Entry Level Networking Jobs in Hickory, NC (NOW HIRING)

Join Our Team 

CommScope is seeking an Electrical Engineer I to join a small, highly collaborative engineering team focused on copper Ethernet cabling systems, hybrid fiber power solutions, and powered communications technologies for enterprise, data center, and intelligent building environments. 

This entry-level role is designed for a recent graduate or early-career engineer with 0 to 2 years of experience who wants hands-on exposure to product development, laboratory testing, electrical analysis, standards-driven engineering, and real-world troubleshooting. You will work alongside experienced engineers across the product lifecycle, from early concept evaluation through design validation, documentation, qualification, and product launch. Because this is a very small team, the role is intentionally broad: everyone is expected to contribute wherever needed, whether that means assembling a prototype, troubleshooting a test setup, writing a program, organizing the laboratory, helping prepare the workspace, or participating in a formal customer-facing meeting. 

How You'll Make an Impact 

As an Electrical Engineer I, you will support engineering and product development activities by: 

• Supporting development and evaluation of hybrid fiber power, fault-managed power, and powered communications systems, including power delivery, protection, and integration considerations. 

• Assisting with electrical modeling, simulation, and laboratory measurement of cables, connectors, and system-level performance. 

• Developing and executing engineering test plans to validate product performance, reliability, safety, and compliance requirements. 

• Conducting laboratory testing such as electrical, thermal, environmental, and EMC-related evaluations under the guidance of senior engineers. 

• Using lab-grade instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, data loggers, network analyzers, VNAs, and programmable power loads. 

• Collecting, organizing, analyzing, and summarizing test data using tools such as Excel, MATLAB, Python, or similar analysis environments. 

• Supporting failure analysis and root-cause investigations related to electrical performance, signal integrity, power delivery, and product reliability. 

• Collaborating with mechanical engineering, manufacturing, quality, supplier, compliance, product management, and field support teams. 

• Preparing technical reports, test summaries, design documentation, engineering change information, and material for internal design reviews. 

• Supporting product qualification, prototyping, pilot builds, early deployments, and new product introduction activities. 

• Building awareness of industry standards and practices, including TIA, IEEE, IEC, UL, NEC, and related requirements as applicable. 

• Contributing wherever the team needs support, including practical laboratory work, light workspace organization, prototype assembly, software development, documentation, and professional interaction with customers and other stakeholders. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited university. 

• Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and willingness to learn new technologies, tools, and standards. 

• 0 to 2 years of professional engineering experience, including internship, co-op, laboratory, or academic project experience. 

• Fundamental understanding of circuit analysis, AC/DC power fundamentals, electromagnetics, and signal integrity concepts. 

• Interest in hands-on laboratory work involving product prototypes, electrical measurements, data collection, and troubleshooting. 

• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document test results and explain technical observations clearly. 

• Ability to work effectively in a small-team, multidisciplinary environment while balancing laboratory, analysis, and documentation tasks. 

• Willingness to take ownership of both technical and routine tasks, shift comfortably among different types of work, and help the team complete whatever is required to meet its commitments. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Internship, co-op, senior design, research, or academic project experience involving electrical design, testing, communications systems, or product development. 

• Exposure to structured cabling systems, Ethernet technologies, high-speed copper links, fiber optic systems, or telecommunications infrastructure. 

• Familiarity with Power over Ethernet, low-voltage power distribution, power electronics, remote power, or fault-managed power concepts. 

• Experience using MATLAB, Python, Excel, SPICE, or other tools for data analysis, modeling, simulation, or test automation. 

• Exposure to measurement methods such as vector network analysis, time-domain reflectometry, signal-integrity measurements, or thermal testing. 

• Awareness of standards organizations or requirements such as TIA, IEEE 802, IEC, UL, NEC, or electrical safety practices. 

What You Will Gain 

• Hands-on experience with products used in enterprise networks, data centers, intelligent buildings, and powered connectivity applications. 

• Exposure to the full product development lifecycle, from concept evaluation through design validation, qualification, and commercialization. 

• Mentorship from experienced engineers working in copper cabling, hybrid fiber power, signal integrity, power delivery, and standards-driven product development. 

• Opportunities to develop practical expertise in laboratory measurement, test planning, technical documentation, root-cause analysis, and cross-functional engineering collaboration. 

• A collaborative environment where curiosity, adaptability, continuous learning, and real-world problem solving are highly valued. 

Ideal Candidate Profile 

The ideal candidate is curious, adaptable, practical, and comfortable being a technical generalist. This is not a narrowly defined desk-engineering position. It is a strong fit for someone who enjoys getting hands-on, moving between analysis, testing, programming, documentation, troubleshooting, laboratory upkeep, and customer interaction, and taking pride in helping with both highly technical assignments and ordinary tasks that keep a small team effective. The position offers a broad technical foundation for someone who wants to grow close to the hardware, learn how systems behave from end to end, and make a visible contribution to products that support modern connectivity and power distribution.