Director of Engineering – Construction

Job Description:

• Build, hire, and lead the Engineering and Construction organization across Nevada, Oregon, California, and Missouri
• Directly manage the Permitting Manager, state Construction Managers, and state Safety Managers
• Establish common processes, standards, and reporting across all states
• Develop staffing plans aligned to build timelines and grant milestones; own recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and succession planning
• Serve as senior escalation point for Engineering and Construction issues
• Oversee OSP design for aerial and underground construction
• Enforce RUS, NESC, state, and Stimulus network design standards
• Review and approve construction-ready design packages
• Manage engineering firm scopes, deliverables, QA/QC, invoices, and contracts
• Drive make-ready engineering and pole loading analysis
• Lead permitting across state DOTs, counties, municipalities, railroads, federal land agencies, and private easements
• Ensure NEPA/EHP reviews, cultural resource surveys, and environmental conditions are cleared before construction
• Oversee pole attachment applications and make-ready timelines
• Direct mainline and middle-mile construction through state Construction Managers and Resident Engineers
• Select, contract, and manage construction contractors and subcontractors
• Oversee field inspection, change orders, as-builts, and project closeout documentation
• Resolve field conflicts, utility damages, constructability issues, and landowner concerns
• Participate in construction acceptance and turnover to operations and NOC
• Lead safety programs covering OSHA, excavation, aerial work, traffic control, and confined spaces
• Maintain safety programs, training, contractor prequalification, and audits
• Ensure incident investigations and root cause analyses are completed
• Ensure compliance with BEAD, BABA, prevailing wage, labor standards, and grant milestones
• Provide construction data for NTIA and state broadband office reporting, reimbursement requests, and audits
• Develop and manage budgets; track cost per passing and cost per drop
• Negotiate and administer engineering, construction, and material contracts and MSAs
• Report production, schedule, cost, quality, safety, and staffing to the VP of Engineering and Construction

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or related field, or equivalent field experience
• Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in telecom or utility infrastructure construction, including at least 7 years in OSP fiber
• Minimum 5 years leading multi-level teams, including managers who lead their own crews or staff
• Proven delivery of large fiber builds across multiple jurisdictions at the same time
• Strong understanding of RUS construction standards, NESC requirements, OSHA 1910.268 and 1926, and OSP construction methods including aerial, underground, and buried applications
• Experience with permitting across state DOTs, counties, and utilities, and with pole attachment and make-ready processes
• Demonstrated ability to manage engineering firms and construction contractors under MSAs, unit-price contracts, and change orders
• Experience on federally funded projects with compliance and reporting obligations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and project management or construction tracking tools
• Valid driver's license with the ability to travel frequently to project sites, including remote rural areas
• Professional Engineer (PE) license, PMP, or BICSI OSP Designer credential preferred
• Direct BEAD, SLFRF, RDOF, ReConnect, or CPF project experience preferred
• Experience with BABA, prevailing wage, and NEPA/EHP requirements on grant-funded builds preferred
• Experience standing up a new construction organization or division preferred
• Familiarity with Quickbase, 3-GIS, IQGeo, or ArcGIS preferred
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification or a formal safety credential (CSP, CHST) preferred
• Experience in rural, mountainous, or high-desert terrain and on tribal or federal land preferred