Senior RAN Solution Architect, IRIS2

The job responsibilities outlined in this document are not exhaustive and may evolve over time and be reviewed according to business needs.

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

IRIS² is the new European Union secure satellite communications constellation. This project is the European Union's answer to the pressing challenges of tomorrow to provide secure connectivity services and enhanced communication capacities to the EU and its Member States as well as to governmental users, private companies and European citizens while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connectivity dead zones.

SES – together with other consortium partners and core members – was selected by European Commission to build and to operate the IRIS² multi-orbit satellite constellation.

The IRIS² team enters the next project phase and there is a strong need for support for all the activities around service provisioning and products that the system can offer in the future.

ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The RAN Solution Architect is responsible for defining, assessing, and driving 5G RAN and 5G-NTN radio access solutions, with a strong focus on RAN architecture, RF/RRM performance, beam management techniques, and NTN-specific procedures. The role includes supporting technical offer evaluations with vendors, preparing and reviewing RFI/RFP inputs, leading trade-off studies, and ensuring that proposed RAN solutions are aligned with 3GPP specifications and system performance objectives.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES / KEY RESULT AREAS

• Define and assess 5G RAN and 5G-NTN solution architectures, including NG-RAN functional split, protocol stack, radio interface behavior, and integration with terrestrial and non-terrestrial network environments.
• Lead technical offer evaluations with vendors, including RFI/RFP/RFQ technical responses, compliance analysis, gap assessment, and recommendation of the most suitable RAN solution options.
• Perform and document trade-off studies covering RAN architecture, RF performance, beamforming, beam hopping, beam sweeping, coverage enhancement, mobility, and implementation complexity.
• Define and review 5G-NTN RAN procedures, including random access in NTN, conditional handover, beam management, timing aspects, and radio resource management implications.
• Provide architecture guidance on 5G RAN protocol stack design and integration, including RRC, SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY interactions and NG-RAN architecture interfaces.

COMPETENCIES

• Management of technology development, work with cross discipline teams (RAN experts, RF engineers, satellite experts, software experts, procurement, sales, business experts, etc.)
• Research and Development project management experience, including coordination of technical studies and vendor technical interactions.
• Communication skills, ability to explain complex RAN, RF, and NTN architecture concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear technical evaluation reports and trade-off study conclusions.
• Commitment to deadlines and willingness to meet tight development, procurement, and delivery schedules.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Qualification Basis

• Master’s degree in engineering or science, preferably in Telecommunications Engineering, Radio Access Networks, Wireless Communications, or a related field.
• Experience in the telecom industry required; for Senior Engineer, 10+ years of relevant industry experience is required.
• Expert knowledge of 3GPP 5G RAN and 5G-NTN standards, including RAN2 radio layer 2 protocols, RAN3 NG-RAN architecture, and RAN4 RF/RRM performance aspects.
• Proven experience in RAN solution architecture, vendor technical evaluation, RFI/RFP/RFQ preparation or assessment, and system-level trade-off studies.

Essential experience

• Strong experience with 5G RAN architecture, 5G RAN protocol stack, NG-RAN functional architecture, and end-to-end RAN call flows.
• Strong knowledge of 5G-NTN features, including beamforming techniques, beam hopping, beam sweeping, random access procedure in NTN, and conditional handover in NTN.
• Good understanding of RAN2, RAN3, and RAN4 specification areas, including radio layer 2 protocols, NG-RAN architecture, RRM behavior, and RF performance constraints.
• Experience assessing vendor technical offers, comparing solution alternatives, identifying risks, and producing clear recommendations for architecture and procurement decisions.
• Ability to translate system requirements into RAN architecture requirements, interface requirements, technical evaluation criteria, and testable acceptance conditions.

Highly desirable experience (several of the following):

• Experience with satellite communications, 5G-NTN system design, multi-beam satellite payloads, feeder link constraints, or integrated terrestrial/NTN RAN architectures.
• Knowledge of 3GPP Release 17 and beyond NTN enhancements, including NR-NTN radio procedures, mobility, timing, synchronization, and RF/RRM impacts.
• Experience with RAN/RF performance modelling, coverage analysis, link budget interpretation, mobility studies, and vendor-provided simulation or planning outputs.
• Experience supporting procurement activities for telecom systems, including RFI, RFP, RFQ, technical scoring, compliance matrices, and supplier clarification cycles.

OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS / COMMENTS

• The candidate must be eligible for a “SECRET” security clearance, in accordance with the national regulations as well as EU/ESA/NATO equivalents
• Willing to work 60% onsite from office
• Travel as required for project realization purposes

SES is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer