Senior RAN Manager / MNO - Americas
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
The Senior RAN Manager / MNO‑Americas is responsible for leading operator‑side RAN acceptance execution across lab and field environments for the Americas region. This role ensures that standardized probe packs, acceptance criteria, persistence thresholds, CIQ integrity, and service‑level objectives (SLOs) are consistently validated to support pre‑launch and beta activation milestones.
The manager plans and executes operator test cycles, diagnoses defects, validates KPIs, aligns results with OSS/NOC workflows, and publishes readiness artifacts that accelerate market acceptance while minimizing post‑launch rework.
As the regional RAN acceptance lead for the Americas, this role drives coordinated execution across operators, vendors, and internal engineering teams. The Senior RAN Manager oversees vendor and MNO test activities, governs BPMS workflows, and manages activation sequencing in partnership with NOC and scheduling functions to ensure timely acceptance sign‑offs. By enforcing CIQ integrity, persistence validation, and UE‑probe‑based checks, this role reduces acceptance churn, limits post‑activation rework and ensures that regional launches consistently meet defined performance and persistence targets.
Key Responsibilities
Operator‑Side Acceptance Execution
- Lead execution of RAN acceptance testing using standardized probe packs, methodologies, and acceptance criteria.
- Validate lab and field results against CIQ accuracy, persistence behavior, mobility KPIs, and regional service SLOs.
- Ensure acceptance tests are performed with repeatability, rigor, and alignment to defined readiness thresholds.
- Ensure ATP plans, network integrity checks, and UEvalidation are designed and executed to meet commercial ready criteria across operators and regions, maintaining rigorous quality standards throughout the validation lifecycle
- Drive timely acceptance signoffs across multimarket deployments, ensuring that all test evidence, defect resolutions, and change documentation are complete and approved by the relevant stakeholders according to established timelines
- Establish and maintain robust defect tracking and follow-up processes for lab identified issues, coordinating resolution activities with vendors, internal engineering, and MNO technical teams to ensure timely closure
Test Planning, Coordination & Market Readiness
- Plan and execute end‑to‑end operator test cycles across markets in the Americas region.
- Coordinate with planning, RF, core, gateway, and OSS teams to ensure preparedness for acceptance phases.
- Support pre‑launch and beta readiness by validating coverage, mobility, attach success, and end‑to‑end service behavior.
KPI Validation, Performance Analysis & Defect Management
- Validate key performance indicators (KPIs) including persistence, mobility metrics, attach success, beam selection, and service continuity.
- Identify, document, and track defects discovered during acceptance cycles; coordinate root‑cause investigations with engineering teams.
- Ensure timely resolution of acceptance defects to support launch schedules.
Integration with OSS, NOC & Operational Workflows
- Align acceptance results with OSS hooks, alarm behaviors, and performance data ingestion readiness.
- Provide acceptance insights to NOC playbooks, operational checklists, and troubleshooting workflows.
- Ensure telemetry, alarms, and KPIs captured during acceptance reflect real‑world operational needs.
Documentation, Reporting & Governance
- Publish acceptance artifacts including test reports, KPI summaries, defect logs, and market readiness sign‑off packages.
- Maintain standardized acceptance documentation across all Americas markets.
- Provide periodic updates to leadership on acceptance progress, risks, and blocker resolution.
Continuous Improvement & Stakeholder Alignment
- Identify and drive improvements in acceptance frameworks, probe pack design, test coverage, and persistence validation methodologies.
- Provide feedback to RF, planning, and engineering teams to refine CIQs, GPL parameters, and acceptance boundaries.
- Promote consistency in acceptance quality across multiple markets within the Americas.
Deliverables
- Market acceptance test plans, probe‑based test results, and KPI validation reports.
- CIQ compliance checks, persistence evaluations, and service continuity assessments.
- Defect logs, RCA follow-ups, and resolution tracking for acceptance blockers.
- OSS/NOC‑aligned acceptance artifacts and readiness sign‑off packages.
- Standardized acceptance documentation and cross‑market reporting dashboards.
- Recommendations and improvement proposals to refine acceptance workflows and reduce rework.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Master’s degree or industry certifications in RAN/NTN/wireless engineering are beneficial.
Experience
- 7–10+ years of experience in RAN engineering, field validation, operator acceptance, or wireless performance analysis.
- Hands‑on experience executing lab and field test cycles for 4G/5G RAN environments.
- Experience with CIQ audits, RF parameter validation, persistence testing, or satellite‑RAN/NTN systems is preferred.
- Track record of leading multi‑market acceptance programs within MNO or OEM environments.
Required Technical Expertise
- Strong knowledge of 4G/5G RAN architecture, RF KPIs, handover behavior, attach/registration flows, and mobility procedures.
- Expertise in interpreting probe telemetry, logs, traces, scanner data, and mobile test tools.
- Familiarity with CIQ structures, beam/persistence analysis, GPL parameter alignment, and RAN configuration governance.
- Experience using RF/RAN test platforms (TEMS, Nemo, Accuver, Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz).
- Understanding of OSS hooks, NOC workflows, alarm frameworks, and SLO alignment for readiness.
- Knowledge of satellite‑RAN integration dynamics is a strong plus.
Professional Skills
- Excellent communication and coordination skills across technical and non‑technical teams.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities with high attention to technical detail.
- Ability to manage multiple acceptance cycles and deliver consistent quality across markets.
- Clear documentation, disciplined workflow management, and structured reporting habits.
- Comfortable presenting technical findings to leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders.
Technology Proficiency
- RAN testing and analytics tools (TEMS, Nemo, Accuver, Keysight).
- Telemetry platforms, KPI dashboards, and data visualization tools (Grafana, Power BI, Kibana).
- Log analysis tools, scripting (Python, MATLAB) for RF data processing.
- Collaboration & documentation tools (Confluence, SharePoint, Jira).
Physical Requirements
- Ability to conduct field testing, drive test sessions, and extended evaluation cycles as needed.
- Willingness to travel across the Americas region for market‑specific acceptance and readiness reviews.
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.