Field Service Engineer job description
A Field Service Engineer visits customer sites to install, maintain and repair telecom and networking equipment such as routers, radios and power systems. The role keeps enterprise customers and tower sites running.
Why the role exists
Telecom firms and ISPs sell leased lines, radios and managed equipment, and the hardware must work at the customer's site. The Field Service Engineer attends these sites, fixes faults and carries out planned maintenance. The role reports to a service manager or regional head and works closely with the NOC and the vendor support desks.
What the person does
- Attend assigned tickets at customer sites, tower shelters and exchange rooms, and diagnose faults on routers, radios and power units.
- Install and commission new equipment such as routers, switches, microwave or radio links, following the engineer's configuration sheet.
- Replace faulty modules, batteries and power supplies from the spares kit and record the part numbers swapped.
- Work with the NOC over phone or chat to confirm that the link is up after each repair or change.
- Carry out planned preventive maintenance visits, checking earthing, cooling, battery health and cable condition.
- Fill service reports with fault cause, action taken, time on site and customer sign-off before closing the ticket.
- Coordinate with the customer's IT or facility team for site access, shutdown windows and power availability.
- Keep the spares kit, test tools and laptop in working order, and raise requests for parts that are running low.
Skills and tools
- Troubleshooting routers, switches and radio links at the site, using the console and a laptop
- Basic IP networking, VLANs and routing, enough to confirm a link is working end to end
- Using test tools such as power meters, cable testers, multimeters and spectrum or signal analysers
- Reading site layouts, wiring diagrams and equipment manuals from vendors
- Understanding of DC power, batteries, earthing and tower shelter basics
- Writing clear service reports and updating a ticketing app from the field
- Customer-facing manner at enterprise offices, banks and branch sites
- Planning daily routes across several sites and managing travel time
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Preferred: diploma or degree in electronics, telecom or IT, or equivalent field service experience.
- Preferred: a networking certificate such as CCNA or a vendor certificate, or equivalent hands-on experience.
- One to four years of field support on telecom or enterprise network gear is useful.
- Safety training for tower, rooftop or electrical work depends on the employer and the site; confirm it with the employer's own adviser.
How the work is judged
- Time to attend and resolve tickets once assigned, against the service levels the company sets
- First-visit fix rate, meaning faults solved without a second visit
- Completeness and accuracy of service reports and ticket closures
- Customer feedback from site contacts on conduct and communication
- Preventive maintenance visits completed and the faults found early
Where the role can lead
- Move to Senior Field Engineer or Regional Service Lead covering several cities.
- Grow into network commissioning, pre-sales support or technical account roles.
- Progress to Service Delivery Manager or Area Operations Manager.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- A branch link is down. You reach the site and the router is powered but not passing traffic. What do you check?
- How do you decide whether to replace a module on site or send the unit back to the vendor?
- Describe a time you worked with the NOC to restore a link. What went well?
- The customer will only allow access for a short window. How do you plan the work?
- What do you carry in your spares kit for a site visit, and why those parts?
- You find the battery bank at a site is weak. What do you record and who do you tell?
Hiring tips for this role
- Test on live troubleshooting. Describe a dead link and ask for the order of checks. Strong engineers narrow down faults and do not swap parts at random.
- Be clear about travel across districts, on-call duty and weekend visits. Hidden travel is a common cause of early exits.
- Check that the candidate can write a short report. Weak reporting delays billing and customer follow-up even when repairs are good.
- Ask about their experience with the specific vendor gear you use. Brand familiarity can cut weeks off the learning time.
Questions about hiring a field service engineer
A NOC engineer monitors and fixes faults remotely. A field service engineer goes to the site to repair or install equipment. They work as a pair, with the NOC confirming service after each visit.
Often yes, especially where customers have strict service levels. State the on-call pattern, rest days and any support given, so candidates can judge the role fairly.
Most employers provide a laptop, test tools and a spares kit. If the candidate must use personal tools, say so clearly and agree what the company will reimburse.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, screens candidates for network troubleshooting and field readiness, and supports the offer on a permanent hire. You run the technical round and choose.
Hiring a field service engineer?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.