Sr Solutions Engineer
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- United States
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 7+ years
- Category
- Solutions engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, GIS, Construction Management, or related technical discipline; equivalent hands-on industry experience considered.
- Minimum 7 years of experience in OSP engineering, fiber network design, broadband estimation, solutions engineering, or a directly related technical field.
- Demonstrated experience on fiber network projects including FTTH, FTTx, backbone, middle-mile, and enterprise or municipal broadband deployments.
- Proven ability to develop independent engineering and permitting cost estimates, including bottom-up cost modeling for non-standard scopes.
- Strong working knowledge of OSP construction methods, permitting workflows, traffic control requirements, utility coordination, and pole attachment processes across multiple U.S. markets.
- Experience performing GIS-based route analysis and quantity takeoffs using ArcGIS, QGIS, Katapult, 3GIS, IQGeo, or equivalent platforms.
- Advanced Excel proficiency for cost modeling, scenario analysis, and estimating model maintenance.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret and respond to RFPs, RFQs, and technical specifications independently.
- Strong written communication skills — capable of producing clear, complete scope narratives, SOWs, and technical proposal content without heavy editorial support.
- Ability to communicate technical solutions clearly to both engineering peers and non-technical commercial audiences including Sales teams, leadership, and clients.
- Proficiency with leading AI and LLM productivity tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, or equivalent) as part of day-to-day workflow — this is a required capability, not a nice-to-have.
Nice to have
- Professional Engineering (PE) license or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification.
- Experience with VETRO, O-Calc, or equivalent make-ready and pole attachment analysis tools.
- Knowledge of FCC BEAD, E-Rate, RDOF, municipal broadband programs, and utility-funded broadband funding structures.
- Background in technical sales, pre-sales solutions engineering, or client-facing consulting for telecom or broadband infrastructure projects.
- Experience supporting government, cooperative, utility, or large enterprise telecom clients.
- Familiarity with NESC, NEC, utility attachment requirements, and broadband infrastructure regulations across multiple U.S. jurisdictions.
- Exposure to proposal operations, bid management workflows, or a structured Q&P function.
Full description
Position Summary
Essentia, Inc. is a telecommunications infrastructure firm specializing in the engineering, design, and deployment of fiber optic networks for broadband providers, municipalities, utilities, and enterprise customers throughout North America.
The Senior Solutions Engineer is a senior technical contributor serving as the lead Sales Engineer for both the Sales team and the Quotes & Proposals (Q&P) department. This role is primarily focused on engineering and permitting estimation, technical scope development, and GIS-based route analysis — providing the deep OSP expertise that underpins competitive, accurate proposals for complex fiber network pursuits.
This individual works closely with Sales throughout the pursuit lifecycle — engaging with existing clients and prospects to define requirements, develop optimized route strategies, and support technical presentations. Within Q&P, this role functions as a peer to the Estimator and works under the direction of the Proposal Manager, together forming the core technical and commercial capacity of the department.
The ideal candidate brings proven hands-on experience in outside plant engineering, permitting, and cost estimation, combined with the communication skills to engage clients and Sales effectively. They are comfortable owning complex, non-standard bids from scope definition through final submission and are proficient with the AI-enabled tools that are increasingly central to how Q&P operates.
Key Responsibilities
- Engineering & Permitting Estimation
- Serve as the lead estimator for engineering and permitting costs across all bid types — FTTH, FTTx, backbone, middle-mile, EPC, turnkey, and municipal broadband deployments.
- Develop detailed, defensible engineering cost estimates including OSP design, fielding, make-ready engineering, permitting, utility coordination, GIS data development, drafting, QA/QC, and project management activities.
- Build and maintain Engineering Unit (EU) rate databases, productivity benchmarks, and estimating models.
- Perform route-based quantity analysis using GIS platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS, 3GIS, Katapult, IQGeo, or equivalent), aerial imagery, and customer-supplied datasets.
- Evaluate project complexity factors including jurisdictional requirements, utility coordination, pole ownership structures, permitting challenges, traffic control, restoration requirements, and geographic constraints.
- Build bottom-up pricing models for bids that fall outside the standard unit price library — long-haul routes, rock or blasting conditions, river crossings, and other non-standard scopes.
- Maintain historical cost data and continuously refine estimating methodology based on actual project outcomes and post-mortem findings.