Permit Technician/Specialist - Fiber Network Deployment

Position Summary

The qualified person must live in the market and visit permitting authorities at permitting offices on a daily basis.

The Permit Specialist is responsible for securing and managing permits and approvals required to construct fiber‑optic networks within public and private rights‑of‑way. This role works directly with Cities, Counties, State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), Railroads, and Waterway Authorities to obtain timely approvals for aerial and underground fiber construction.

The Permit Specialist serves as the primary liaison between permitting authorities and internal Engineering, Construction, and Project Management teams—ensuring all jurisdictional requirements are understood, incorporated into designs, and approved in the fastest time possible.

Key Responsibilities – Jurisdiction & Requirements Management

• The qualified person must live in the market and visit permitting authorities at permitting offices on a daily basis.
• Engage with City Planners, Engineering Departments, Public Works, DOTs, Railroads, and Waterway Authorities to gather permitting requirements.
• Develop and maintain jurisdiction‑specific permitting requirement matrices.
• Document construction standards, restoration requirements, fees, bonding, insurance, and inspection processes.
• Build professional working relationships with permitting authorities.
• Permit Application & Submittals
• The qualified person must live in the market and visit permitting authorities at permitting offices on a daily basis.
• Prepare and submit permit applications in person for street cuts, underground construction, aerial fiber, bores, trenching, micro‑trenching, and crossings.
• Coordinate with Engineering to ensure drawings and traffic control plans meet jurisdictional standards.
• Review permit packages for completeness prior to submission.
• Review Tracking & Expediting
• The qualified person must live in the market and visit permitting authorities at permitting offices on a daily basis.
• Track permits through review, comment resolution, resubmittal, and issuance.
• Proactively follow up with reviewing agencies.
• Identify and mitigate permitting bottlenecks.
• Maintain accurate permit tracking logs and status reports.
• Engineering & Design Coordination
• Communicate agency comments and requirements to Engineering teams.
• Coordinate and review design revisions for compliance prior to resubmittal.
• Ensure conditions of approval are incorporated into final plans.
• Cross‑Functional Support
• Coordinate with Construction and Project Management teams to align permits with schedules.
• Support pre‑construction meetings, inspections, and permit close‑out.
• Ensure permits are closed upon project completion.

Requirements

• Required Qualifications
• The qualified person must live in the market and visit permitting authorities at permitting offices on a daily basis.
• 1+ years of permitting or ROW coordination experience.
• Knowledge of municipal and DOT permitting processes.
• Experience working with City Planners and public agencies.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering and construction drawings.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with FTTH / FTTx deployments.
• Railroad and waterway permitting experience.
• Familiarity with traffic control plans and MOT requirements.
• Experience with permitting portals, GIS, or tracking systems