Senior Telecommunications Engineer

Minimum Pay Rate: $136,364.80 

Maximum Pay Rate: $180,606.40 

Civil Service Status: Civil Service 

Apply by Date: 04/08/2025 

Posting Type: Open 

 

The Operational Technology Network Engineering department is dedicated to delivering high-reliability communication systems and services essential for the operation of the power grid. The OTNE department at SMUD is looking for a Senior Telecommunications Engineer to join the Telecommunications Wireless Engineering team. The position is a hybrid role requiring a minimum number of days onsite.

Purpose

Provides specialized telecommunications and engineering support by planning, designing, consulting, solving complex telecommunication problems and supplying appropriate systems.

Nature and Scope

Serves as an advanced journey level resource in a relevant professional discipline; works independently on projects of moderate complexity; exercises independent judgment and discretion; may serve in a Lead role and assist in planning, coordinating, prioritizing, monitoring and evaluating the work results in assigned area and in selecting, training, motivating, evaluating and developing lower-level personnel.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, designs, develops and coordinates expansions, modifications, and additions to SMUD’s telecommunication and data network systems by identifying design criteria to accommodate immediate needs; integrates future capability needs when feasible; evaluates available technologies; specifies equipment and systems; coordinates purchases; develops criteria for testing, maintaining and operating equipment and systems; provides technical direction for work being performed.
• Determines current and long-range capability of telecommunications systems by analyzing loadings, performance levels, responsiveness to operational and transient conditions, duplications, state of the art systems, and economics.
• Responds to telecommunication information requirements of management and the Board with clear and accurate written reports and verbal presentations concerning such matters as telecommunication systems alternatives, economics, capabilities, functional descriptions, and regulatory agency restrictions.  
• Represents SMUD in substantive negotiation of telecommunication matters with regulatory and service entities including FCC, state and local regulators and emergency services, telephone, cable TV and other communication carriers, equipment vendors and contractors; coordinates signal and data links with other utilities, power producers and joint bodies.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory codes and industry standards by maintaining knowledge of requirements and incorporating in design and construction.
• Provides specialized technical and engineering telecommunication system support for SMUD’s telephone data networking system on a SMUD-wide basis by evaluating and resolving user problems, responding to user need requests, providing training, and providing emergency support to operate systems as required.
• Ensures reliability of critical telecommunications networks by defining, testing, maintenance and operating criteria, incorporating backup and contingent system and state of the art improvements.
• Functions as a multi-discipline technical expert by providing in-depth consultation for SMUD’s telecommunications systems the major areas of telephone and data communications, emergency preparedness communication, interactive voice response, computer telephony integration and other telephony related systems. 
• Performs related duties as required.

Required Education

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in electrical engineering or a related field.

Required Experience Qualifications

• 5 or more (5+) years of experience in the planning, design, installation, and administration of complex telecommunications and data systems including experience with UNIX, Novell and Microsoft networking environments, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems and Computer Technology Integration (CTI) systems.

Required Licenses/Certificates

• B.S.E.E. from an accredited university is required.

Knowledge Of

Theory and engineering design principles; operational characteristics of a variety of telecommunications systems and specialized technology including microwave radio, two way UHF VHF radio, power line carrier, broad band coaxial cable, video, telephony, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) systems, wiring systems and fiber optics; telecommunications operating procedures and equipment requirements; data processing systems and communications;