Report an accessibility problem

Telecommunications Engineering Specialist

Academic programs / Undergraduate degrees / Career opportunities / Telecommunications Engineering Specialist

Telecommunications Engineering Specialist

Explore employment trends, required job duties and skills for this career. ASU offers a variety of degrees that can help you prepare for and meet your career goals. Visit ASU's Career and Professional Development Services to learn how to develop your career plan.

Potential job titles in this career
Communications Engineer, Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, Network Engineer, Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD), Telecommunication Design Analyst (Telecom Design Analyst), Telecommunication Design Engineer (Telecom Design Engineer), Telecommunication Engineer (Telecom Engineer), Telecommunication Systems Designer (Telecom Systems Designer), Telecommunications Consultant (Telecom Consultant)

* Additional schooling, certification, or degrees maybe be required for some of the potential careers that are listed.
What will I do?
  • Consult with users, administrators, and engineers to identify business and technical requirements for proposed system modifications or technology purchases.
  • Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors.
  • Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
  • Review and evaluate requests from engineers, managers, and technicians for system modifications.
  • Assess existing facilities' needs for new or modified telecommunications systems.
  • Develop, maintain, or implement telecommunications disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity.
  • Communicate with telecommunications vendors to obtain pricing and technical specifications for available hardware, software, or services.
  • Inspect sites to determine physical configuration, such as device locations and conduit pathways.
  • Document procedures for hardware and software installation and use.
  • Install, or coordinate installation of, new or modified hardware, software, or programming modules of telecommunications systems.
  • In this career, it is important to know
    Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    It's useful to be good at
    Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

    Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

    Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

    Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

    Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

    Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

    Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

    Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

    Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

    Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
    Employment trends
    Location Pay period 2022
    10% 25% Median% 75% 90%
    United States Hourly $35.33 $45.86 $61.01 $77.06 $89.02
    Yearly $73,490 $95,380 $126,900 $160,270 $185,170
    Arizona Hourly $37.10 $46.95 $57.98 $67.01 $83.05
    Yearly $77,160 $97,650 $120,590 $139,380 $172,740
    2022 Median%
    United States $61.01 Hourly $126,900 Yearly
    Arizona $57.98 Hourly $120,590 Yearly

    Employment (2022)
    180,200 employees
    Projected growth (2022 - 2032)
    Slower than average (2% to 3%)
    Projected job openings (2022 - 2032)
    10,200
    * Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
    What are accelerated programs?
    Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

    3 year programs

    These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

    Accelerated master's

    These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

    Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
    What are concurrent programs?
    Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
    What are joint programs?
    Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

    What constitutes a new program?
    ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
    What are online programs?
    ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
    What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
    The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.

    click back to top