People rely on telecommunications line installers. Without the complex network of underground and overhead cable and fiber optic lines, they would not have phone or internet. Installers lay ground and string aerial cable, test all lines and maintain lines and equipment.
A high school diploma or equivalent is required for this position, and make certain to mention all candidates must understand basic algebra in your telecommunications line installer job description. Candidates who study electricity or electronics in a vocational school, community college or the military also work well in this position.
Installers must have physical stamina and strength to work for long periods climbing poles, working in trenches and lifting heavy tools and equipment. They must have excellent color vision to install cable in homes and businesses. Our sample telecommunications line installer job description below helps you determine additional information to include in your job posting.
Telecommunications Line Installer Job Summary
When you work as a telecommunications line installer, you are at the heart of the telecommunications industry. Telephone and cable companies cannot offer their customers phone and internet service without these lines. You will be in the trenches, literally, laying the very cable that brings telecommunications services to the masses. You will also be up high, wiring overhead. You will test the lines to ensure they work properly after you have installed them, and you will be the hero who performs necessary repairs to damaged lines. You will play a crucial role in the advancement of the telecommunications industry when you install new lines to give more people and businesses access to this crucial service.
Job Responsibilities
- Pull cable or fiber optic cable by hand from mounted truck reels and climb poles, ladders or access power pole tops using bucket trucks to string lines between existing appliances, auxiliary equipment and/or terminal boxes as assigned on a new project basis
- String lines using the designated tension per engineering specifications from pole to pole
- Dig trenches per engineering specifications to lay new ground cable or fiber optic cable on a new project basis
- Pull cable by hand from mounted truck reels and lay in trenches, through tunnels or in crawl spaces
- Pull cable using the designated tension per engineering specifications through the conduits, ducts and tunnels to existing appliances, auxiliary equipment and/or terminal boxes
- Test signal utility pole signal strength using the appropriate electronic equipment when needed
- Inspect and test the lines after installation or if there is a suspected problem to determine the location of malfunctions; analyze and record the test results
- Install new service or repair for customers, including making service calls to their premises and installing cable lines and equipment, connecting to service and testing lines
Job Skills and Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 18+ years old
- Algebra (at least one year)
- Experience using cable installation equipment, levels, signal generators, stripping tools
- Experience with CRM, ERP, web browser, Microsoft Office, Cisco OS software
Preferred:
- Technical studies at vocational school, college or military
- Electrical or fiber optics certification
- Active CDL
Telecommunications Line Installer Job Responsibilities
In a telecommunications line installer job description, it’s crucial that you describe the duties related to the position clearly. The telecommunications line installer job responsibilities section is arguably the most in-depth part of the job description. Here, you’ll include the specific duties employees will undertake. Rather than creating a lengthy list of every task (i.e., attending staff meetings or responding to phone calls) or a dense, tightly packed paragraph, choose about 6-8 most valuable responsibilities.
Use bullet points in the responsibilities section of your telecommunications line installer job description, making it easy for jobseekers to gain a full understanding of the goals and duties for this position. Boost the impact of each responsibility by starting each section with an action verb. The use of these “power” words improves the content of your description so jobseekers have a precise idea of what you have in mind.
We’ve included examples of telecommunications line installer responsibilities:
- Plan network installations according to customer orders, manuals, technical specifications and assessments of installation sites
- Conduct inspections of lines and cables, locating sources of trouble, assessing transmission characteristics and keeping records of test results
- Maintain strength of communication transmissions through the use of specialized equipment, including amplifiers and repeaters
- Measure signal strength with electronic equipment at utility poles
- Pull cable by hand from truck-mounted reels, stringing cable through conduits, pulling line through ducts or laying cable in underground trenches
- Set up service lines for customers, including the installation, connection and adjustment of equipment
Telecommunications Line Installer Job Specifications
Although the job responsibilities section is important, this doesn’t mean you can neglect the qualifications and skills section. After all, this is where you’ll list the telecommunications line installer job specifications that let applicants understand whether they have the right qualifications. The work of a telecommunications line installer requires highly specialized skills, particularly dexterity and experience with telecommunications. Create a list of those requirements to be sure you’ll only have applications from the right candidates.
A good way to accomplish this is to sit with a team leader to gain an understanding of what the job fully entails. You might work closely with an individual who is already working as a line installer to ensure you have an accurate and realistic telecommunications line installer job description. This ensures the team supervisor and the prospective employee are on the same page when it comes to job duties. Consider breaking those skills into a “required” list and those that you would prefer.
Take a look at some of the specific skills you may want to include in your telecommunications line installer job description:
- Four years or more in the field of telecommunications
- Demonstrable hand and finger strength and dexterity; ability to manipulate telecommunications line and cables; physical strength to haul, carry and place lines
- Familiarity with computers, software such as MS Office (specifically Excel) and diagnostic equipment
- At least 18 years old with a high school diploma required
- Ability to consistently pass a drug and aptitude test
- College degree preferred