Network Construction Technician

Overview

Tacoma Public Utilities is establishing an eligible list for Network Construction Technician positions that will be used to fill vacancies for one year.

Network Construction Technicians are responsible for the construction, installation, activation, inspection, troubleshooting, and maintenance of aerial and underground Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) telecommunications systems. Incumbents perform highly skilled journey‑level telecommunications construction and maintenance work to ensure reliable system performance, compliance with engineering specifications, and adherence to all applicable construction, operational, and safety standards. Work includes the installation and maintenance of fiber optic and coaxial infrastructure, system relocations, network testing, and emergency restoration activities in both residential and commercial environments.

• Construct, install, activate, maintain, repair, and upgrade aerial and underground HFC telecommunications systems in accordance with engineering specifications, construction standards, and applicable safety regulations.
• Ensure all work activities are completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with local, state, and federal construction codes, utility standards, and departmental procedures.
• Install, maintain, and repair coaxial and fiber optic cable systems including aerial strand, conduit systems, pedestals, vaults, cabinets, and related telecommunications infrastructure.
• Perform aerial construction activities including pole transfers, strand placement, lashing cable, installing fiber and coaxial cable, bonding and grounding systems, and aerial splicing and activation.
• Perform underground construction activities including trenching, directional boring, conduit placement, cable pulling, underground wire placement, and aerial‑to‑underground system conversions.
• Operate and maintain construction and utility equipment associated with telecommunications infrastructure projects, including backhoes, trenchers, plows, rock saws, cable pullers, bucket trucks, and other heavy or specialized equipment.
• Utilize hand tools, power tools, and specialized telecommunications equipment to install connectors, fittings, fasteners, splice enclosures, and communication cabling components.
• Conduct fiber optic splicing, termination, testing, activation, and certification using industry‑standard practices and testing procedures.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose signal loss, service interruptions, network impairments, and optical transmission issues using specialized electronic and optical testing equipment.
• Operate and interpret data from equipment including spectrum analyzers, field strength meters, digital modulation meters, sweep frequency response equipment, optical power meters, optical time domain reflectometers (OTDR), Time Domain Reflectometers (TDR), cable locators, and fusion fiber splicers.
• Prepare and maintain detailed documentation, reports, test records, fiber loss measurements, OTDR traces, as‑built drawings, inspection reports, and system performance records.
• Inspect contractor‑installed telecommunications facilities to ensure compliance with approved plans, specifications, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Coordinate with contractors, engineers, utility providers, and public agencies to facilitate construction activities, utility relocations, and right‑of‑way access.
• Review and verify contract bid items, completed work quantities, and project deliverables for payment processing and project closeout.
• Ensure proper placement and alignment of telecommunications infrastructure within public rights‑of‑way and private property easements while protecting existing utilities and maintaining system reliability.
• Respond to emergency outages, damaged plant conditions, and service disruptions during normal working hours and while assigned to rotational standby or after‑hours emergency response duties.
• Maintain effective communication and professional working relationships with coworkers, contractors, utility representatives, and members of the public.
• Perform lead duties as assigned, including coordinating work schedules, prioritizing…