Engineering Manager

National Technologies (NTI), a Network Connex Company, is a premier turnkey installer of fiber optic and data center infrastructure. Working on our team puts you on the leading edge of innovation in the digital communications space.
If being a part of a tight-knit organization that operates in some of the most advanced technology environments around the world sounds like a dream job, NTI might be the right fit for you! With the perks of a large organization, NTI remains true to its roots as a home-grown company with an open-door culture that welcomes new ideas and encourages professional growth. We set you on the right path with careful onboarding and thorough training programs that prepare you for success in your role and beyond.

Position Summary
The Engineering Manager – Testing & Validations provides senior technical leadership and oversight for fiber optic testing, validation, quality assurance, troubleshooting, certification, and customer acceptance activities across National Fiber Team projects.
This position serves as a senior technical authority within the National Fiber Team and is responsible for establishing consistent testing methodologies, resolving complex technical issues, developing Field Engineers and validation personnel, and ensuring project deliverables meet customer specifications, manufacturer requirements, applicable industry standards, and NTI quality expectations.
The Engineering Manager supports multiple projects and field teams as required, providing technical governance and ensuring testing and validation programs are executed consistently across the organization.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Senior Technical Leadership
Provide senior technical leadership for NFT testing, validation, and fiber quality activities.
Responsibilities include:
• Provide technical direction to Field Engineers and Validation Teams
• Mentor and develop Field Engineers and Associate Field Engineers
• Establish standardized testing methodologies and technical expectations
• Review complex testing and validation issues
• Serve as an escalation point for technical deficiencies
• Support technical training and competency development
• Provide technical interpretation of project requirements and standards
• Ensure consistency of testing practices across NFT projects
Serve as a senior subject matter expert for fiber optic testing, validation, troubleshooting, and acceptance.

2. Testing & Validation Governance
Provide oversight of project testing and certification programs.
Responsibilities include:
• Optical Loss Testing (OLTS)
• Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) testing
• End-face inspection
• Continuity verification
• Polarity verification
• Fiber identification
• Optical power testing
• Acceptance testing
• Test result analysis and certification
Review project testing requirements and ensure methodologies comply with the applicable scope of work, customer requirements, manufacturer specifications, and industry standards.

3. Quality Assurance & Technical Compliance
Establish and maintain technical quality expectations across assigned projects.
Responsibilities include:
• Review installation and testing quality
• Evaluate recurring deficiencies and quality trends
• Establish corrective-action expectations
• Verify significant or systemic deficiencies are properly resolved
• Support development of QA/QC procedures
• Reduce rework and customer punch items
• Improve first-pass acceptance
• Identify systemic quality risks across projects
• Recommend changes to installation or testing processes
Provide senior-level governance and an escalation path supporting Field Engineer authority to reject nonconforming installations and require corrective action before acceptance.

4. Complex Technical Troubleshooting
Lead or support resolution of complex fiber infrastructure issues.
Responsibilities include:
• High or inconsistent optical loss
• OTDR anomalies
• Reflectance issues
• Macrobends and microbends
• Damaged fiber
• Connector contamination or damage
• Splice defects
• Polarity discrepancies
• Fiber routing discrepancies
• Documentation conflicts
• Testing equipment or configuration issues
• Systemic installation deficiencies
Perform or oversee root-cause analysis and develop corrective-action recommendations for significant technical issues.

5. Field Engineer Development
Develop the technical capability of the NFT Field Engineering organization.
Responsibilities include:
• Mentor Field Engineers and Associate Field Engineers
• Evaluate technical competency
• Identify training requirements
• Conduct technical reviews
• Support qualification and advancement criteria
• Develop troubleshooting capability
• Promote standards-based decision making
• Develop future technical leaders
• Share lessons learned across projects

6. Documentation & Acceptance Oversight
Establish expectations for technical documentation and customer turnover packages.
Responsibilities include:
• OTDR traces
• OLTS reports
• End-face inspection records
• Fiber routing documentation
• Test result validation
• Deficiency reports
• Acceptance packages
• Customer deliverables
• Closeout documentation
Ensure technical documentation is accurate, traceable, consistent, and audit-ready.

7. Customer & Project Technical Support
Represent NFT during high-level technical discussions.
Responsibilities include:
• Customer acceptance criteria
• Testing methodologies
• Technical deficiencies
• Design interpretation
• Quality concerns
• Acceptance disputes
• Corrective actions
• Testing demonstrations
• Project turnover
• Technical RFIs
Provide technically defensible recommendations supported by applicable standards, project requirements, manufacturer guidance, and documented test results.

8. Multi-Project Technical Oversight
Provide technical oversight and support across multiple NFT projects as assigned.
Responsibilities include:
• Review project testing readiness
• Assess Field Engineering resource requirements
• Identify technical risks
• Support mobilization and project startup
• Review testing strategies
• Assist projects experiencing quality or acceptance issues
• Evaluate project performance trends
• Provide technical support during critical project milestones
• Coordinate resources with Operations and Project Management

9. Standards & Process Development
Drive standardization and continuous improvement across the National Fiber Team.
Responsibilities include:
• Develop standardized testing procedures
• Develop technical SOPs and work instructions
• Establish documentation standards
• Maintain testing reference materials
• Evaluate new testing technologies
• Implement lessons learned
• Analyze quality and failure trends
• Recommend process improvements
• Support development of technical training materials

10. Testing Equipment & Technology
Provide technical governance for NFT testing equipment and platforms.
Responsibilities include:
• Establish testing equipment requirements
• Support equipment standardization
• Review calibration compliance
• Evaluate new testing equipment
• Support equipment configuration standards
• Identify equipment capacity requirements
• Assist with technical specifications for CAPEX purchases
• Coordinate with Operations, Logistics, and Procurement regarding equipment needs

11. Reporting & Executive Communication
Provide technical reporting to NFT leadership.
Responsibilities include:
• Project testing status
• Acceptance readiness
• Quality trends
• First-pass acceptance performance
• Significant technical deficiencies
• Corrective-action status
• Equipment risks
• Testing capacity
• Technical resource requirements
• Customer acceptance risks
• Executive technical summaries

Leadership Expectations
The Engineering Manager is expected to:
• Serve as a senior technical authority for NFT fiber testing and validation
• Lead through technical competence and professional credibility
• Develop Field Engineers into independent technical leaders
• Promote standards-based decision making
• Challenge unsupported assumptions with objective technical evidence
• Maintain accountability for technical quality
• Communicate effectively with Operations, Project Management, field leadership, and customers
• Identify technical risks before they affect schedule, cost, or customer acceptance
• Promote collaboration between construction, splicing, testing, and project teams
• Drive continuous improvement across the National Fiber Team

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Quality
• First-pass customer acceptance
• Rework percentage
• Punch-list reduction
• Documentation accuracy
• Recurring deficiency reduction
Technical
• OTDR/OLTS compliance
• Troubleshooting resolution time
• Root-cause effectiveness
• Testing methodology compliance
• Calibration compliance
Operational
• Project acceptance readiness
• Schedule support
• Technical risk mitigation
• Field Engineering resource utilization
• Documentation turnaround
Leadership
• Field Engineer development
• Technical training completion
• Competency advancement
• Standardization initiatives
• Process improvements
• Lessons learned implementation

Decision-Making Authority
The Engineering Manager is authorized to:
• Establish technical testing and validation requirements within approved project specifications
• Direct Field Engineering technical priorities
• Require corrective action for nonconforming work
• Reject testing methodologies that do not meet applicable requirements
• Escalate systemic quality or technical risks
• Require retesting when technical validity is questionable
• Recommend suspension of acceptance activities when quality requirements are not satisfied
• Recommend equipment replacement, repair, or standardization
• Recommend technical staffing and training requirements
• Provide technical recommendations regarding project acceptance readiness

Core Competencies
Technical
• Fiber optic testing
• Advanced OTDR analysis
• OLTS certification
• End-face inspection
• Fiber troubleshooting
• Splice-quality evaluation
• Network acceptance testing
• Fiber documentation
• Standards interpretation
• Root-cause analysis
Operational
• Quality assurance
• Risk management
• Construction sequencing
• Schedule coordination
• Documentation control
• Customer acceptance
• Resource planning
• Equipment management
• Process improvement
Leadership
• Technical coaching
• Mentoring
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Executive communication
• Customer engagement
• Conflict resolution
• Team leadership
• Cross-functional coordination

Preferred Qualifications
• BICSI RCDD preferred
• BICSI TECH or equivalent technical credential
• CFOT, CFOS/T, or equivalent fiber optic certification
• Advanced experience with OTDR, OLTS, end-face inspection, optical power testing, and fiber troubleshooting
• Strong working knowledge of ANSI/TIA, BICSI, manufacturer, and customer-specific fiber testing requirements
• Experience leading testing and validation activities on large-scale fiber infrastructure projects
• Experience developing technical personnel and testing procedures
• Proficiency with fiber testing software and electronic documentation platforms
• Demonstrated ability to interpret technical requirements and communicate recommendations to customers and project leadership

The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned.

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
The Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and to applicants throughout the recruitment and employment process. Individuals who require accommodation to participate in the application process or perform the essential functions of the position should contact Human Resources