Network Planning Engineer III

Job#: 3033877

The Network Planning Engineer supports large-scale network optimization and site exit initiatives through upfront network, asset, and financial analysis. This role focuses on evaluating legacy telecom facilities, leased fiber assets, and colocation environments to determine feasibility, cost savings, and return on investment (ROI) for potential network exits and consolidations.

Unlike traditional build-level planning roles, this position operates at a higher, market and regional analysis level, identifying opportunities to simplify the network, reduce ongoing costs, and enable informed decision-making before projects are handed off to downstream execution teams.

• Perform site and network feasibility assessments to determine whether telecom facilities, colocation sites, or leased fiber assets can be exited or consolidated.
• Analyze transport networks including fiber, SONET, metro Ethernet, DWDM, wave systems, and legacy infrastructure to identify redundancy and optimization opportunities.
• Evaluate leased fiber agreements, building access agreements, corporate real estate locations, and third‑party colocation sites for cost‑saving opportunities.
• Develop business cases and ROI analyses to support data‑driven go/no‑go decisions for network exit and consolidation initiatives.
• Apply business and financial analytics to quantify cost savings, assess risk, and support strategic decision‑making.
• Conduct detailed discovery using multiple tools and data sources to validate network status, contracts, space, power, and technical constraints.
• Lead and facilitate cross‑functional discovery calls with operations, OSP, transport, and engineering teams.
• Coordinate early‑stage project activities and task tracking prior to handoff to downstream execution teams.
• Document findings and present clear, executive‑ready recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of telecom transport networks, including fiber, SONET, metro Ethernet, DWDM, and legacy infrastructure.
• Experience working with older telecom facilities and long‑standing network environments.
• Working knowledge of business analytics, financial modeling, cost‑benefit analysis, or ROI development related to network initiatives.
• Ability to analyze complex technical and contractual data to identify savings and consolidation opportunities.
• Comfort operating independently and investigating incomplete or ambiguous information.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and documentation skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to lead technical discussions.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in transport planning, network planning, or telecom engineering.
• Familiarity with OSP environments, leased fiber contracts, and building access agreements.
• Light project or program coordination experience focused on early‑stage initiatives.
• Experience identifying network simplification, cost‑out, or optimization opportunities in carrier environments.

• Clear identification of viable site exit and consolidation opportunities.
• Development of defensible business cases that enable confident executive decisions.
• Reduced downstream execution effort through upfront feasibility validation.
• Measurable cost savings and network simplification results.

Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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