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What does a telecommunication engineer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does a telecommunication engineer do

A telecommunication engineer is responsible for installing, testing, and repairing telecommunication systems including mobile telephone networks and fiber optic and digital satellite systems. Your day-to-day duties include diagnosing and troubleshooting systems faults, installing static and mobile antennae on masts and buildings, and designing, developing, and testing telecommunications equipment and components. As a telecommunication engineer, you are also required to provide guidance and support to telecommunication installers to ensure quality. You are also responsible for providing recommendations to upgrade outdated equipment.

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Telecommunication engineer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real telecommunication engineer resumes:

  • Manage, administer UCCE / PCCE contact center environment.
  • Manage main distribution frame (mdf) and record keeping.
  • Manage video conferencing technologies such as Telepresence, and video support in WebEx.
  • Manage services providers and vendors including contract negotiations, billing and SLA management.
  • Manage a Nortel 81C PBX for a large international corporation with offices in Indianapolis.
  • Manage the relocation of the San Francisco office, including the scheduling and timing of PBX and voice mail vendors.
  • Design and provide technical support for ancillary telecommunication systems; provide project management for large installations and advance call center applications.
  • Move add changes on CUCM, CUC and UCCX.
  • Perform software upgrade on IOS routers and Cisco UC applications.
  • Cross train with the Cisco team learning how the routers and switches work and teach them how the phone systems work.
  • Provide recommendations on network infrastructure and reorganization with detail network analysis using VISIO network drawings.
  • Implement 8 node UCS C240 base CUCM 10.5 HA cluster.
  • Train in CUC and CUCM phone software
  • Support CMS system for the entire enterprise.
  • Run and terminate Cat5 & Cat6 cables.

Telecommunication engineer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 11% of Telecommunication Engineers are proficient in Telecommunication, VoIP, and RF. They’re also known for soft skills such as Initiative, Math skills, and Speaking skills.

We break down the percentage of Telecommunication Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Telecommunication, 11%

    Designed, upgraded and installed multiple digital PBX telecommunication systems providing a seamless integration of local and worldwide voice networks.

  • VoIP, 8%

    Participated in major telephony projects that included the installation and configuration of phones into a newly established VOIP call-center.

  • RF, 5%

    Developed policies and procedures for Telecommunications and RF.

  • Switches, 5%

    Perform maintenance services and checks on radio and communications equipment, operated diagnostic switches, and diagnostic specific gear/equipment.

  • Fiber Optic, 5%

    Key contributor supported Beijing Metro and national inter-state fiber optical network transportation network implementation and management.

  • Project Management, 4%

    Provide functional management, project management and direct customer support for multiple platforms of telecommunications voice and data systems.

Common skills that a telecommunication engineer uses to do their job include "telecommunication," "voip," and "rf." You can find details on the most important telecommunication engineer responsibilities below.

Initiative. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a telecommunication engineer to have is initiative. Their role and responsibilities require that "electrical and electronics engineers must apply their knowledge to new tasks in every project they undertake." Telecommunication engineers often use initiative in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "project manager for sip/trunking aig initiative and migrate from a nortel pbx base to an avaya pbx base. "

Math skills. Many telecommunication engineer duties rely on math skills. "electrical and electronics engineers must use the principles of calculus and other advanced math in order to analyze, design, and troubleshoot equipment.," so a telecommunication engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways telecommunication engineer responsibilities rely on math skills: "selected courses for grad degree: o spread spectrum communication systems o applied mathematics in engineering o image processing. "

Speaking skills. This is an important skill for telecommunication engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how telecommunication engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "electrical and electronics engineers work closely with other engineers and technicians." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a telecommunication engineer: "addressed technical and customer service issues through telecommunication and web based portal access to local network devices. ".

Writing skills. telecommunication engineer responsibilities often require "writing skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "electrical and electronics engineers develop technical publications related to equipment they develop, including maintenance manuals, operation manuals, parts lists, product proposals, and design methods documents." This resume example shows what telecommunication engineers do with writing skills on a typical day: "well versed in complex vector writing, call routing, acd, vdn/dnis, 8yy inventory. "

Most common telecommunication engineer skills

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Compare different telecommunication engineers

Telecommunication engineer vs. Controls designer

Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control. They illustrate and describe details for installation and maintenance, such as bearing lubrication and lubrication types. It is part of their job to review schematics with the representatives of customers to answer questions during robot system installation. Also, they may design energy conversion controls.

We looked at the average telecommunication engineer salary and compared it with the wages of a controls designer. Generally speaking, controls designers are paid $11,155 higher than telecommunication engineers per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between telecommunication engineers and controls designers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like windows, ethernet, and pc.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a telecommunication engineer are more likely to require skills like "telecommunication," "voip," "rf," and "switches." On the other hand, a job as a controls designer requires skills like "plc," "control panels," "ids," and "auto cad." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Controls designers tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $88,405. In contrast, telecommunication engineers make the biggest average salary, $102,087, in the finance industry.On average, controls designers reach similar levels of education than telecommunication engineers. Controls designers are 2.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Telecommunication engineer vs. Engineering trainee

An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research. They also identify cost-efficient materials and resources that meet quality standards and client specifications. An engineering trainee must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and ensuring that all reports are submitted for management's reviews, such as contracts from suppliers and vendors.

A career as a engineering trainee brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a telecommunication engineer. In fact, engineering trainees salary is $20,554 lower than the salary of telecommunication engineers per year.A few skills overlap for telecommunication engineers and engineering trainees. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "rf," "technical support," and "windows. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real telecommunication engineer resumes. While telecommunication engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "telecommunication," "voip," "switches," and "fiber optic," engineering trainees use skills like "excellent interpersonal," "fire protection," "r," and "boilers."

Engineering trainees earn a lower average salary than telecommunication engineers. But engineering trainees earn the highest pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $63,253. Additionally, telecommunication engineers earn the highest salaries in the finance with average pay of $102,087 annually.engineering trainees earn similar levels of education than telecommunication engineers in general. They're 3.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Telecommunication engineer vs. Senior pcb designer

Control systems engineers are interdisciplinary engineers managing the company's control systems. They are expected to be familiar with different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, industrial, and computer science, among others. They are responsible for designing systems based on the company's requirements. Control systems engineers must conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the company's requirements can be met. They are also responsible for developing the systems, creating prototypes, and testing. They test whether the control systems produce desired results. After testing, control systems engineers implement the system and conduct routine maintenance checks.

On average scale, senior pcb designers bring in higher salaries than telecommunication engineers. In fact, they earn a $21,960 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on telecommunication engineers and senior pcb designers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "rf," "ethernet," and "analog.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, telecommunication engineers are more likely to have skills like "telecommunication," "voip," "switches," and "fiber optic." But a senior pcb designer is more likely to have skills like "schematic capture," "pcb layout," "mentor graphics," and "cadence allegro."

Senior pcb designers typically earn lower educational levels compared to telecommunication engineers. Specifically, they're 11.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Telecommunication engineer vs. Control systems engineer

Control systems engineers typically earn higher pay than telecommunication engineers. On average, control systems engineers earn a $11,938 higher salary per year.According to resumes from telecommunication engineers and control systems engineers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "project management," "technical support," and "windows. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between telecommunication engineers and control systems engineers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a telecommunication engineer might have more use for skills like "telecommunication," "voip," "rf," and "switches." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of control systems engineers require skills like "plc," "hmi," "c++," and "matlab. "

Control systems engineers enjoy the best pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $92,020. For comparison, telecommunication engineers earn the highest salary in the finance industry.The average resume of control systems engineers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to telecommunication engineers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 1.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of telecommunication engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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