Field Technician

About Us:

FirstLight is a leading telecommunications company with a strong commitment to innovation and excellence. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions to our customers while fostering a dynamic and inclusive workplace culture.

We are seeking a Field Technician in NY/PA to join our team! General duties include but are not limited to install maintain and repair all aspects of primary backbone electronic network; use Industry standard practices to construct and maintain core electronic networks and supporting central office and point of presence locations supporting the FirstLight network; and to grasp outside plant fiber network components and when required/requested assist outside plant engineering and construction in restoration efforts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Accountable for maintenance and installation activities on major backbone network components.
• Works with Core Network Engineering to facilitate clean design packages, Knows power and grounding fundamentals.
• In depth comprehension of test equipment i.e. Ethernet, TDM, Optical, Fiber Characterization Kits and all related / required testing equipment to conduct and troubleshoot the FirstLight network.
• Core Field technician must understand access procedures for all relevant sites under their area of operation. Be accountable for notifying management when access badging renewals are within 30 days of expiration.
• Core Field has responsibility for all mobility related (tower) installation maintenance and repair.
• Preventative maintenance / reporting for infrastructure components i.e. HVAC, Emergency Generators, transfer switching, remote gen set operation, maintenance, and interface connections.
• Field Technician will be responsible for end-to-end installation, test, turn-up, and maintenance of all carrier related circuits.
• Participate in On-Call Rotation.
• Be available as Essential Personnel in emergency scenarios.
• When necessary, assist Field Services on installation and repair.
• Completes special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Knowledge, and Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the qualifications, knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified candidates with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Service order workflow from internal systems
• Reading and comprehending CLR’s
• Inventory control protocols, (i.e. use of PIC list)
• SharePoint access / use of departmental, engineering and NOC related pages
• Troubleshooting process (i.e. point to point evaluation)
• AC / DC power fundamentals
• Field Test equipment operation (i.e. OTDR, Ethernet testing, Optical Power Measurement)
• Basic fiber splicing
• Industry standard installation practices:
  1. Familiar with industry installation (Telcordia) installation standards
  2. Lacing and sewing
  3. Planning for network installations by studying customer orders, plans, manuals, and technical specifications.
  4. Ordering and gathering equipment, supplies, materials, and tools, assessing installation site; preparing an installation diagram.
  5. Verifies service by testing circuits, equipment, and alarms; identifying, correcting, or escalating problems.
  6. Documents network by labeling and routing equipment and cables; recording configuration diagrams and specifications on appropriate company owned systems.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading technical publications.
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for achieving new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Education and/or Experience:

High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate) with a minimum of three (3) to five (5) years relevant experience installing and troubleshooting voice and data services; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations:

Valid driver’s license with clean driving record. Familiarity with OSHA standards. Be able to pass drug and criminal background checks for carrier access cards.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

The work environment characteristics and physical needs described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable candidates with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently is required to walk, sit, use hands and fingers, handle objects or controls, talk and hear, stand, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds, pull cables, and use various hand tools. Position requires frequent entry into structures with stairs, ladders, and other vertical obstacles. Travel to customer locations is often required. Employee will be required to work and drive-in all-weather conditions. Specific vision requirements for this job include near vision and the be able to distinguish between wire and cable colors. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may occasionally have noise from power equipment and tools.

We offer a competitive base salary as well as an outstanding benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, 401(k) with company match, tuition reimbursement, paid training, and paid time off.

About FirstLight:

FirstLight, headquartered in Albany, New York, provides fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast connecting more than 13,000 locations in service with more than 125,000 locations serviceable by our more than 25,000-route mile network. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber services as well as dedicated Internet access solutions, data center, cloud and voice services. FirstLight’s clientele includes national cellular providers and wireline carriers and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments.

FirstLight is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We recognize that our differences are assets that strengthen us as a team, and FirstLight is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected and recognized. FirstLight Fiber is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with state and federal laws, FirstLight’s equal opportunity policy is that all applicants and employees are treated equally by the company with respect to employment opportunities, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status or veteran disability.