Groundhand

Job Summary:

Responsible for providing general labor assistance and support to the aerial fiber installation crew such as manually rotating the fiber after reel so it deploys freely by performing the following duties.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Hand lineman necessary protective equipment needed for work being done
• Drive and operate vehicles
• Keep work areas clean and organized
  • Pick up scrap wire, boxes and all other discarded items
• Keep unauthorized people away from work area
• Stock trucks with material commonly used on a daily basis
• Assist with washing and maintaining equipment in proper working order
• Assist with cleaning protective equipment
• Use of various hand and power tools
• Assist with loading various materials onto trucks and/or trailer
• Any and all other duties assigned by the line supervisor

Overhead Duties:

• Employee will be in close proximity to work area in case of emergency
• Must verify proper grounding of the line truck
• May be required to assist lineman in second bucket while working on lines
• Operate bucket truck in emergency mode

Underground Duties:

• Assist with pulling fiber
• Must be knowledgeable with the materials needed and the process to strip and terminate underground cables

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate with others and to assimilate/understand information
• Ability to make sound decisions in a manner consistent with job duties
• Ability to work outside their regular scheduled hours
  • Be available for emergency and/or prearranged work
• Ability to perform duties involving prolonged sitting, standing crouching or stooping
• Ability to push, pull and position tools, equipment and structural material
• Ability to lift heavy loads
• Ability to work from ladders and other heights required
• Ability to work on smooth or uneven surfaces
• Ability to work with both arms overhead
• Ability to grip and hold lines/ropes
• Ability to work with small components
• Ability to operate assigned equipment and vehicles
• Accurately read and record data

Work Environment:

• Exposure to various outdoor weather conditions
• Work near moving mechanical parts
• Exposure to fumes or airborne particles
• Risk of electrical shock and vibration

Education/Experience:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)

Specialized Training/Licensing requirements:

• OSHA 10-hour course
• Flagger Training
• Todd Cable Orientation
• Possess a valid driver’s license

We offer a competitive base salary, per diem pay, boot allowance, as well as an outstanding benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, 401(k) with company match, flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, paid training, and paid holidays and vacation.

About FirstLight:

FirstLight, headquartered in Albany, New York, provides fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast connecting more than 13,000 locations in service with more than 125,000 locations serviceable by our more than 25,000-route mile network. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber services as well as dedicated Internet access solutions, data center, cloud and voice services. FirstLight’s clientele includes national cellular providers and wireline carriers and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments.

FirstLight Fiber is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with state and federal laws, FirstLight’s equal opportunity policy is that all applicants and employees are treated equally by the company with respect to employment opportunities, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status or veteran disability.