Telecom Engineer

SONET Network Transition Engineer

Location: On-Site 2 days a week – Portland, OR (travel throughout regional utility service territory required)

Duration: 6-Month Contract with potential multi-phase extensions

OVERVIEW

We are seeking a SONET Network Transition Engineer to support a large-scale WAN modernization initiative involving the migration of services from a legacy SONET transport network to a modern MPLS-based infrastructure.

This is an engineering-focused role requiring hands-on analysis, circuit tracing, network documentation, records reconciliation, and collaboration with utility operations and engineering teams. The successful candidate will work independently to assess existing network infrastructure, validate service migrations, identify discrepancies, and develop transition recommendations.

This is not a technician or break-fix role. The ideal candidate will possess deep SONET transport expertise, strong documentation skills, and the ability to make sound engineering decisions in complex operational environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct site-by-site assessments of SONET transport infrastructure across multiple locations.
• Collect, reconcile, and validate network records from Network Management Systems (NMS), Operational Support Systems (OSS), engineering documentation, and field observations.
• Trace and document circuits end-to-end, including origination points, termination points, intermediate nodes, protection paths, and service status.
• Identify discrepancies between documented network records and physical network configurations.
• Develop comprehensive inventories of SONET equipment, shelf configurations, card assignments, protection schemes, and optical infrastructure.
• Validate migration status of services transitioning from SONET to MPLS environments.
• Analyze stranded services, unresolved dependencies, and transition exceptions, developing recommendations for remediation or redesign.
• Facilitate technical reviews and working sessions with network operations and engineering stakeholders.
• Produce accurate, client-facing technical documentation, findings reports, and audit-ready records.
• Maintain version-controlled documentation throughout all project phases.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of hands-on SONET/SDH transport network engineering experience.
• Strong experience with SONET design, circuit engineering, network analysis, and records management.
• Deep knowledge of SONET multiplexing technologies including DS1, DS3, OC-3, OC-12, OC-48, and OC-192.
• Experience with SONET protection architectures including UPSR, BLSR/MS-SPRing, and APS configurations.
• Proficiency using Network Management Systems (NMS) for circuit tracing, inventory management, and alarm analysis.
• Ability to interpret circuit records, cross-connect maps, as-built documentation, and network diagrams.
• Experience supporting fiber optic infrastructure, span documentation, OTDR analysis, and optical transport networks.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in utility, telecommunications, or industrial environments.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel throughout the Pacific Northwest region.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Transport Network Platforms
• Hands-on experience with legacy SONET transport platforms.
• Experience using transport network management systems for provisioning, tracing, inventory management, and circuit analysis.
• Familiarity with shelf architecture, cross-connect configurations, tributary assignments, and transport platform administration.

Utility & Critical Infrastructure Experience
• Electric utility, gas utility, telecommunications, or critical infrastructure experience.
• Familiarity with SCADA communications, protection relay circuits, transfer trip systems, pilot wire communications, or operational technology networks.
• Understanding of NERC CIP requirements and regulated network environments.
• Experience supporting outside plant (OSP) fiber networks and GIS-based network records systems.

Additional Technical Experience
• Experience with transport technologies including Ethernet over SONET, hybrid TDM/packet networks, and MPLS migration projects.
• Experience supporting telecom records management, inventory reconciliation, or OSS data quality initiatives.
• Familiarity with optical transport platforms from multiple vendors.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

The ideal candidate can:

• Investigate and resolve discrepancies between documented records and actual network configurations.
• Analyze transport network designs and identify configuration issues, dependencies, and optimization opportunities.
• Develop documentation that can be immediately leveraged for future engineering, migration, and operational planning activities.
• Communicate technical findings effectively to both engineering teams and operational stakeholders.
• Work independently while exercising sound engineering judgment throughout network transition activities.