Transport Operations Network Engineer

Comcast • Full-time • Englewood, Colorado, United States • 1d ago

Make your mark at Comcast -- a Fortune 30 global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, we reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. Become part of our award-winning technology team that turns big ideas into cutting-edge products, platforms, and solutions that our customers love. We create space to innovate, and we recognize, reward, and invest in your ideas, while ensuring you can proudly bring your authentic self to the workplace. Join us. You’ll do the best work of your career right here at Comcast. (In most cases, Comcast prefers to have employees on-site collaborating unless the team has been designated as virtual due to the nature of their work. If a position is listed with both office locations and virtual offerings, Comcast may be willing to consider candidates who live greater than 100 miles from the office for the remote option.)

Job Summary

The Technology, Product, Experience (TPX) organization works at the intersection of media and technology and our innovative teams are continually developing and delivering products and next-generation technologies that transform the customer experience. The Comcast Network and CONNECTivity (CONNECT) organization is a highly agile, fast-paced, dedicated group at the forefront of change focused on innovating, building, and operating the best in class, most reliable access network for our customers. About the Role: This position is highly technical, focusing on post-sales support for Solution Engineering services, including design, solution acceptance, and network reconfiguration/migration. It involves managing and maintaining the extensive Ciena 6500 Backbone Transport network, which spans over 80,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables. This role requires handling sophisticated technologies and equipment, necessitating a deep understanding and specialized expertise due to the network's scale and complexity.

Job Description

Core Responsibilities

Consistency: Transport DevOPS engineers ensure that all configurations and settings across the network are consistent, maintaining uniformity to streamline operations and minimize errors.

Automation:Leveraging automation tools within our NMS, we streamline routine tasks and workflows, allowing for greater efficiency and freeing up time for more strategic initiatives.

Security: Implementing centralized access control and authentication mechanisms is crucial. We ensure robust security measures are in place to safeguard network assets and data integrity.

Troubleshooting: When issues arise, we dive into detailed logs and diagnostic information provided by our NMS to swiftly identify and resolve issues, minimizing downtime and operational impact.

Firmware / Software Management: Managing firmware and Software upgrades and patches is a key responsibility. We oversee this process to ensure that network devices always run the latest software versions, bolstering security and performance.

Configuration Backup: Automated backup of device configurations using our NMS is overseen by senior engineers, ensuring reliable backups are available for disaster recovery purposes, safeguarding against configuration loss or corruption.

Policy Enforcement: Enforcing network policies and compliance standards is essential. We oversee policy implementation within our NMS to ensure adherence to organizational standards and regulatory requirements.

User Management: Transport DevOPSmanage user access levels and permissions within our NMS, controlling who has access to critical network resources to maintain security and accountability.

Integration with External Systems: Our NMS integration with other network management systems, ticketing systems, and analytics platforms is facilitated by our engineers to streamline workflows and enhance operational efficiency, facilitating seamless information exchange and collaboration.

Capacity Planning: Resource usage analysis within the network is conducted by our engineers, using insights gained from our architect to plan for future growth or optimization, ensuring the network infrastructure can support evolving business needs effectively.

Documentation: Design and architect the capacity requirements for the optical transport network based on anticipated traffic demands and growth projections. This includes the creation of HIF, NBT, EDP and BOM.

Device Provisioning and Commissioning: Commission newly provisioned devices into the network, ensuring they are operational and correctly integrated into the existing infrastructure. Provisioning new network devices and equipment according to predefined configurations and standards.

Lab Testing of New Network Elements: Conduct lab testing of new network elements and equipment before deployment in the production network. Validate interoperability, performance, and compatibility with existing infrastructure and network management systems.

Lab Testing of NMS Software: Test new releases or updates of NMS software in the lab environment to evaluate functionality, stability, and performance. Identify and address any issues or compatibility concerns before deploying changes to the production environment.

End-to-End Circuit Testing: Conduct end-to-end circuit testing to verify the integrity and functionality of network connections and services. Validate connectivity, bandwidth, and performance of circuits across the entire network path, ensuring they meet service level agreements (SLAs) and performance requirements.

Old Equipment Decommissioning:Identify and decommission outdated or obsolete network hardware and equipment to optimize space and power utilization.

Ordering Fiber Cross-Connect: Place an order with the service provider to establish a fiber cross-connect between the street and the suite where the equipment resides. Coordinate with the service provider to schedule installation and ensure that the cross-connect meets the required specifications and performance standards.

3rd Party Provider Lit Circuit Quoting, Designing, and Ordering: Engage with third-party providers to request quotes for lit circuits (10G or 100G) based on local market needs and requirements. Design the circuit layout and specifications in coordination with the provider to ensure alignment with network architecture and performance goals. Place orders for lit circuits with the selected provider, coordinating installation and provisioning activities to meet project timelines and objectives.

In-Service Scheduled Maintenance: Schedule and perform routine maintenance activities to repair or replace defective hardware components in the network. Coordinate maintenance windows and procedures to minimize disruption to network operations and ensure continuity of service.

3rd Party (Colo) Badge Access for Vendors: Manage access control systems to grant third-party vendors secure badge access to designated areas within the network infrastructure. Coordinate with security teams and vendors to ensure compliance with access control policies and procedures.

Employees at all levels are expected to:

B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science or a related field of discipline

5-8 years’ experience Field Service Engineering role supporting the deployment of DWDM networks – Hands on “In the Field” experience preferred.

Ciena 6500 Photonic, OTN, Ethernet Networking and Data Communications (TCP/IP) , RLS, Nokia PSS1830, NFMT

Layer 2 knowledge will be an advantage.

Scripting and API Usage: Experience in scripting and using APIs for network management tasks.

Additional ExperienceWe’re Looking For:

Proactive Network Management: The role emphasizes proactive network health management, which includes continuous monitoring, alarm resolution, planned maintenance, and security configuration. Proactively identifying and addressing potential issues before they escalate is a unique aspect of this role.

Mentorship and Leadership: Senior engineers are expected to mentor and develop junior team members. This leadership aspect requires not only technical expertise but also the ability to impart knowledge effectively.

Strategic Decision-Making: During high-stakes situations and network disruptions, senior engineers are responsible for making strategic decisions to ensure network operations align with organizational goals. This level of decision-making requires experience and a deep understanding of the network.

Key Soft Skills:

Ability to handle being on an on-call rotation.

Ability to work at night on maintenance windows.

Ability to handle stressful situations during maintenance window activities and solve complex technical issues under the stress of time constraints.

Expert in problem solving down to the design level and then translating that back to Engineering for resolution.

Ability to make timely and accurate assessments of complex situations.

Self-Motivated and Customer Focused.

Excellent Customer Service interaction skills.

Excellent Leadership abilities.

Excellent Written and Verbal communications skills.

Ability to work in a collaborative environment.

Disclaimer:

This information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this role. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications.

Comcast is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Skills:

Network Monitoring; Technical Leadership; Troubleshooting; Teamwork; Technical Issues

Salary:

Primary Location Pay Range: $87,720.92 - $131,581.38

Comcast intends to offer the selected candidate base pay within this range, dependent on job-related, non-discriminatory factors such as experience. The application window is 30 days from the date job is posted, unless the number of applicants requires it to close sooner or later.

The application window is 30 days from the date job is posted, unless the number of applicants requires it to close sooner or later.

Base pay is one part of the Total Rewards that Comcast provides to compensate and recognize employees for their work. Most sales positions are eligible for a Commission under the terms of an applicable plan, while most non-sales positions are eligible for a Bonus. Additionally, Comcast provides best-in-class Benefits to eligible employees. We believe that benefits should connect you to the support you need when it matters most, and should help you care for those who matter most. That’s why we provide an array of options, expert guidance and always-on tools, that are personalized to meet the needs of your reality – to help support you physically, financially and emotionally through the big milestones and in your everyday life. Please visit the compensation and benefits summary on our careers site for more details.

Education

Bachelor's Degree

While possessing the stated degree is preferred, Comcast also may consider applicants who hold some combination of coursework and experience, or who have extensive related professional experience.

Relevant Work Experience

5-7 Years