Company Description
Zayo provides mission-critical bandwidth to the world’s most impactful companies, fueling the innovations that are transforming our society. Zayo’s 141,000-mile network in North America and Europe includes extensive metro connectivity to thousands of buildings and data centers. Zayo’s communications infrastructure solutions include dark fiber, private data networks, wavelengths, Ethernet, and dedicated Internet access. Zayo serves wireless and wireline carriers, media, tech, content, finance, healthcare and other large enterprises.
Zayo is seeking a Lead Fiber Route Patroller to protect the integrity, reliability, and resiliency of its long-haul fiber network through advanced route patrol, damage prevention, infrastructure inspection, and technical troubleshooting. This senior individual contributor operates independently, leads complex field investigations, identifies infrastructure risks, and provides technical guidance to field personnel to improve network protection and operational performance.
Location Requirement: Please note that this role will be located in the Indianapolis, IN area and working remote and in the field. Our ideal candidate will reside within 60 minutes of the Indianapolis metro area.
Work Authorization Requirement: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization, such as OPT, TN, H1B or any other type of work visa, now or in the future.
Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Field Operations
Serve as a subject matter expert in fiber route protection, utility locating, damage prevention, and network troubleshooting.
Perform advanced fiber testing, fault isolation, and troubleshooting using OTDRs, optical power meters, 10G–100G test sets, and applicable Layer 1–Layer 4 testing methodologies.
Provide technical guidance, coaching, and knowledge sharing to field technicians.
Assess complex field issues, determine escalation requirements, and coordinate resolution of network risks and service disruptions.
Support the development of standardized field troubleshooting procedures, testing methodologies, and technical documentation.
Identify recurring technical issues and recommend corrective actions that improve network reliability and reduce repeat dispatches.
Serve as a technical mentor for newly hired and developing technicians, supporting hands-on training and skill development.
Route Patrol & Damage Prevention
Lead proactive patrols and infrastructure inspections to identify construction activity, excavation, environmental hazards, and potential third-party damage.
Prioritize patrols based on route criticality, historical damage, construction activity, and identified risks.
Apply utility locating techniques, GPS, route maps, and construction drawings to identify potential conflicts and protect underground infrastructure.
Coordinate with contractors, utility owners, and construction crews to implement preventive measures and mitigate infrastructure risks.
Serve as an escalation resource when contractors are excavating near critical fiber facilities, particularly when locate accuracy, facility ownership, or excavation practices are in question.
Conduct advanced locate audits and field validations to identify missing laterals, inaccurate markings, and discrepancies between physical infrastructure and network records.
Partner with locate vendors, Damage Prevention, GIS, Engineering, and OSP to resolve complex facility identification and locate discrepancies.
Identify opportunities to improve route protection through better documentation, proactive contractor engagement, and lessons learned from damage events.
Assist management in reviewing patrol effectiveness and recommending adjustments to route coverage and construction monitoring.
Incident Response & Operational Excellence
Lead field assessments of suspected or confirmed damage, documenting site conditions, GPS coordinates,…