Partner Technical Lead Europe

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview

We are seeking an EU Partner Technical Lead to serve as the engineering authority for a strategic Tier-1 telecommunications partner (and broader partner ecosystem) in the European Union. This role owns end-to-end solution architecture, integration, testing, certification, and service readiness for satellite-enabled cellular services across EU markets.

You will translate business objectives into technical roadmaps, lead cross-domain integration (NTN/RAN, 4G/5G Core, IMS/VoLTE/VoNR, transport/security, OSS/BSS), and ensure services meet contractual KPIs/SLOs, European regulatory requirements, and operational excellence standards. You will act as the primary technical interface for EU partner stakeholders, ensuring alignment with GDPR, ETSI standards, ENISA security recommendations, and applicable spectrum/licensing and lawful intercept obligations.

Key Responsibilities:
Act as the primary technical interface and solution owner for EU partners, aligning architecture and deployment plans with KPI/SLA commitments and regulatory requirements
Define partner-specific technical strategy and multi-phase rollout plans across voice, data, messaging, and IoT services
Lead end-to-end network integration across satellite systems, ground infrastructure, core networks, and partner interconnection points
Develop technical specifications for RAN integration, core interworking, transport connectivity, and OSS/BSS integration
Translate commercial agreements into technical deliverables including acceptance criteria, readiness scorecards, and certification gates
Lead integration testing, interoperability validation, and system acceptance activities
Ensure compliance with 3GPP standards and relevant EU regulatory and security frameworks
Drive troubleshooting and root cause analysis for complex multi-layer network issues
Establish technical escalation procedures and conduct post-incident technical reviews
Collaborate with internal Engineering, Product, Network Operations, and Service Assurance teams to align roadmaps and deployment priorities
Support technical feasibility assessments, performance modeling, and capacity planning
Participate in partner working sessions, architecture reviews, and executive technical briefings
Manage technical change requests, impact assessments, and engineering coordination
Identify optimization opportunities and support technical innovation initiatives
Qualifications
Education:

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field required.
Master's degree in Telecommunications, Systems Engineering, or Technology Management preferred.

Experience:

A minimum of 12+ years of experience in telecommunications engineering, network architecture, or technical solution design, with focus on wireless networks, core systems, or satellite communications.
Proven experience serving as technical lead or solution architect for Tier-1 MNO partnerships or major telecommunications infrastructure deployments.

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in satellite communications, LEO constellations, or NTN network integration
Background working with European telecommunications operators
Experience supporting large-scale 5G standalone deployments
Knowledge of cloud-native network functions and containerized architectures (Kubernetes, Docker)
Familiarity with IP networking, routing protocols (BGP, OSPF), MPLS, and SD-WAN
Understanding of IoT connectivity and satellite-terrestrial convergence
Professional certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent
Experience with Agile methodologies or technical program management
Soft Skills:
Exceptional technical communication skills with ability to explain complex architectures to diverse audiences
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trusted advisor relationships with partner engineering leadership
Proven ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional and distributed global teams
Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills
Ability to translate technical capabilities into business value
High level of accountability, ownership, and decision-making confidence
Adaptability in complex, multi-vendor, multi-stakeholder environments
Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives across EU and U.S. time zones
Technology Stack:
5G/LTE RAN, EPC/5GC, IMS architectures
3GPP protocols (NAS, RRC, NGAP, S1AP, Diameter, SIP, GTP)
Wireshark, tcpdump, XCAP, XCAL
RF test equipment and spectrum analyzers
Network elements (Ericsson, Nokia, Mavenir)
BSS/OSS systems and network management tools
Visio, LucidChart, Confluence
Microsoft Office Suite
Jira, ServiceNow, Slack, Microsoft Teams
Kubernetes, Docker, Python, Ansible, Terraform
Git, GitLab, GitHub
Physical Requirements
Ability to work in a standard office or remote environment
Ability to travel up to 30–40% within the EU and occasionally to the U.S.
Ability to work across multiple time zones
Occasional presence in network operations centres, labs, ground stations, and partner technical facilities
Ability to use a computer and technical systems for extended periods

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.