Job Description
Job Title: Senior WDM/IP Network Engineer
Reports to: Head of Network Technology
Location: Home based with occasional travel to business offices, new/existing vendor
premises, and Exchanges/Data Centres.
Full Time
The Lightspeed Experience
Rewarding experience. Meaningful outcomes. Making a difference in people's lives. That's what motivates us. Embrace diversity. Celebrate inclusion. Champion ideas. From across the table to around the UK, our path to innovation comes from our desire to deliver and from our outstanding people.
About Us
We’ve been busy bringing gigabit fast full fibre broadband to thousands of UK homes since 2021. Our mission is to connect people. Our broadband is fast, fun, and stress-free and our customers really are at the heart of every decision we make.
Learn more about the general tasks related to this opportunity below, as well as required skills.
Join us
Here at Lightspeed, we’re going through an exciting period of growth. We have big ambitions for the future, and we need great people who share our ambitions and inspire us for the next part of our journey.
This is an exciting opportunity for anyone looking for their next challenge. We have an inclusive, diverse team – you can be yourself here and everyone is welcome. So, join us!
What we need you to do
- Reporting directly to the Head of Network Technology, the Senior WDM & IP Engineer will be responsible for supporting the Head of Network Technology in the design and build/expansion of Lightspeed’s WDM backhaul and Wholesale services network (OLT-to-BNG) within the current and future footprint (in the UK and US). Importantly,this is an exciting and vital role for the future of Lightspeed as it moves from being a Broadband provider to also offering Wholesale (10GE/100GE) services across its current and planned WDM network.
- To assist in the design of Lightspeed’s WDM/Wholesale network utilising 10G XGS-PON (OLT & CPE) and WDM (R-OADM/F-OADM) technology. This requires you to have an in-depth knowledge of the associated optical networking concepts, the underlying transmission concepts and performance restrictions, the underlying optical technology, and component level knowledge.
- To assist in the planning/build of Lightspeed’s WDM/Wholesale network consisting of Openreach Exchanges, Street Cabinets, and Data Centre deployments. The role will require working with the equipment provider installation and commissioning (I&C) teams, their 3rd party I&C contractors, and 3rd party support/maintenance personnel (as required) to ensure the successful completion of the network build to achieve the required footprint expansion.
- To assist in the procurement/selection of network equipment, dark fibre (either via Openreach or 3rd party providers/wholesalers), 10/100 GE ‘lit’ services, IP services, and Data Centre CoLo space.
What we need from you
Network Design: To ensure the end-to-end (OLT-to-BNG) network design requirements are captured and then specified and presented in a clear and precise manner to the network equipment providers, working with their solution architects and product line managers (PLMs) to select the most appreciate network equipment (cost vs performance trade-offs) achieving the required connectivity, resilience, and optical performance.
Network Build: To plan/build the end-to-end (OLT-to-BNG) network, working with equipment suppliers and their contractors. This will require (a) ensuring all the necessary equipment/services are available on time, (b) the inter-dependencies between each of the sub-elements are understood, the sequence of the build is clear and communicated to all interested parties, and, importantly, timelines have been agreed and walked through ahead of the planned activity. All necessary permissions have been obtained and are in place before the work is to commence, including following any internal/external Change Request (CRQ) processes, developing them if required (if not in place). Thus, this activity involves many inter-dependencies, ensuring each one is managed through to completion and on-time is key to you successfully delivering part (or all) of the project and/or sub-project.
Service Delivery/Maintenance: To work closely with the Head of Network Technology to assist with the design, documentation, and installation/commissioning of the optical connections (and equipment) necessary to establish end-to-end Wholesale connections (10G/100G) across the Lightspeed WDM/Wholesale network footprint. Working with the Exchange Build Supervisor and 3rd party contractors to ensure the installation, commissioning and maintenance work is scheduled (across multiple sites) and completed to the required technical and timeline requirements. Subsequent testing is planned, performed, and the results have been verified (and repeated if necessary) before establishing with the Head of Network Technology and other Lightspeed stake holders the connection can ‘go-live’.
Ongoing Support: Provide ongoing technical support (as/if required) to Lightspeed’s customer facing teams and to Lightspeed’s 3rd party NOC provider, who oversees the network 24/7 x 365. This activity will also involve assessing the impact on the network if service providers (dark fibre and ‘lit service) notify Lightspeed of planned maintenance (hence outages), ensuring all parties (Lightspeed and 3rd party NOC providers) are aware and as required mitigation is put in place (especially during build phases where partial resilience may not be in place).
Continuous Improvement: Support the Head of Network Technology to enable continuous review and improvement of the WDM backhaul/Wholesale solution to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and meets the changing needs of the business.
Documentation: Work closely with the Head of Network Technology to document and maintain the WDM/Wholesale network during the concept, planning, and build phases ensuring network diagrams, build/planning status information, and individual site/PoP (Exchange, Street Cabinet, and Data Centre) build records are up-to-date, accurate, and clear.
Requirements Gathering: Work closely with the Head of Network Technology to enable the business to deliver on its objectives, and goals by translating them into technical requirements.
Stakeholder Management: Work with all stakeholders, vendors, and internal cross-functional teams to understand common goals and to ensure that solutions meet the needs of the business.
Risk Management: Identify risks, mitigate where possible, and support the Head of Network Technology to enable further risk management associated with the network design/build, equipment/service procurement; therefore, ensuring appropriate contingency plans are in place.
Personal Qualities, Characteristics and Behaviours:
- Ability to work at a very detailed level on multiple projects/sub-projects simultaneously ensuring each achieves the technical and timeline objectives.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with people at all levels – whether this be within Lightspeed, with equipment/service suppliers, and/or 3rd party installation/commissioning and support/maintenance personnel.
- Ability to work effectively within a team.
- Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and work under pressure.
- Ability to work under own initiative, following ‘intent’ based leadership direction.
- Self-motivated, driven.
- Having a ‘one-team-one-goal’ working ethos.
Skills and Qualifications:
- In-depth knowledge of Access (XGS-PON) & WDM (F-OADM/R-OADM) networks from the network equipment down to the component level obtained whilst working ideally for a network equipment provider/vendor. This role would suit someone who has worked in R&D and/or Technical Sales/Support who wishes to utilize their knowledge/skills by working for an ISP.
- Experience of procuring dark fibre and ‘lit’ fibre services from Openreach and 3rd-party providers.
- Experience of BNGs, their selection/specification/configuration – experience of CG-NAT, BGP, etc.
- Knowledge of street cabinet deployments, especially the specification of the internal layout of the required network equipment (Access/WDM/Wholesale), PON monitoring systems (Central Test Head related technology), ODF, and DCN/management connectivity.
- Knowledge of WLAN networks, particularly Wi-Fi Networks.
- Experience of the design, selection of firewalls/switches, and building of DCN networks to support in-band and out-of-band (OOB) network management of the network equipment sitting in the Exchanges, Data Centers, and Street Cabinets.
- Ability to work on their own initiative, meet tight deadlines, and, importantly, work on and manage multiple projects/sub-projects. Some work may be required out of normal business hours to assist with specific network build activities.
- Comfortable dealing with installation/maintenance engineers who are both in house and business partners to plan and subsequently build the exchange and street cabinet deployments.
- Able to communicate clearly at all levels especially to both senior and executive management.
- Good documentation skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
- Full driving license (occasional traveling to Lightspeed offices and equipment/service suppliers as required for face-to-face meetings)
What we can offer you
- Competitive Holiday Allowance + Bank Holidays
- Medical Health Insurance
- Death in Service Cover of 4 x Salary
- Pension
- Bonus Scheme
- Social Events
- EAP System
- Opportunities for Growth & Development
- Free LightSpeed Broadband – If you’re in our area
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Flexible Working