Principal Transport and IP Network Engineer

Job description

AST SpaceMobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called SpaceMobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight. Position Overview We are seeking a Principal Transport and IP Network Engineer to support the complete networking solution within the Gateway, including switches, routers, firewalls, and the optical matrix. This role is responsible for defining, lifecycle-managing, and documenting the network SKU across all Gateway types — including acceptance testing procedures, pass/fail criteria, and golden configurations — and for leading the networking First Office Application (FOA) for each new Gateway SKU to ensure equipment integrates with other Gateway elements such as the eNB/gNB, BPMS, NCC, and OSS systems and is ready to deploy at scale. The ideal candidate is a deeply technical networking expert with command of carrier-grade IP, MPLS and segment routing, BGP, SDN, traffic engineering, QoS, transport resiliency, and network security, and thrives in a fast-moving environment where new Gateway designs move from lab validation to global deployment. Key Responsibilities: Own the complete networking solution within the Gateway, including switches, routers, firewalls, and the optical matrix. Define, lifecycle-manage, and document the network SKU across all Gateway types. Develop and maintain acceptance testing procedures, pass/fail criteria, and golden configurations for the network SKU. Support integration of networking equipment with other Gateway elements, including eNB/gNB, BPMS, NCC, and OSS systems. Lead the networking First Office Application (FOA) for each new Gateway SKU. Design resilient connectivity from gateways to MNO interconnects, and engineer gateway diversity and redundancy. Define routing, traffic-engineering, and failover behavior, and build scalable IP address and routing architectures. Establish latency, packet-loss, and jitter objectives, and define QoS for voice, messaging, and data. Integrate terrestrial fiber and cloud environments, and design for gateway outage, transport failure, and congestion. Implement telemetry for path-level performance and troubleshoot packet loss, asymmetric routing, and service degradation. Qualifications Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, telecommunications engineering, or a related technical field. Experience: 5+ years of experience in carrier-grade IP network engineering, including: Design, deployment, and operations of carrier-grade IP networks, with demonstrated ownership of routing, switching, firewall, and optical transport infrastructure in a production network. Defining hardware/software SKUs, acceptance test plans, and golden configurations for complex network products. Leading First Office Application (FOA) or first-deployment validation efforts. Hands-on competence across MPLS and segment routing, BGP and routing policy, SDN, traffic engineering, QoS, multicast, data-center and cloud networking, transport resiliency, network security, and gateway redundancy. Designing resilient, redundant network architectures spanning terrestrial fiber, cloud, and remote/edge sites. Preferred Qualifications: Experience with satellite ground-segment, teleport, or other geographically distributed gateway networking environments. Industry certifications such as CCIE, JNCIE, or equivalent vendor-neutral routing/switching credentials. Experience working directly with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on interconnect design or interoperability testing. Familiarity with NCC/OSS systems and their integration with IP transport infrastructure. Experience with network telemetry, automation, and infrastructure-as-code tooling. Background integrating optical transport/DWDM systems into a broader IP network architecture. Soft Skills: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive relationships across technical and non-technical teams. Proven ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional engineering, product, and operations organizations. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a methodical approach to troubleshooting. Meticulous attention to detail to ensure the accuracy of technical documentation, test results, and project deliverables. Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously. Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment. Technology Stack: Carrier-grade routers, switches, and firewalls (e.g., Cisco, Juniper, Arista, or equivalent platforms). MPLS, segment routing, and BGP-based routing architectures. SDN controllers and network automation/orchestration platforms. Optical transport/matrix systems and DWDM equipment. QoS and traffic-engineering frameworks for voice, messaging, and data services. Network telemetry, monitoring, and path-performance analysis tools. Data-center and cloud networking platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP networking constructs). Network security tooling, including firewalls, ACLs, and intrusion detection/prevention systems. Test automation and acceptance-test frameworks for network hardware/software validation. Physical Requirements Ability to work in a standard office environment and use a computer for extended periods. Ability to work in laboratory and technical testing environments utilizing network test equipment and diagnostic tools. Ability to travel periodically to support deployment, integration, testing, and operational activities. Ability to safely handle and move technical equipment and hardware components when necessary. Ability to capture, analyze, and document technical test procedures, results, and system performance data. 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.