Senior RAN Manager / MNO - EMEA
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‑EMEA is responsible for leading operator‑side RAN acceptance execution across EMEA markets, ensuring that lab and field validations meet CIQ integrity, persistence expectations, service‑level objectives (SLOs), and standardized acceptance criteria required for pre‑launch and beta activation.
This role plans and executes operator test cycles, validates KPIs, tracks defects across diverse EMEA network conditions, ensures alignment with OSS integrations and NOC workflows, and publishes readiness artifacts that accelerate regional market acceptance while minimizing post‑launch rework.
As the regional RAN acceptance lead for EMEA, the Senior RAN Manager ensures consistent implementation of acceptance frameworks across operators, gateways, and markets. The position aligns test plans, configurations, and templates; governs BPMS requests and activation timing in coordination with the NOC and scheduling functions; and enforces disciplined CIQ checks and persistence validations. Through structured execution and technical rigor, this role enables predictable acceptance outcomes, accelerates market readiness, and ensures EMEA launches meet commercial‑ready performance standards.
Key Responsibilities
Operator Acceptance Execution Across EMEA
- 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 UE validation 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 & Readiness Enablement
- Plan and coordinate operator test cycles tailored to EMEA market conditions, including mobility patterns, RF environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Align readiness across RF, planning, core, gateway, and OSS teams for pre‑launch and beta acceptance phases.
- Conduct field validations to confirm network stability, coverage behavior, and QoS performance for regional go‑live milestones.
KPI Validation, Defect Tracking & Performance Assurance
- Validate KPIs including persistence success, beam selection, attach success, mobility KPIs, session stability, and end‑to‑end service behavior.
- Log and track defects through structured workflows; collaborate with engineering teams for RCA and closure.
- Ensure rapid mitigation of acceptance defects to protect EMEA launch timelines.
Integration with OSS, NOC & Operational Workflows
- Align RAN acceptance findings with OSS hooks, alarm logic, KPI ingestion, and operational readiness requirements.
- Provide acceptance insights and repeatable results to strengthen NOC playbooks, incident workflows, and field diagnostics.
- Validate that telemetry and monitoring reflect actual network behavior in EMEA markets.
Reporting, Documentation & Market Governance
- Publish acceptance reports, KPI summaries, defect logs, and EMEA‑specific readiness sign‑off documentation.
- Maintain standardized acceptance packages tailored to the unique conditions and complexities of EMEA markets.
- Provide regular leadership updates on acceptance health, risks, and blocker removal.
Continuous Improvement & Regional Excellence
- Recommend improvements to probe packs, test cases, acceptance frameworks, and regional persistence validation.
- Feed RF and planning teams with structured insights to drive CIQ improvements, GPL alignment, and RF tuning.
- Drive consistent acceptance methodology across multiple EMEA partners and markets.
Deliverables
- Complete acceptance reports, probe‑based test results, and KPI validation summaries for EMEA markets.
- CIQ validation outputs, persistence evaluations, and SLO alignment assessments.
- Defect logs, RCA follow‑ups, and resolution documentation.
- Market readiness sign‑off packages and OSS/NOC‑aligned acceptance artifacts.
- Standardized acceptance documentation and cross‑region reporting dashboards.
- Recommendations to improve acceptance workflows and reduce post‑launch rework.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
- Advanced degree or wireless/RAN industry certifications are preferred.
Experience
- 7–10+ years in RAN engineering, operator acceptance, performance optimization, or field validation.
- Experience supporting MNOs or operators in Europe, Middle East, or Africa.
- Strong background in lab/field testing, CIQ validation, RF performance, and acceptance workflows.
- Experience leading multi‑market or multi‑partner acceptance programs is highly desirable.
Required Technical Expertise
- Solid understanding of 4G/5G RAN architecture, mobility procedures, attach/registration flows, and satellite‑RAN interaction behaviors.
- Expertise in interpreting probe telemetry, logs, traces, and RF test outputs from drive test tools.
- Familiarity with CIQ structures, persistence analysis, GPL alignment, and RAN parameter governance.
- Proficiency with test platforms (TEMS, Nemo, Accuver, Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz).
- Knowledge of OSS hooks, alarm behavior, KPI governance, and NOC operational workflows.
- Understanding of regional RF propagation differences across Europe, Middle East, and Africa is a plus.
Professional Skills
- Strong communication skills across multicultural and multi‑operator EMEA environments.
- Excellent cross‑functional coordination and stakeholder management abilities.
- Analytical mindset with strong RF troubleshooting and performance analysis capability.
- Highly organized, capable of managing multiple parallel acceptance cycles across regions.
- Skilled in documentation, reporting, and presenting technical findings to leadership and partner teams.
Technology Proficiency
- RAN test tools: TEMS, Nemo Outdoor/Indoor, Accuver XCAL, Keysight, R&S.
- KPI visualization and telemetry tools: Grafana, Power BI, Kibana.
- Log and data analysis tools; Python/MATLAB scripting is beneficial.
- Collaboration/documentation tools: Jira, Confluence, SharePoint.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to perform drive tests, field validations, and extended RAN acceptance cycles.
- Willingness to travel across Europe, Middle East, and Africa for acceptance testing 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.