OSP Licensing and Permitting Specialist

Here at GoNetspeed, we believe in the power of connectivity. We believe that life doesn’t wait for us to catch up. We believe that providing the fastest and most reliable Internet to the communities we serve means committing to the present and building for the future.

And we believe that our amazing team of employees are the key to our future and vision of connecting communities for today and for whatever comes next. If this excites you, come and join our team.

The OSP Licensing & Permitting Specialist is responsible for obtaining, managing, and maintaining permits and approvals required for outside plant fiber and utility infrastructure projects. This role supports the successful delivery of OSP construction by coordinating with municipalities, utility companies, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with permitting requirements, joint use agreements, and project schedules.

Essential Job Functions:

License & Permit Application Management:

• Determines required permits based on project scope, OSP design, and jurisdiction
• Performs jurisdictional research
• Prepares, submits, tracks, and closes permits and applications for OSP construction (fiber, conduit, aerial and underground facilities)
• Reviews engineering and construction/permit drawings for permitting compliance
• Ensures compliance with Right-of-Way (ROW), easement, and environmental requirements
• Performs and/or coordinates Make Ready Engineering (MRE) activities, including clearance analysis and utility coordination
• Reviews, coordinates, and validates pole loading analysis (PLA) to ensure structural compliance with joint use and utility standards
• Coordinates with pole owning utilities regarding pole attachment requirements, relocations, replacement, and make ready timelines
• Tracks permit status, conditions, fees, and expiration dates
• Responds to agency comments and revises applications as needed
• Advises engineering on design changes required for permit approvals
• Mentors or guides OSP Licensing & Permitting Coordinators as needed

Regulatory Compliance:

• Interprets and applies utility agreements, municipal ordinances, and state/federal regulations related to utility pole attachments, conduit use, and ROW work
• Coordinates with municipalities, DOTs, utility companies, railroads, HOAs, and private property owners
• Resolves escalated permitting issues and conflicts

Coordination and Communication:

• Coordinates traffic control plans, lane closures, and inspection scheduling
• Communicates permit requirements and constraints to coordinators, engineering, construction, and project management teams
• Supports construction start dates by ensuring permits are approved and active
• Coordinates inspections, restoration requirements, and final sign-offs
• Maintains permit logs, documentation, data base, trackers
• Assists with audits, regulatory reporting, and record retention

Completes special projects as assigned by the Licensing & Permitting Manager*.

*These tasks do not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act definition of essential job functions and are usually less than 5% of time spent.  However, these tasks still constitute important performance aspects of the job.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of OSP construction (aerial, underground, fiber, conduit) and jurisdictional permitting requirements.
• Ability to interpret utility agreements, municipal ordinances, ROW rules, and state/federal regulations.
• Skilled in reviewing OSP engineering drawings, TC plans, and permit packages for compliance.
• Experience with Make Ready Engineering (MRE) and basic pole loading analysis (PLA) review.
• Ability to coordinate with pole‑owning utilities on attachments, relocations, and make‑ready timelines.
• Proven ability to resolve escalated permitting issues and agency comments.
• Strong communication skills for working with municipalities, DOTs, utilities, engineers, and construction teams.
• Excellent organization, documentation, and permit tracking skills; able to manage high permit volumes.
• Proficient with permitting databases, trackers, spreadsheets, and documentation systems.
• Ability to mentor or guide junior permitting staff.
• Ability to consistently follow‑up and strong attention to detail.
• Document control and reporting
• Professional, team‑oriented, and comfortable in a fast‑paced environment.

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 3–7 years of experience in OSP permitting, joint‑use licensing, or telecom utility coordination.

Thank you for choosing GoNetspeed as your potential next employer! We know you have other options when selecting an employer of choice and are so glad you chose to apply with us.