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Dark Fiber Jobs (NOW HIRING)

FirstLight

Fiber Design Technician

Portsmouth, NH · On-site

$25 - $30/hr

FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber ...

FirstLight

Fiber Design Technician

Albany, NY · On-site

$25 - $30/hr

FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber ...

FirstLight

Fiber Design Technician

Somerville, MA · On-site

$25 - $30/hr

FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber ...

FirstLight

Fiber Design Technician

Manchester, NH · On-site

$25 - $30/hr

FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber ...

FirstLight

Fiber Design Technician

Bellows Falls, VT · On-site

$25 - $30/hr

FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength, and dark fiber ...

Zayo Group, LLC

Fiber Engineer

Ashburn, VA · On-site

$68K - $104K/yr

Zayo's communications infrastructure solutions include dark fiber, private data networks, wavelengths, Ethernet, and dedicated Internet access. Zayo serves wireless and wireline carriers, media ...

CEC COMPANIES

Fiber Splicer (32897)

Parsons, TN · On-site

$20.25 - $24/hr

Active splicing activity in cables with both dark fiber and lit services. * Conduct and validate testing of all network equipment to ensure adherence to all requirements and equipment manufacturer ...

CEC COMPANIES

Fiber Splicer (32897)

Parsons, TN · On-site

$20.25 - $24/hr

Active splicing activity in cables with both dark fiber and lit services. * Conduct and validate testing of all network equipment to ensure adherence to all requirements and equipment manufacturer ...

CEC COMPANIES

Fiber Splicer (31991)

Billings, MT · On-site

$22.75 - $27/hr

Active splicing activity in cables with both dark fiber and lit services. * Conduct and validate testing of all network equipment to ensure adherence to all requirements and equipment manufacturer ...

CEC COMPANIES

Fiber Splicer (31991)

Billings, MT · On-site

$22.75 - $27/hr

Active splicing activity in cables with both dark fiber and lit services. * Conduct and validate testing of all network equipment to ensure adherence to all requirements and equipment manufacturer ...

Hiremore

Network deployment lead

Menlo Park, CA

Core Job Duties Manage the delivery of large-scale network infrastructure projects involving dark fibre, leased circuits, collocation, space and power, inside plant fibre, IP Transit, and Peering ...

FirstLight

Project Manager

Victor, NY · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

This role requires strong project leadership, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to manage diverse service implementations including dark fiber, lit fiber, voice, and data center ...

GFiber

Network Acquisition Manager

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site +1

You will work closely with local market and network engineering teams to source and implement leased data center, bandwidth, and dark fiber solutions across North America. Collaborate and partner ...

FirstLight

Project Manager

Somerville, MA · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

This role requires strong project leadership, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to manage diverse service implementations including dark fiber, lit fiber, voice, and data center ...

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All JobsDark Fiber Jobs

Dark Fiber information

See salary details

$15

$27

$45

How much do dark fiber jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for dark fiber in the United States is $27.80, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.63 and $31.49 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by dark fiber technicians, and how can job seekers prepare for them?

Dark fiber technicians often encounter challenges such as coordinating with multiple stakeholders, troubleshooting physical network issues in varied environments, and keeping up with evolving industry standards. The work can involve outdoor installation, maintenance in adverse weather, and adhering to strict safety protocols. To prepare, job seekers should develop strong problem-solving skills, familiarize themselves with fiber optic technologies, and be comfortable working both independently and as part of a team. Gaining relevant certifications and hands-on experience with fiber splicing and testing equipment can also be highly beneficial.

What are dark fiber networks?

Dark fiber refers to unused or 'unlit' optical fiber cables that have been laid but are not currently in service. Organizations can lease or purchase dark fiber to create their own private, high-capacity network infrastructure. This allows for greater control, scalability, and security compared to using traditional telecommunications services. Dark fiber is commonly used by businesses, data centers, and internet service providers to meet high bandwidth demands and ensure reliable connectivity.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Dark Fiber Network Engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as a Dark Fiber Network Engineer, you need a strong background in fiber optic networking, telecommunications infrastructure, and typically a degree in electrical engineering or related fields. Familiarity with fiber testing equipment, GIS mapping systems, and industry certifications such as CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) are commonly required. Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are critical soft skills for coordinating with teams and clients. These skills ensure reliable network deployment, minimize downtime, and support efficient expansion of high-speed fiber infrastructure.

What is the difference between Dark Fiber vs Network Technician?

AspectDark FiberNetwork Technician
Required CredentialsFiber optic certification, technical knowledgeNetworking certifications (e.g., CompTIA Network+), technical skills
Work EnvironmentFiber optic infrastructure, data centers, telecom sitesData centers, office environments, on-site installations
Employer & Industry UsageTelecom, internet service providers, data centersIT companies, telecom, enterprise networks
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding fiber infrastructure rolesNetworking and infrastructure roles

Dark Fiber professionals focus on installing, maintaining, and managing unlit fiber optic cables, often working in telecom and data centers. Network Technicians handle network hardware, troubleshooting, and configuration across various IT environments. While both roles require technical skills, Dark Fiber specialists concentrate on fiber infrastructure, whereas Network Technicians work with broader network systems.

More about Dark Fiber jobs
What cities are hiring for Dark Fiber jobs? Cities with the most Dark Fiber job openings:
What states have the most Dark Fiber jobs? States with the most job openings for Dark Fiber jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Dark Fiber jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Dark Fiber jobs are:
Dark Fiber jobs near you
Infographic showing various Dark Fiber job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 72% Full Time, and 28% Contract. Highlights an 88% In-person, 6% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $57,818 per year, or $27.8 per hour.
Fiber Design Technician

Fiber Design Technician

FirstLight

Portsmouth, NH • On-site

$25 - $30/hr

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

Job Description

Summary: The Fiber Design Technician (FDT) is responsible for management and implementation of technical OSP and ISP into FirstLight's GIS Platform. The Fiber Design Technician (FDT) will be responsible for creating construction prints, splice plans, providing support to field teams and ensuring as-built data is accurately entered. The Fiber Design Technician (FDT) is required to adhere to the Firstlight standards. Working with and communicating clearly with various departments is a priority. The Fiber Design Technicians (FDT) will be part of an on-call rotation to support the NOC and Fiber Construction Engineers during outages.

Responsibilities:

  • Participate in large project kick-off meetings with project stakeholders.
  • Attending scheduled construction meetings to update, identify and prioritize jobs ready for the fiber design phase of a project.
  • Work in tandem with the Fiber Construction Engineers for uniformity and precision in all project documentation.
  • Ensure Fiber Design Management and Project Managers are promptly updated on any issues that may affect project timelines or budgets.
  • Design optimal and efficient fiber backbone routes per customer specifications within task forecasted date.
  • Digitizes lines and elements in current mapping software according to Firstlight standards.
  • Produce standardized and consistent construction prints and splice plans.
  • Update the initial designs, in the mapping system, from the as built construction data provided by the Fiber Construction Engineers.
  • Ability to train users on new and existing procedures and systems.
  • Identify and communicate segments becoming fiber constrained to Fiber Design Management.
  • Support emergency and trouble responses related to fiber impairments as a participant in an On-Call rotation.
  • Work jointly with the NOC, Field Operations, and Fiber Construction to coordinate repair teams.
  • Ensure Service-related projects are completed on time with excellence.
  • Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and standard operating procedures documentation activities.
  • Other duties as assigned.

This job description outlines the core responsibilities of the position but is not exhaustive. The Construction Engineer may be required to undertake additional duties as necessary and assigned by the company to meet the needs of the business. FirstLight reserves the right to review and make modifications and revisions to the job description as necessary.

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.