Senior Optical Network Engineer

Salary Range: $130,000.00 To $155,000.00 Annually
Who We Are
Alberta is becoming one of Canada’s fastest-growing data center markets, and ROHL Global Networks is building the fiber that connects it. We own and operate a long-haul fiber optic network across the province, and we’re expanding it to serve the large data center operators and carriers moving in. Our customers come to us for dark fiber (IRU), lit wavelengths and Layer 2 Ethernet transport. We’re a pure transport network: no internet service, no IP transit, no peering, so this role is about optical and transport design, start to finish.
We’re looking for a Senior Optical Network Engineer to own the design of everything that lights our fiber: DWDM line systems, coherent transponders, and the packet transport layer that delivers protected Layer 2 circuits on top. This is a chance to shape a network while it grows, not just maintain one. You’ll take customer demand and route plans and turn them into designs that get built and stay up, including link budgets, channel plans, rack elevations, power and BOMs, handed off so cleanly that deployment and operations can run with them. And as the network scales, you’ll be the go-to expert supporting our Network Operations team.
The Role
As our Senior Optical Network Engineer, you’ll be the design authority for how our fiber comes to life. You’ll own the architecture of our optical and Layer 2 transport layers, from the first link budget to the final handoff, and make sure every route and customer circuit is built to perform, built to last, and easy for our operations team to support. You’ll work closely with deployment, operations, outside plant, sales and our vendors, and you’ll have real influence over the standards and reference designs that shape the network as it grows.
What you’ll do
Design our optical transport network
Design DWDM systems for regional and long-haul routes, including ROADM/FOADM node architecture, amplifier placement (EDFA, and Raman where justified), and fixed and flexible-grid channel plans.
Engineer point-to-point and multi-site DCI using coherent pluggables (100G–400G+) and compact DCI platforms, including IP-over-DWDM where it lowers cost per bit.
Build link budgets and OSNR/reach analysis covering span loss, chromatic dispersion, PMD, nonlinear penalties, and aging and repair margins, using vendor planning tools and fiber characterization data (OTDR, CD/PMD).
Choose line rates, modulation formats and baud rates that strike the right balance of reach, capacity and cost on each route.
Deliver reliable Layer 2 services
Design the Carrier Ethernet service layer (MEF E-Line / E-LAN) that delivers Layer 2 circuits to data center customers.
Design the MPLS or SR-MPLS underlay and EVPN / pseudowire overlay that carries those circuits across the core, including IS-IS or OSPF, LDP/SR and fast reroute.
Build resiliency into every layer: optical 1+1 and OTN protection, packet-layer fast reroute, and diverse-path design and SRLG analysis in partnership with the OSP team.
Shape the customer experience
Design and specify lit-wavelength and dark-fiber handoffs, including demarcation, patching, optical specifications and acceptance criteria.
Define service SLAs (latency, availability, jitter) and the monitoring that proves we’re meeting them.
Turn designs into buildable sites
Produce rack elevations, power budgets (-48 VDC and AC), heat loads, fiber patching/ODF layouts and cross-connect schedules for PoPs, huts and colocation sites, including our Acheson facility.
Deliver site-ready design packages, BOMs and method of procedure (MOP) documents for deployment teams and contractors.
Plan for growth and work with vendors
Translate customer demand and traffic forecasts into capacity plans and staged upgrade paths.
Evaluate vendor platforms and optics, run lab and field trials, and provide technical input to RFx and commercial negotiations.
Set standards and support operations
Define network standards, reference designs and naming/inventory conventions, and keep design records current in the inventory system.
Support acceptance testing and turn-up, serve as Tier 3 escalation for design-related faults, and back up the operations team during incidents and planned maintenance.
What you Bring
A bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Telecommunications or Computer Engineering, or equivalent hands‑on experience.
8+ years in carrier or wholesale optical transport, including at least one long-haul or DCI build you’ve taken from design to in-service.
A strong command of DWDM fundamentals, including the ITU‑T G.694.1 grid, OSNR, chromatic dispersion, PMD, amplifier gain/tilt and span engineering.
Hands‑on design experience with coherent optics (100G–400G+) and at least one major transport platform, such as Ciena, Nokia, Infinera, Cisco or Adtran.
Working knowledge of Carrier Ethernet (MEF) service design and MPLS / Segment Routing as a transport underlay, including EVPN or pseudowire‑based Layer 2 services.
Comfort reading and applying fiber characterization data (OTDR traces, loss and CD/PMD reports) and working with OSP teams on route and diversity constraints.
A track record of producing complete design packages, including drawings, rack elevations, power and heat calculations, BOMs and MOPs.
Strong written communication and the confidence to explain and defend a design to operations, finance, customers and vendors.
A valid driver’s license and willingness to travel regularly (approximately 20% of the time) to PoPs, huts and data centers along the network, balanced with office‑based design work.
Availability for occasional after‑hours support during maintenance windows, cutovers and incidents.
The ability to work in equipment rooms and meet site access and safety requirements, including laser safety, ESD and landlord inductions.
Nice to have
Vendor certifications on optical or routing platforms, such as Ciena Certified, Nokia NRS II / SRA, Cisco CCNP/CCIE Service Provider or Juniper JNCIP-SP.
Experience with open and disaggregated optical networking, including open line systems, alien wavelengths, OpenROADM or TIP.
Familiarity with colocation and carrier‑neutral data center environments, including meet‑me rooms, cross‑connect ordering and landlord standards.
Experience with network automation and telemetry, such as NETCONF/YANG, gNMI, or Python or Ansible for design and config generation.
Exposure to planning tools, including vendor planning software, GIS/route tools, or inventory/OSS systems.
Background in L3 VPN, BGP or SRv6 design.
L3 VPN, BGP or SRv6 design experience (helpful for working with customers' IP teams)
What We Offer
Competitive wages, commensurate with experience
An annual performance bonus based on individual objectives and overall company performance
A comprehensive benefits plan including dental, vision and extended health for you and your family
Group RSP / TFSA matching plan
Company vehicle or vehicle allowance for site travel
On‑call stipend for scheduled maintenance windows
Paid vendor certifications, plus ongoing training and professional development opportunities
On‑Site in Acheson / Edmonton, AB – with travel to PoPs, huts and data center sites along the network (approx. 20%)
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