The OSP Technician is an entry-level position responsible for placing buried and aerial fiber service drops from the serving terminal to the customer's home. The technician places the drop, mounts the network interface device (NID), and prepares the drop so the install technician can complete service. The OSP Technician reports to the Operations leader.
With training, the OSP Technician will learn to splice fiber, complete customer installations, and resolve customer trouble tickets, serving as backup coverage for these roles as business needs require. No prior telecom experience is required. RTC Communications provides training on equipment, safety, and fiber work.
Primary Responsibilities
- Receives daily drop work orders and completes them on schedule, accounting for weather, material, and equipment availability.
- Confirms that the locate ticket placed by Customer Care is complete and all utilities are marked before any digging begins. Follows Indiana 811 requirements and stops work when marks are missing, unclear, or do not match field conditions.
- Buries fiber service drops from the serving terminal to the customer premises using a walk-behind trencher, vibratory plow, mini excavator, or hand tools as site conditions require.
- Bores under driveways, sidewalks, and roads as needed to complete buried drops.
- Places aerial service drops from the pole to the customer premises using ladders and bucket trucks.
- Mounts the NID at the customer premises and leaves the drop properly secured, labeled, and ready for the install technician.
- Communicates with property owners before starting work to confirm the drop route and NID location and explains what to expect for yard disturbance.
- Restores the work site after placement, including backfill, cleanup, and yard restoration to RTC standards.
- Documents completed drops accurately, including route, footage, and photos, and closes work orders in the system.
- Reports damaged facilities, line hits, or property damage to the supervisor immediately.
- Performs daily inspections and basic maintenance on assigned vehicles, trailer, and equipment, including required DOT inspections.
- Follows all RTC safety protocols, including PPE, fall protection, work zone traffic control, and excavation safety.
Secondary Responsibilities
- Splices fiber optic cable and performs basic fiber testing.
- Completes customer service installations.
- Troubleshoots and resolves customer trouble tickets.
- Provides backup coverage for the installation and repair team when workload, absences, or outages require it.
Required Qualifications
- At least 18 years old.
- High school diploma or GED.
- Must have and maintain a valid driver's license and remain eligible for DOT requirements.
- Ability to safely tow and maneuver a trailer with equipment.
- Mechanical aptitude and willingness to learn to operate trenchers, plows, boring equipment, mini excavators, and bucket trucks.
- Comfortable working at heights from ladders and bucket trucks.
- Basic computer or tablet skills to read work orders, record notes, and close tickets.
- Courteous, professional communication with customers and property owners.
- Reliable attendance and punctuality. Our customers and crews count on you to show up as scheduled.
- Willing to work overtime as needed and various shifts as business needs dictate.
- Available for on-call/standby responsibilities once qualified.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience operating a trencher, vibratory plow, directional bore, mini excavator, or bucket truck.
- Experience in construction, landscaping, utility, or telecommunications work.
- Basic understanding of fiber optic or telecommunication products and services.
What We Offer
- Hands-on training in equipment operation, safety, and fiber splicing. No telecom experience required.
- A defined career path to Installer/Repair Technician.
- A retirement program and a healthcare plan that is second to none in our area.
- Paid time off, holidays, company vehicle, and tools and PPE provided.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
This is a physically demanding outdoor job. The employee must be able to:
- Lift and carry up to 50 pounds regularly, and more than 100 pounds occasionally with assistance or equipment.
- Dig, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl for extended periods.
- Stand and walk on uneven ground for most of the workday.
- Climb ladders and poles, and work at heights from ladders and bucket trucks.
- Safely operate heavy equipment and power tools, including extended exposure to vibration.
- Tell colors apart to read locate marks and fiber color codes, judge distances, and read work orders and maps.
- Communicate clearly with customers, coworkers, and the supervisor in person, by phone, and by radio.
Work is performed outdoors year-round in heat, cold, rain, and other weather conditions. The employee works around moving heavy equipment, open trenches, overhead power lines, and roadway traffic, and may work in attics, crawl spaces, and manholes. The job involves exposure to loud noise, dust, fumes, and occasionally hazardous chemicals.