Lead Electric Utility Telecom Network Architect
Location: San Diego, CA
Schedule: On Site / Hybrid considered for highly qualified candidates
Employment Type: Full-Time
We are seeking an experienced Lead Electric Utility Telecom Network Architect to design, modernize, standardize, and support telecommunications networks used in electric utility operations. This role will focus on mission-critical communications infrastructure supporting substations, control centers, generation assets, transmission and distribution systems, field operations, protection systems, SCADA, and operational technology environments.
The ideal candidate will have deep experience with electric utility telecom architectures, including SONET, MPLS, DWDM, fiber optic transport, microwave, W-links, T-links, private operational networks, carrier services, and utility-grade IP networks. This person will help define network standards, develop migration strategies, support RFPs and procurement, guide implementation teams, and ensure highly available, secure, and resilient communications across utility infrastructure.
This is a senior technical leadership role requiring both hands-on network expertise and the ability to communicate effectively with engineering, operations, field, cybersecurity, executive leadership, vendors, and external partners.
About the Role
This role is ideal for a senior telecom network architect who understands the unique demands of electric utility communications. The successful candidate will help modernize critical telecom infrastructure while maintaining the reliability, resiliency, and operational discipline required to support the electric grid.
The person in this role should be comfortable working across legacy and modern environments, from SONET, T-links, W-links, microwave, and fiber transport to MPLS, DWDM, IP routing, network automation, and utility cybersecurity.
Responsibilities
- Lead the architecture and standardization of electric utility telecommunications networks supporting transmission, distribution, substations, control centers, and field operations.
- Design reliable, secure, and highly available utility communication networks using technologies such as SONET, MPLS, DWDM, microwave, fiber optic transport, W-links, T-links, carrier Ethernet, and private IP networks.
- Develop migration strategies from legacy telecom platforms to modern packet-based utility network architectures.
- Design and support networks carrying SCADA, protection, teleprotection, metering, voice, video, security, automation, and operational data traffic.
- Develop standards for Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 communications infrastructure across utility environments.
- Design IP/MPLS, routing, switching, QoS, traffic engineering, segmentation, VPN, and encryption solutions for operational utility networks.
- Support fiber optic network planning, optical transport design, DWDM systems, microwave backhaul, and diverse path planning for critical circuits.
- Evaluate and document W-links, T-links, substation communications paths, and utility transport services.
- Collaborate with protection and control, substation engineering, transmission, distribution, SCADA, cybersecurity, IT, field crews, and network operations teams.
- Lead telecom architecture reviews, network design reviews, standards development, and implementation planning.
- Prepare technical specifications, design packages, diagrams, cost estimates, RFP requirements, and vendor evaluation criteria.
- Support procurement efforts for telecom equipment, carrier services, optical transport, microwave systems, MPLS services, and related infrastructure.
- Analyze network performance, capacity, resiliency, latency, jitter, path diversity, and disaster recovery requirements.
- Establish monitoring, escalation, and operational support procedures for critical communications networks.
- Identify risks in legacy telecom infrastructure and recommend modernization or replacement strategies.
- Mentor network engineers, telecom engineers, field teams, and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate network documentation, including fiber maps, circuit inventories, rack elevations, logical diagrams, IP addressing, path diversity records, and equipment standards.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Network Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, plus eight or more years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Significant experience designing, maintaining, troubleshooting, or modernizing telecommunications networks in an electric utility, energy, critical infrastructure, or similar operational environment.
- Strong working knowledge of SONET, MPLS, DWDM, fiber optic transport, microwave communications, W-links, T-links, and utility telecom circuits.
- Experience with utility operational networks supporting substations, control centers, SCADA, protection systems, metering, or field communications.
- Experience with IP/MPLS, BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, VLANs, VRFs, QoS, traffic engineering, VPNs, and network segmentation.
- Experience with optical networking, fiber path diversity, carrier circuits, private telecom networks, and microwave backhaul.
- Ability to read, interpret, and develop network diagrams, fiber drawings, circuit records, path diagrams, and technical specifications.
- Experience creating technical standards, design templates, implementation procedures, and operational documentation.
- Experience supporting RFPs, vendor evaluations, cost estimates, procurement decisions, and technical scope development.
- Ability to troubleshoot complex telecom issues involving transport systems, circuits, routing, switching, optics, microwave, and utility communications equipment.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical decisions to field teams, engineers, executives, vendors, and non-technical stakeholders.
Required Skills
- Experience with electric utility standards, operations, and reliability requirements.
- Experience with SCADA, teleprotection, relay communications, DNP3,,synchrophasors, or other utility operational technologies.
- Experience with SONET-to-packet migration, MPLS modernization, DWDM expansion, or microwave network replacement.
- Experience planning or supporting communications for substations, transmission lines, distribution automation, or grid modernization projects.
- Experience with NERC CIP, critical infrastructure security, utility cybersecurity practices, or OT network segmentation.
- Experience leading telecom standards committees, technical working groups, or multi-discipline design teams.
