Telecommunications Aerial Designer
Summary
Designs aerial fiber-optic networks for telecom projects, creating pole-loading and make-ready plans that meet NESC standards and utility requirements using CAD/GIS tools.
ISG is seeking a highly motivated Telecommunications Aerial Designer to join our dynamic and growing team. As a key member, you will contribute to a variety of exciting projects within our Telecommunications + Utility Business Unit, utilizing innovative technology and collaborating with a diverse range of esteemed public and private clients across the nation. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a full-service, multi-disciplinary firm that consistently delivers exceptional results in planning, design, survey, and construction, and has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards.
You would work closely with Matt Cherek, Telecommunications Practice Group Leader, based in Green Bay. As an ISG employee owner, you will continue to grow in your career. You’ll learn from us, and we’ll learn from you. You’ll have the freedom and autonomy to do your best work with plenty of support along the way. Our culture is essential to our success and your engagement in it.
Here are some projects we’ve worked on recently that might give you a better sense of what you’ll be doing day to day:
- Charter Communications Broadband Expansion, WI
- TDS Telecommunications, IN, MI, MN, WI
- Minnesota Power
As a Telecommunications Designer focused on aerial OSP and joint use, you will engineer pole attachment and make-ready designs that keep fiber builds compliant, constructible, and on schedule. Day to day, you will:
- Produce aerial fiber design and pole loading deliverables for joint-use routes, applying the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) for clearances, loading districts, and grade-of-construction requirements
- Perform make-ready engineering, identifying clearance violations, required pole replacements, riser/down-guy needs, and rearrangements and translate field conditions into actionable construction notes
- Develop and review pole attachment applications to utility and joint-use owner standards, including required forms, exhibits, and supporting calculations
- Run sag and tension analysis and verify mid-span and ground clearances against NESC Rule 232/235 and applicable loading cases, using sag tables and pole loading tools
- Interpret field survey and as-built data (pole heights, existing attachments, messenger/strand, span lengths) and incorporate terrain and elevation data into clearance analysis
- Prepare construction-ready drawings, route prints, and design packages in CAD/GIS, including pole-by-pole detail and make-ready summaries
- Coordinate with utility joint-use departments, permitting agencies, survey crews, and construction partners to resolve design conflicts and keep projects moving
- Support quality control of design deliverables and maintain documentation that holds up under utility and ROW review
- Ability to travel to perform field data collection when necessary
* The above essential duties are skills that a candidate will learn and develop in this position
We’ve listed a compensation range that reflects our expectations for this role, including both direct and indirect components. We understand that your experience and value may fall outside of this range. If you feel you're a strong fit but your compensation needs differ, we’re open to a conversation—let’s talk.
- Working knowledge of NESC, particularly clearance and loading rules as they apply to communications attachments in the supply/communications space
- Familiarity with aerial OSP and FTTH design concepts: joint use, make-ready, pole loading, messenger/strand, guying, and down-guy/anchor placement
- Experience reading and producing OSP construction prints, route prints, and pole detail sheets
- Proficiency with CAD and/or GIS tools (AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or equivalent OSP design platforms); experience with pole loading software (e.g., O-Calc, SPIDAcalc, or similar) is a strong plus
- Understanding of utility pole attachment standards and the joint-use application/permitting process
- Strong attention to detail, comfort working with field data, and the ability to translate survey conditions into compliant designs
- Effective communicator who can coordinate across utilities, permitting agencies, and construction crews.
- Associate or Bachelor's degree in a related technical field, relevant certification, or equivalent OSP/joint-use design experience
- Entry-level candidates with a strong technical foundation and the right aptitude are encouraged to apply. Compensation reflects a range from developing to experienced designers
- A valid drivers license
- Medical, dental, and vision
- Paid time off, pro-rated amount available on your start date
- Paid holidays and paid volunteer time
- Paid parental leave
- Bi-annual profit sharing
- Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP)
- 401K retirement plan
- Life insurance
- HSA and FSA options
- Bereavement leave
- Supplemental voluntary benefits
- Short term and long-term disability
- Parking reimbursement, varies on office location