The posting
Job Description
Responsible for the implementation, optimization, and maintenance of enterprise voice and data networks to support operational and business objectives. This role encompasses hands-on engineering for voice, data, and industrial systems integration. It ensures network reliability, scalability, and security while aligning with the organization’s strategic architecture. This role focuses on deploying and maintaining voice and data solutions using advanced technologies such as VoIP, LAN/WAN, IP/MPLS, DWDM, and SCADA systems, ensuring compliance with cybersecurity and regulatory standards like NERC CIP.
Note: There is one position available and the position will be filled at one of four job grade levels: Voice and Data Engineer I, job grade 7; Voice and Data Engineer II, job grade 8, Voice and Data Engineer III, job grade 9; or Senior Voice and Data Engineer, job grade 10. This decision will be based on the qualifications and experience of the candidate selected, and Tri-State business needs at the time of hire.
Tri-State recognizes the value of a highly-engaged and committed workforce and provides an excellent benefits program that includes: Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Work Schedules including compressed work week and telecommuting opportunities to work remotely up to 40%, Life Insurance, 401K, Long Term Disability (LTD), Short Term Disability (STD), Employee Assistant Program (EAP) and Paid Leave Benefits.
Senior Voice and Data Engineer Hiring Salary Range: $113,000-143,000 Voice and Data Engineer III Hiring Salary Range: $101,000-$128,000 Voice and Data Engineer II Hiring Salary Range: $91,000-$114,000 Voice and Data Engineer I Hiring Salary Range: $82,000-$102,000
Actual compensation offer to candidate may vary outside of the posted hiring salary range based upon work experience, education, and/or skill level.
Responsibilities
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the design, implementation, optimization, and support of enterprise voice and data network solutions, including VoIP, LAN, WLAN, WAN, IP/MPLS, and related technologies.
- Direct complex network deployments, upgrades, migrations, and lifecycle initiatives in alignment with enterprise architecture, standards, and business objectives.
- Serve as a technical escalation point for complex incidents, leading root-cause analysis, service restoration, and corrective actions.
- Provide technical leadership for operational and industrial communications solutions, including SCADA and AMI network connectivity.
- Lead major network deployments, hardware replacements, upgrades, testing, and validation activities while defining engineering standards and best practices.
- Partner with cybersecurity teams to strengthen network security, remediate vulnerabilities, and coordinate security event responses.
- Proactively identify technical, operational, and capability gaps and lead improvements to network performance, resiliency, scalability, automation, disaster recovery, and service continuity.
- Lead technical initiatives and coordinate delivery across business partners, vendors, system architects, and other I&T groups.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements to network architecture, roadmaps, and strategic plans.
- Develop and maintain network designs, configurations, diagrams, standards, procedures, asset records, and other technical documentation.
- Coach and mentor less-experienced engineers through technical guidance, knowledge sharing, design reviews, and complex assignments.
- Participate in the on-call rotation and lead resolution of critical network incidents and emergency service issues.
- Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures and remain knowledgeable of applicable regulations, laws, standards, and best practices.
- Because Tri-State has an obligation to provide continuous, reliable electric service to its customers, the ability to work overtime at any time of the day or week is considered an essential function of the job.
OTHER DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education and Training:
- Bachelor's or Master's Degrees in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecom Engineering, or related Science or Technology fields.
- Multiple Expert-level certifications such as CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CCIE Data Center, Arista ACE Expert (Campus, WAN Routing, or Data Center), CWNE, Advanced Optical Networking certifications, or equivalent.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Eight (8) or more years of progressively increasing responsibilities implementing, designing, and supporting large & complex enterprise and industrial voice and data network solutions, including independently leading large-scale projects and technical initiatives.
- Extensive experience designing and implementing complex enterprise and industrial network architectures across campus, data center, WAN, wireless, optical, and cloud-connected environments, including high-capacity, resilient, and secure connectivity to service providers and cloud on-ramp platforms.
- Expert knowledge and hands-on experience with advanced networking technologies and protocols, including BGP, MPLS, SD-WAN, EVPN/VXLAN, advanced network security practices, hybrid and multi-cloud networking, and complex problem resolution.
- Familiarity with utility-specific technologies and standards, such as SCADA systems and NERC CIP compliance.
- Those with less experience will be hired at the I, II, or III grade level as appropriate.
Skills:
- Exceptional problem-solving skills and ability to lead through ambiguous, high-risk, and mission-critical technical challenges.
- Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop engineers, and to influence technical direction across teams, vendors, and business partners.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present architecture, strategy, risks, and recommendations to technical teams, leadership, and non-technical stakeholders.
- Superior analytical and strategic thinking abilities, including spotting systemic gaps and turning them into long-term improvements and roadmaps.
- Keen attention to detail and accountability for technical quality beyond individual deliverables.
Other:
- Willingness to travel as required up to 15%.
- Must possess a current valid driver's license.
- Must be able to physically deploy routers, switches, wireless access points, firewalls, and other networking devices.
About Us
Tri-State is a wholesale power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, with electric distribution cooperatives and public power district members in four states: Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. Together with its members, Tri-State delivers reliable, affordable and responsible power and energy services to nearly a million electricity consumers across roughly 200,000 square miles of the West.
Founded in 1952 by its member systems to provide a reliable, cost-based supply of electricity, Tri-State is now headquartered in Westminster, Colo., employing approximately 1,000 people across five states.
Tri-State's electricity is generated from coal, natural gas, hydropower, wind, and solar. This power reaches members via a transmission system that includes substation facilities, telecommunications sites and almost 6,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines.
As a member-owned and -governed cooperative, every member has a voice and an equal vote in the future of Tri-State.
