OSP Technician at Safaricom Telecommunication Ethiopia

OSP Technician

Employer: Safaricom Telecommunication Ethiopia

Employment: Full-Time | Permanent

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Hawassa - Sidama, Jimma - Oromia - Ethiopia

Posted date: 9 months ago

Deadline: Submission date is over

Role purpose:

• The OSP Technician plays a critical role in the maintenance and repair of fiber optic cables within Safaricom Ethiopia’s network
• Responsible for splicing fiber optic cables, testing, troubleshooting fiber paths, rigging poles to perform fiber cable stringing, installation of accessories, reading and understanding network splicing plans, preparing designs and specifications for OSP relocation tasks, taking and maintaining accurate field notes, ensuring high-quality standards for network performance and reliability

This position requires a combination of technical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work in various environments, including outdoor and indoor settings adhering to health and safety.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership:

• Perform splicing, testing, and troubleshooting of fiber optic cables in field at various network settings, including OSP (aerial, underground, building entries) and ISP.
• OSP: Splicing underground and aerial fiber, building splice closures, entering manholes and hanging splice closures from an overhead line.
• ISP: Inside terminations, installing fiber termination panels, OTDR and power meter testing.
• Perform Corrective Maintenance during faults and planned Preventative Maintenance
• Conduct fiber optic cable installations, including pulling, terminating, and securing cables.
• Design, provision, document, Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cable (UG, Aerial, Buried) and manhole and conduit design
• Perform live fiber cutovers during maintenance hours
• Utilize fiber optic splicing and testing equipment, including fusion splicers, OTDRs (Optical Time Domain Reflectometers), power meters, and light sources to ensure fiber optic cable integrity and performance.
• Conduct thorough testing and troubleshooting of fiber optic links to identify and resolve issues such as breaks, bends, or bad splices
• Participate in newly built fiber link acceptance test, Snap collection and follow up
• Knowledgeable in fiber counts to properly select the tray size, splicer settings and type of closure required.
• Maintain accurate records of splicing activities, test results, and inventory usage.
• Adhere to safety protocols and industry standards to ensure a safe working environment during all operations.
• Ability to read, understand and update splice documentation and maps as required
• Read, interpret, and update network maps, splice schematics, and engineering field notes
• Coordinate with other team members and third-party stakeholders to ensure timely and efficient completion of maintenance tasks.
• Provide accurate and detailed documentation of completed work, including splicing and testing results.
• Clean and maintain tools and equipment
• Climb poles and work at heights up to and exceeding 12m
• Dimension, audit, track, and manage necessary OSP spares in liaison with the Spare part management team
• Works with outside agencies to obtain right of way approvals and coordinate tasks with other utilities
• Acquiring permits and or private easements
• Able to read and understand highway/road prints, be able to identify conflicts with existing outside plant facilities, select routing of lines and equipment required for relocation tasks.
• Should be able to perform field survey based on requirement
• Works OT, on-call rotations, weekends, and holidays as needed to meet support and maintenance requirements
• Required to be on-call for emergency restoration
• Perform routine construction work such as fiber locates, pulling rope/cables, climbing ladders, using hand tools, digging with a shovel, etc.
• Stay updated on the latest fiber optic technology and splicing techniques
• Perform other duties as requested, directed or assigned

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Functional Competencies:

• Proficiency with fiber optic splicing tools and testing equipment.
• Knowledge of fiber optic cable splicing techniques including but not limited to single fusion, mass-fusion and mechanical method
• Knowledge of fiber optic testing including but not limited to power meter, ORL, OTDR, CD and PMD
• Knowledge of fiber optic cable types, make-up of fiber optic cables, and manufacturer specifications to prevent damage of cables
• Knowledge of various manufacturers OSP and ISP splice enclosures and termination panels
• Knowledge of basic public right of way and inside plant safety measures
• Knowledge of data center security processes and adhering to the measures they put in place·
• Strong understanding of fiber optic cable construction and network design.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings and technical documentation.

Business Competencies:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness to work in various environments, including outdoor and confined spaces.
• Valid driver's license and a clean driving record.
• Basic understanding of telecommunications networks and fiber optic technology
• Basic computer skills with Microsoft applications

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, walk, sit
• Ability to use hands to handle or feet
• Ability to reach with hands and arms
• Ability to climb and balance
• Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl
• Ability to lift and carry equipment up to 25 Kgs
• Ability to maintain all safety expectations
• Ability to work in various outdoor environments and conditions, including heights, confined spaces, and inclement weather.
• Ability to identify colors
• Works outdoors for extended periods.
• Exposed to extreme weather conditions
• Commit to safe work – there is nothing more important

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

• Minimum of Diploma or Degree in Telecommunication or related fields
• 5 years experience acquiring Hands-on experience with fiber optic installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance on both Arial and underground topography. experience in fiber optic splicing, termination, testing, cable pulling and pole rigging.

Desired

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical and Electronics Engineering, or Higher National Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science with at least 2 years of experience in fiber optics maintenance and installation
• Health and Safety Certification
• Working at Height and fall arresting Certification
• Experience in fiber deployment projects