Subsea Cable System Engineer (Kings Hill Industrial Estate, Bude, United Kingdom)

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

The world relies on submarine cables to communicate, protect and flourish. BT’s submarine cables form the backbone of our global transmission network throughout the UK and onwards, delivering services and products to both you and to multinational corporate customers, from superfast home broadband to overseas financial transactions. 

The submarine cable systems engineering role ensures that the BT Subsea (submarine) Cable Stations meet the operational and maintenance requirements of both BT and our customers.  

The role Holder will be a trusted engineer, capable of undertaking detailed and complex fault finding and rectification of Subsea faults as well as maintaining the Health and Safety of others as part of their day-to-day duties. Responsibility for the Security, Safety and Operation of the site they are working at falls to each and every engineer with a strong focus on ensuring that there is a continual transference of knowledge, skills and expertise around the team.

The BT subsea team is small and perfectly formed, collaborating with passion and determination. As an operational function, new entrants to the team, regardless of role or grade, are required to have the same flexibility and willingness to collaborate and learn, getting ‘stuck in’ where appropriate, focusing on the success of the wider team.

With all the above in mind, a great communication style and commercial astuteness are key to this role along with tenacity and creativity in problem solving for subsea and the wider BT business. The UK subsea network underpins 97% of UK internet traffic, allowing UK PLC and individuals to connect between our islands and highlands and out across the world. It is imperative that the people who work within BT subsea have a passion for what they do. It is about doing the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons, ensuring robust and effective outcomes for the long term, protecting both the network and those who rely upon it.

The ability to obtain DV clearance is required as is the ability to travel both UK and internationally.

ROLE DUTIES

• Act as a member of the Subsea Engineering Team dealing with Field/beach engineering activities which may include installation, repair, testing, surveying and any other Subsea engineering tasks that may be required
• Be able to work in varied and challenging environments, which may include working in and near water, at Sea on ships or boats and in Subaqueous environments such as rivers, estuaries and lakes.
• Operate, maintain and manage performance & safety for Unique Submarine Cable Systems Including any associated power management and cable protection systems
• Act as the Terminal Power Safety Officer for Subsea systems. To make systems safe and issue permits to work as required.
• Operate and maintain the diverse range of transmission plant & services located within the Cable Landing Station (CLS) ensuring that the high capacity, high revenue routes being carried are of the highest quality.
• Implementing and maintaining IT network and security components 
• Provide SCS and Cable ship operators with accurate location of any cable damage or other faults that may occur in the land or undersea cable sections and to liaise / provide on-site technical support throughout the cable repair.
• Lead on the focused and proactive management of tasks, making the accurate and detailed status of the work visible via electronic fault logs or appropriate written logbooks and systems. 
• Act as Building Incident Controller and Fire Warden as required.
• Lead on day-to-day duties for the Cable team with regards to faults, routines and special fault investigations (SFI) in line with defined operating procedures (e.g. JSMD, Manufacturers Operational Handbooks, Local Working Procedures)
• Ensure that all System, Manufacturer and Compliance routines and checks are completed as per System and BT guidelines.
• Provide and lead specialised technical support to customers and distant ends as required.
• Interface with ‘Other Licensed Operators’ for interconnect and other cable management activities.
• Support and give advice to BT engineering teams in their roles at other worldwide cable landing stations in the maintenance of subsea cables systems.
• Be available on call for subsea and transmission systems, at the sites specific to their duties. Attendance at other sites in the area will also be required.
• Provide a Circuit Provision facility (provide/cease/re-arrange/test) and to maintain all equipment allocation and circuit records database.
• Due to the specific nature of the role, the individual needs to demonstrate proactive management of their safety and compliance to the ISIS SFY-SCS-B011 and its requirements
  https://apps.office.bt.com/sites/documentmanager/SitePages/ReadDocument.aspx?lib=/sites/documentmanager/ISIS Library/sfy/i_sfyscs/1scsb011.xml
• The role holder will be aware of and comply with BT Security policy and procedures to maintain the integrity and secure operation of BT’s Subsea Network.

SKILLS YOU'LL NEED

• Kindness and tolerance for diverse ways of working.
• Strong communication skills.
• Subsea Network Technology understanding.
• Subsea Network Operations and Management.
• Optical Transmission Equipment Operations.
• Optical Transmission Testing and Investigation.
• Understanding IT networking and security technologies and their maintenance
• Experience of implementing IT network and security components
• Power feed Equipment Operations.
• Subsea Fault Location (Optical and Electrical).
• Use of hand tools.
• UK Driving Licence.
• Risk Management.
• Problem Solving.
• Analytical thinking.
• Leadership.
• Coaching.
• Team Working.
• Be able to demonstrate working with minimum supervision, using system-controlled authority levels and seeking advice where necessary.
• Be able to demonstrate measured discretion to take risks but expected to seek advice on technical matters.
• To be able to demonstrate the proactive resolution of problems through analysis, prioritisation and clear action.
• To be able to demonstrate an advanced level of specialist, technical and commercial skills.
• To show and plan continual refreshment of skills to remain at leading edge of work area.
• To demonstrate self-driven learning making full use of the resources available, gaining accreditation where appropriate.

Experience You Would be Expected to Have

• Field engineering – Installation, repair and testing
• Fault finding/Problem solving knowledge and experience
• Working within an engineering team
• Use of hand tools
• Working safely and abiding with Health & Safety policy, procedures and the Health & Safety at work Act
• Working with minimum supervision with the ability to mitigate risks, seek advice where necessary to ensure safe and timely delivery of the task
• Working with suppliers.
• Working with third parties.
• Working with internal customers.
• Working with external customers.
• MS Office.
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BENEFITS

• BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
• From January 2025, equal family leave:  receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It’s for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
• Enhanced women’s health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
• 22 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
• 24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
• 2 weeks carer’s leave 
• World-class training and development opportunities
• Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes.