Interview scorecard template

Satellite Internet Connectivity Specialist interview scorecard

Evaluate Satellite Internet Connectivity Specialist candidates across 4 weighted areas: hands-on competence, safety discipline, fault finding, and reliability and conduct. Hands-on competence leads at 35%, so check hands-on commissioning of VSAT and LEO terminals: dish peaking with a spectrum analyzer or Birdog, cross-pol isolation, BUC/LNB swaps, iDirect or Newtec modem line-up. Use the rubric to compare role-specific evidence consistently.

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TL;DR
For hands-on competence, look for evidence the candidate names specific terminals and modems commissioned, quotes achieved Eb/No or SQF figures, and describes obtaining transponder line-up approval from the NOC. For safety discipline, look for evidence the candidate treats transmit inhibit and RF hazard zones as non-negotiable, cites height certification, and recounts stopping an install over unsafe mount or grounding. Apply the written 1–5 anchors to every answer, record the evidence behind each rating, and use the factor weights to reach a consistent overall assessment.
Complete evaluation framework

What to assess and how to score it

Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.

01
Evaluation factor

Hands-on competence

35% weight

Check hands-on commissioning of VSAT and LEO terminals: dish peaking with a spectrum analyzer or Birdog, cross-pol isolation, BUC/LNB swaps, iDirect or Newtec modem line-up.

Evidence to listen for

  • Names the equipment, materials, and tolerances they work to
  • Can describe a job start to finish without hand-waving the hard parts
  • Holds the tickets, licences, or certifications the work requires, and they are current
  • Knows what they are not qualified to touch

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Cannot describe the work concretely; lacks required tickets or licences.

2
Needs Improvement

Basic familiarity; needs supervision on routine tasks.

3
Satisfactory

Competent on standard work; slower or unsure on unfamiliar jobs.

4
Very Good

Skilled and independent across the normal range of the role.

5
Excellent

Names specific terminals and modems commissioned, quotes achieved Eb/No or SQF figures, and describes obtaining transponder line-up approval from the NOC.

02
Evaluation factor

Safety discipline

30% weight

Probe RF exposure discipline near feed horns and BUCs, lockout before transmit, rooftop and tower work at height, plus grounding and lightning protection to local code.

Evidence to listen for

  • Treats procedure as protection rather than paperwork
  • Can describe a time they stopped work and why
  • Knows the specific hazards of this trade and the controls for each
  • Reports near misses instead of hiding them

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Casual about safety; describes shortcuts with pride.

2
Needs Improvement

Follows procedure when watched; cannot name the hazards that matter.

3
Satisfactory

Sound safety habits; less certain on unfamiliar hazards.

4
Very Good

Safety is instinctive; can describe stopping work over a real concern.

5
Excellent

Treats transmit inhibit and RF hazard zones as non-negotiable, cites height certification, and recounts stopping an install over unsafe mount or grounding.

03
Evaluation factor

Fault finding

20% weight

Test fault isolation across the chain: rain fade versus pointing error, latency and packet loss on TCP acceleration, cable and connector faults, iBGP or NAT misconfiguration at the remote.

Evidence to listen for

  • Has a method for narrowing a fault rather than swapping parts
  • Reads schematics, manuals, or error codes and acts on them
  • Knows when to escalate rather than guess
  • Can describe a fault that took real work to find

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Parts-swapper; no diagnostic method.

2
Needs Improvement

Fixes symptoms; cannot explain how they found the cause.

3
Satisfactory

Solid on familiar faults; less structured on new ones.

4
Very Good

Clear systematic method with a real hard-fault story.

5
Excellent

Works outward from modem statistics and receive signal levels, separates space segment issues from LAN faults, and gives a concrete diagnosis with resolution time.

04
Evaluation factor

Reliability and conduct

15% weight

Assess field conduct: remote-site truck rolls, as-built documentation and site survey photos, SLA and uptime targets, and handover notes left for the NOC or the customer.

Evidence to listen for

  • Turns up, on time, prepared
  • Handles shift work, callouts, or travel as the role requires
  • Documents work so the next person can pick it up
  • Deals with customers or site staff professionally

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Unreliable attendance; unprofessional on site.

2
Needs Improvement

Inconsistent; documentation is an afterthought.

3
Satisfactory

Dependable; paperwork is adequate.

4
Very Good

Consistently reliable, documents well, professional with customers.

5
Excellent

Shows consistent closeout paperwork, met restoration SLAs at isolated sites, and communicates clearly with non-technical customers during outages.

Evidence-led prompts

Interview questions for a Satellite Internet Connectivity Specialist

Use these prompts to surface evidence for the weighted factors above and compare candidates against the same role-specific criteria.

  1. 01

    Can you describe your experience installing and maintaining satellite internet systems?

  2. 02

    Describe a challenging installation or repair and how you resolved it.

  3. 03

    Do you have experience working in remote or difficult locations?

  4. 04

    Can you explain how you carry out a line-of-sight assessment and why it matters?

  5. 05

    What steps do you take to ensure reliable signal strength?

See the complete Satellite Internet Connectivity Specialist question set
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