Manager, PON Engineering

Job Description:

At Sparklight/Cableone and our family of brands, we keep our customers and associates connected to what matters most.

For our associates, that means: a thriving and rewarding career, respect for the communities where they live and work, a focus on health and wellness, an excellent work/life balance, and an open and inclusive workplace.

We are open to hiring remote if we find the right talent in any of the following states: AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT.

Overview
The Manager, PON Engineering leads a team responsible for the planning, design, and engineering of the company's PON access network.

This includes architecture development, vendor integration, standards enforcement, and cross-functional coordination with Product, Automation, and Operations teams to ensure designs are executable, documented, and aligned with business priorities.

The role combines hands-on technical understanding with the ability to inspire and guide a high-performing engineering team through transformational initiatives and day-to-day operations.

What you will do to contribute to the company's success


* Lead and mentor a team of PON Engineers responsible for network design, documentation, and standards development for GPON, XGS-PON, and future 25G/50G PON deployments.


* Oversee the creation and maintenance of design packages, engineering standards, and runbooks to ensure consistency and quality across the organization.


* Partner with cross-functional Engineering, Automation, Operations, and other organizational teams to deliver PON services, develop strategic roadmaps, and remove roadblocks for smooth execution of PON initiatives.


* Collaborate with Product Management and Business teams to align PON growth strategies with residential, commercial, and enterprise service objectives.


* Evaluate and integrate new technologies, vendors, and architectures to improve scalability, reliability, and performance of the access network.


* Support budget planning, capital forecasting, and vendor engagement for PON-related initiatives.


* Track and report on team KPIs related to capacity, build readiness, implementation velocity, and service activation success rates.


* Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.

Qualifications


* Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).


* 7+ years of experience in network engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership or senior technical role.


* Hands-on experience with GPON and XGS-PON architectures, OLT/ONT technologies, optical design principles, and vendor ecosystems (e.g., Calix, Nokia, Adtran).


* Familiarity with Ethernet, IP, and transport technologies and how they integrate with access networks.


* Demonstrated ability to lead and develop techni...