Telecom R&D Engineer - NTN
$150,000–$200,000 year
HybridLeudelange, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Job Summary
Conduct research, development, and adaptation of L1/L2/L3 protocol stack components for Non-Terrestrial Networks supporting NB-IoT, LTE, and 5G NR technologies. Participate in the full R&D lifecycle, including system design, implementation, integration, testing, and performance optimization. Analyze and troubleshoot protocol stack behavior across PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC, and NAS layers while investigating NTN-specific adaptations for propagation delay and Doppler effects. Design testing procedures, execute validation workflows, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate telecom stacks with hardware components. Stay current with 3GPP standardization developments and contribute to translating standards into practical implementations.
Required Qualifications
- An academic degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in telecom R&D, preferably working with 3GPP-based wireless systems.
- Solid understanding of 3GPP protocol architecture and procedures in NB-IoT, LTE, or 5G NR.
- Strong programming skills in C/C++, with additional scripting experience in Python for automation and analysis.
- Experience working in Linux/Unix environments with standard development and debugging tools.
- Familiarity with software development workflows, including version control (e.g., Git) and CI/CD practices.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose complex system-level issues.
- Good communication and collaboration skills in a multidisciplinary engineering environment.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.
- Candidate must already reside in Europe or hold a valid European residence permit.
- As part of the recruitment process, candidates may be required to provide a criminal record certificate issued within the last three (3) months.
Desired Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with 3GPP wireless systems, particularly NB-IoT, LTE, or 5G NR implementations.
- Experience working with NTN architectures and protocol adaptations defined in 3GPP specifications.
- Practical experience analyzing and modifying protocol stack components across L1/L2/L3 layers (PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC, NAS).
- Familiarity with core network signalling protocols, such as S1AP, NGAP, and GTP-C/U.
- Experience working with software-defined radio platforms (e.g., USRP) or open telecom stacks such as srsRAN and OpenAirInterface, or Open5GS and free5GC.
- Knowledge of O-RAN architecture and functional split concepts.
- Familiarity with Small Cell Forum (SCF) interfaces, including FAPI/nFAPI.
- Background in embedded or real-time software development, particularly on ARM-based or heterogeneous platforms.
- Experience with protocol debugging, KPI analysis, and system performance optimization in wireless communication systems.
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