What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cable Technician position at StevenDouglas?
Position Overview
We are actively seeking a highly skilled and meticulous Data Center Technician with specialized expertise in fiber optic cabling and splicing to support a new construction data center project in Manassas, VA. The successful candidate will be responsible for the initial end-to-end installation, routing, splicing, and testing of fiber optic cables within a greenfield data center environment. This is a fast-paced, four-week engagement requiring strict adherence to industry standards, construction site safety protocols, and aggressive project timelines to prepare the facility for its operational launch.
Key Responsibilities
- Fiber Optic Installation: Expertly route, pull, and install single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic cables through newly constructed data center pathways, including overhead trays, under-floor conduits, and empty server racks.
- Fiber Splicing & Termination: Perform precision fusion splicing and mechanical terminations of fiber optic cables. Ensure all connections meet strict insertion loss and reflectance specifications for initial baseline testing.
- Cable Management: Establish immaculate cable management and dressing within racks and pathways from day one, strictly adhering to bend radius requirements and facility design plans.
- Testing & Troubleshooting: Conduct comprehensive baseline testing using Optical Time-Domain Reflectometers (OTDR), Visual Fault Locators (VFL), and optical power meters. Accurately document initial test results and troubleshoot any continuity or attenuation anomalies.
- Documentation & Reporting: Label all cables and connections in accordance with EIA/TIA standards and the facility's specific naming conventions. Provide daily progress reports and comprehensive final as-built documentation to the Project Manager.
- Safety & Compliance: Adhere strictly to all site-specific active construction safety protocols, including wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and following environmental health and safety (EHS) guidelines.
Required Qualifications
- Experience: 1–3 years of demonstrable experience working as a fiber optic technician, with a strong background in large-scale commercial, telecommunications, or data center build-outs.
- Technical Expertise: Deep proficiency in fusion splicing, fiber optic termination techniques, and cable dressing in new pathway infrastructures.
- Tool Proficiency: Hands-on experience operating industry-standard testing and splicing equipment (e.g., Fluke Networks testers, Fujikura or AFL fusion splicers, OTDRs).
- Standards Knowledge: Solid understanding of ANSI/TIA/EIA standards for telecommunications infrastructure.
- Attention to Detail: Exceptional precision and care when handling delicate optical fibers and establishing the foundational cable plant for the facility.
- Certifications: No formal certifications are required for this role; we value demonstrated hands-on experience and proven technical capability.
- Preferred QualificationsPrevious experience executing short-turnaround, high-volume fiber deployments in new construction data centers in the Northern Virginia (Ashburn/Manassas) region.
- Familiarity working alongside other construction trades (electrical, HVAC) during the final fit-out stages of a data center build.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to safely lift and carry equipment or cable spools weighing up to 50 lbs.
- Capability to work on ladders, scaffolding, or elevated platforms, and maneuver in a dynamic construction environment.
- Excellent manual dexterity and visual acuity for handling and splicing microscopic glass fibers.