Position:

Senior Network Engineer. The Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) is seeking a key role of Senior Network Engineer to support the deployment and operation of our advanced statewide fiber optic network and IP packet network.

Organization:

The Fiber Utility Network (FUN) now doing business as (dba) Alabama Fiber Network, Inc. (AFN) received a grant from the State of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to create a middle mile broadband network that will increase the availability of robust, scalable, and affordable broadband service throughout Alabama. The AFN coalition includes local distribution cooperatives Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative, Covington Electric Cooperative, Cullman Electric Cooperative, Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Cooperative, North Alabama Electric Cooperative and Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, along with PowerSouth Energy, a regional generation & transmission (G&T) cooperative, and Alabama Power Company, an investor-owned utility. These coalition members provided indefeasible right of use (IRUs) of their existing fiber infrastructure to AFN to form a large portion of the existing network. New fiber optic cable segments will be constructed starting in 2024. When completed, this will be a 3,300-mile network comprised of both existing and new fiber infrastructure that will form a world class statewide network providing segmented Internet Protocol (IP) services, optical wavelengths, and other protected services from AFN points of presence across the state.

Position Summary:

The ideal candidate is a seasoned Senior Network Engineer with extensive knowledge of broadband fiber optic and packet networks, network operations & technologies, and must be an effective communicator. The candidate should be highly skilled in one or more of the following: DWDM transport optics, switching & routing, network design & operation, service overlays (SD-WAN, E-VPN, VPLS, L3VPN, etc.). They must be highly motivated and function autonomously to proactively manage and operate our advanced network. The combination of education and experience should be significant.

The Senior Network Engineer provides comprehensive hands-on support for implementation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of fiber optic transport technologies, packet IP technologies, and multi-gigabit services.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Serve as operational leader for technology implementation and maintenance of the AFN including network designs & solutions, network management tool administration, and management of assets & components.
Support network monitoring & curation, performance analysis & optimization, and regular tracking & reporting activities.
Support network testing & provisioning for all service offerings including MPLS, IP transport, DIA, Optical Wavelengths, DDOS, etc.
Provide hands-on support for network troubleshooting and outage remediation steps.
Function as a Subject Matter Expert on the AFN infrastructure, technology, protocols, and services.
Prepare proposal recommendations and supporting details to guide decision making for network augmentations, growth, and special projects.
Interact with internal and external teams to understand network requirements and coordinate network changes for implementation.
Regularly interact with telecom providers, equipment suppliers, and third-party network vendors to engage their technical resources to perform tasks.
Create test plans, Methods of Procedures (MOP) documentation, and service configurations to maintain & optimize the network to exceed Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements and provide maximum reliability & uptime.
Standardize, configure, and validate network devices such as DWDM optical transport system, IP routers, Layer 2/Layer 3 switches, servers, storage & backup devices, and other related network components.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering with 5 years of experience or 7+ years equivalent related Engineering/Technical experience
Experience required with coordination and implementation of technology projects.
If coming from an IP background: Experience with IP protocols, experience with Internet ecosystems, including open exchanges, cloud/peering, colocation, routing/switching and transport infrastructure, servers & storage, etc.
If coming from an optical background: Experience with DWDM transmission systems, long-haul fiber facilities, experience with physical connectivity at all layers, including DC cabling, power distribution, cross-connects, network management, etc.

Desired Qualifications

Experience with Ciena Transport Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks
Experience with Cisco and/or Arista Routing and Switching platforms
CCNP, CCIE, ACE-4 or greater certification

Work Environment and Location:

The AFN services area spans the entire state. Candidates must reside in Alabama to be considered for employment. Remote work from within the service area is allowable. The position requires periodic travel in and around the State of Alabama, with travel costs covered by FUN. The position requires occasional work during overnight maintenance windows and after-hours support. The Senior Network Engineer reports directly to the Chief Technical Officer.

Apply:

If interested in this position, please submit your resume/outline of applicable experience and three professional references to: Info@AlabamaFiberNetwork.com. A background check will be required before a final offer is made.

This role description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees are expected to perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by management.

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