What job did Tesla receive when the Budapest Telephone Exchange became functional?

When the Budapest Telephone Exchange became functional, Tesla received the job of chief electrician.

Tesla moved to Budapest in 1881 and initially worked for the Central Telegraph Office while the telephone exchange was still being organized. The exchange was associated with Tivadar Puskás, an important figure in the development of telephone services in Hungary and a connection who helped advance Tesla’s career.

Once the exchange became operational, Tesla’s technical ability led to his appointment as chief electrician. In that role, he improved equipment and worked on the practical problems involved in operating an early telephone network. The title should not be confused with “night operator,” which describes a shift-based telephone job rather than Tesla’s supervisory position.

Tesla’s Budapest work preceded his move to Paris in 1882, where he joined the Continental Edison organization. His early telephone and electrical-engineering experience helped establish the practical background for his later work on dynamos, motors, and alternating-current systems.