What are the responsibilities and job description for the PLANT DESIGNER position at FARMERS TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE INC?
Job Summary:
To design outside plant facilities to meet existing and new subscriber requirements. The Plant Designer shall follow FTC’s Best Practices for Plant Design and interface with Outside Plant Personnel and others in Corporate Engineering to achieve goals set by the Plant Design Supervisor.
Reporting Structure:
This position reports directly to the Plant Design Supervisor.
Duties/Responsibilities:
- Provides assistance to the Engineering Consultants and Associate Plant Designers in the implementation and completion of outside plant designs through GIS software.
- Coordinates Outside Plant Projects through FTC Best Practices steps:
- Planning/Design 7. Splicing
- Approval 8. Testing
- Staking 9. Posting
- Permitting 10. Closeout
- Construction 11. Quality Control
- Assignment of counts
- Works with IS Personnel to develop an understanding of the FTC GIS / CDG system. Provides technical and procedural support of the FTC GIS system to others in Corporate Engineering, District Engineering, Marketing, Sales, etc. Capable of training and advising users on the system.
- Provides fiber cable construction cost estimates to other departments upon request.
- Designs outside plant facilities using copper cable additions, fiber optic cable additions, network equipment additions and other plant facilities as directed.
- Manages the maintenance of a system-wide outside plant fill and identifies areas where cables require reinforcement.
- Coordinates with District Engineering or Outside Contractors on design projects. Ensures that staking plan adequately follows Corporate Engineering design. Assigns cable counts, serving areas, preferred counts, route numbers, etc., and ensures that these items are implemented according to FTC Best Practices.
- Works with the Senior Plant Designer in developing an understanding of the methods used to create facility designs for the FTC network.
- Works with District Engineering and contract personnel in procuring easements to facilitate the placement of network facilities.
- Complies with all safety rules and regulations.
- Performs other duties as directed.
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Associates degree or 2 years of experience in the telecommunications industry
- Ability to learn outside plant network facilities and develop an understanding of fiber optic cable design
- Excellent working knowledge of personal computers
- Understanding of Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office applications
- Detail oriented
Desired Skills/Abilities:
- Bachelors Degree in Engineering or related field
- Two years of fiber optic design experience
- Working knowledge of GIS Mapping utilizing Esri, AutoCad, or equivalent computer aided drafting software
- Understanding of printers, plotters, digitizers and related CAD hardware and software