://www.merit.edu

WHAT YOU'LL DO *

Essential functions for this position are followed be an (E).
Outside Plant Maintenance & Construction (50%):
- Troubleshoot, identify faults and provide rectification remedies for fiber optic cables using diagnostic tools including OTDR, fusion splicing, light source & power meter, etc. (E)
- Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of OSP engineering, construction and splicing related to Merit’s fiber optic network (E)
- Ensure effective triage and escalations occur to appropriate individuals, teams, and organizations in a timely manner to ensure efficient resolution and to minimize customer impact (E)
- Inspect and perform quality assurance of OSP activities (E)
- Maintain a safe working environment (E)
- Work flexible hours and support on-call duties as required (E)
- Review and coordinate planned maintenance with Merit customers, contractors and partners (E)
- Coordinate preparation and field strategies for deployment and evaluation. Develop and maintain relationships with project staff, members, vendors, contractors, particularly in the field (E)
- Candidate must be able to legally and safely operate University-owned vehicle that is especially equipped to transport, maintain, store, and protect equipment, tools, and materials needed to evaluate and maintain fiber infrastructure located in various locations throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. (E)
Engineering, Project Management, & Documentation (30%):
- Respond to questions and inquiries, as appropriate, from the general public, developers, contractors, engineering professionals, utility, permit, governing authorities and Merit staff regarding outside plant engineering and development projects (E)
- Assist in design additions, upgrades, repairs and enhancements to OSP infrastructure in coordination with contractors and other OSP staff (E)
- Creating winning outcomes for both Merit and other parties when possible (E)
- Attend meetings and subsequent coordination activities with pole owners / utilities regarding make–ready submittals, design and construction requirements and activities (E)
- Work with Merit staff contractors to maintain and monitor OSP material stocks at strategic locations (E)
- Interprets and identifies OSP buried underground and aerial telecommunications plant in records, on maps, and in the field with sufficient clarity and detail (E)
- Prepare and maintain fiber assignments and records (E)
- Collaborate with CAD/3-GIS personnel to review work prints required for the preparation of construction and as built drawings and review and finalize documentation (E)
- Review and prepare splice drawings (E)
- Utilize and assist in maintaining Merit’s databases of OSP records (E)
Miscellaneous (20%):
- Assist in providing OSP professional services to Merit’s community
- Participate in professional development activities to continually improve skills and knowledge in the areas of project management, networking, IT services and customer service.

SKILLS YOU HAVE *

Required Qualifications
- Must be able to successfully complete a Motor Vehicle Record check through University of Michigan Transportation Services
- Minimum one (1) years professional experience installing, splicing, servicing, and operating physical plant infrastructure
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Some Knowledge of outside plant activities including materials, methods, and tools involved in OSP construction (fiber cable design, pole line construction, conduit system design).
- Ability to work flexible hours and support on-call duties as required
- Strong work ethic and willingness to learn
- Must be attentive to detail, organized, able to and exhibit self-motivation.
- Must possess good interpersonal skills in relating to client personnel and the general public
- Must be self-motivated and work well within a team environment and also have the ability to work independently.
- Strong computer skills with emphasis on service request or construction tracking systems, Microsoft office applications and Google suite.
- Strong customer service background and demonstrated organizational skills.
- Ability to resolve problems following standard practices, using judgment within defined policies and guidelines
- Ability to successfully handle multiple priorities simultaneously.
Desired Qualifications
- Prior experience reviewing plans, designs, and specifications of streets and other public or private facility projects to ensure compliance with current telecommunications facilities in accordance with industry practices, codes, regulations and ordinances
- Prior experience in installation, termination and testing of communication cabling and equipment including patch panels, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and fiber optic cable.
- Knowledge or ability to interpret CAD design drawings. Familiarity with GIS (Geographic Information Systems), ESRI and shape file functionality
- Knowledge of optical networking hardware.
- Experienced in the configuration and installation of DWDM and CWDM optical networks.
- Experience with 24/7 service support policies and procedures.
- Past experience managing outside parties to engineer and construct OSP facilities in an aerial, underground, or building environment.
- Experience with conversion or import of redline or paper copies of telecommunication plant drawings and data into Computer aided-design (CAD), Graphical Information System (GIS) and/or Visio formats.
- Skilled with ESRI ArcGIS, Autodesk AutoCAD, KMZ

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION *

We are committed to offering a high-quality benefits package to support staff and their families. Learn more about our 2:1 retirement matching, healthcare plans with nationwide coverage including prescription drug coverage, multiple dental plans, a vision plan, flexible spending account, well-being programs, long-term disability, automatic life insurance, general legal services, multiple early childhood centers, time away from work and work-life programs to promote balance. Learn more at http://careers.umich.edu/benefits/
Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee (with or without accommodations) to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Move items weighing up to 50 pounds as a regular part of duties.
- Pack and move the equipment required for field work to and from the storage space, field workspace, and/or transportation vehicle(s).
- On occasion may be required to move items 50-100 pounds or more. Team lifts are encouraged and employees should ask for a team lift with heavier tasks.
- Assess and gather data from equipment and devices located in various environments, including those inside and outside buildings, located just below ground (such as hand-hole) or up to 20 feet from the ground, or located in areas that do not have easy vehicle access.
Employee must frequently work at computer station, answer telephone calls, emails, and/or other forms of customer/client communication.

Work Environment
Requires working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions in addition to operating in a professional environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Work Attire
Requires wearing common protective or safety equipment.

Travel
Some local, state-wide, and occasional nation-wide travel in support of the fiber network within Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota is required.

Background Screening
The University of Michigan/Merit Network conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third-party administrator to conduct background checks in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for at least seven (7) calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

CONTACT INFORMATION *

- If you have any questions regarding this job, please visit our website: https://www.merit.edu/about/careers/
- If you need assistance completing this application, please call (734) 615-2000, option 1

EEO/AA STATEMENT *

The University of Michigan/Merit Network is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.