Technical Lead - 5G & Tactical Communications European Defence & Innovation Projects

• Degree or Master's in Telecommunications Engineering, preferably with a specialization in Communication Systems, Telematics, Radio Frequency, or equivalent.
• Proven experience in the design, integration, or deployment of 5G/4G mobile networks, especially private networks.
• Solid knowledge of 5G Core and RAN architectures and the main components and interfaces of a mobile network.
• Experience in communications systems integration and the ability to analyze end-to-end architectures.
• Experience in integration activities, testing, technical validation, demonstrators, or field support.
• Ability to technically lead activities developed by multidisciplinary teams without the need to directly assume the execution of all of them.
• Ability to prepare clear, structured, and precise technical documentation.
• Advanced English for working regularly with international partners, suppliers, and consortia.
• Availability to travel within Spain and Europe for technical meetings, integration activities, testing, and demonstrations.

• Experience in 5G private networks applied to critical communications, defense, or security.
• Experience in tactical communications and deployable architectures.
• Knowledge of edge computing / MEC architectures and their integration with 5G networks.
• Experience in interoperability between networks, integration of heterogeneous systems, and multi-access communications.
• Knowledge of technologies oriented toward improving the resilience, availability, and continuity of communications.
• Experience with non-terrestrial platforms, drones, vehicles, or other mobile systems integrated with communications networks.
• Knowledge of virtualization, cloud-native networking, NFV, SDN, or other technologies related to the evolution of mobile networks.
• Experience in applied research projects, technological innovation, or prototype development.
• Experience in European Defence Fund (EDF), Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, EDA, or other collaborative European programs.
• Experience working with large international consortia, technological suppliers, and defense-related organizations.

We are looking for a profile with high technical capacity and a holistic vision, who acts as a technical reference in 5G technologies and advanced communications for the contributions of Telefónica Defense and Security in the various projects in which we participate.

The selected person will work transversally with the different technical teams involved in each project, leading the definition of 5G architectures and solutions, establishing common technical criteria, supporting decision-making, and ensuring the coherence and reuse of capabilities between initiatives.

The position combines technical proficiency in 5G/4G private networks, Core, RAN, and tactical communications with the ability to technically coordinate integration, experimentation, testing, and validation activities in defense environments. They will also have a relevant role in the evolution of the capabilities developed in the projects toward new solutions and product lines.

• Act as a technical reference for 5G and advanced communications for national and European defense innovation projects.
• Define and evolve the technical vision and 5G reference architecture, identifying components, capabilities, and reusable solutions across different projects.
• Technically lead the definition, integration, configuration, and deployment of 5G/4G private networks, at both the Core and Radio Access Network (RAN) levels.
• Analyze operational and project requirements and translate them into architectures, technical requirements, interfaces, integration activities, and demonstrable capabilities.
• Technically coordinate the contributions of the different engineers and teams working on 5G-related activities within the various projects.
• Establish technical criteria and support decision-making regarding architecture, design, integration, and technology selection.
• Participate in the evolution of capabilities related to tactical communications, private networks, edge computing, interoperability, and Network-as-a-Service, as well as other advanced 5G-based capabilities applicable to defense.
• Analyze and define 5G integration mechanisms with other systems, platforms, and networks, including terrestrial architectures and, when necessary, non-terrestrial systems, vehicles, drones, or other deployable platforms.
• Participate in the development and evaluation of capabilities associated with communications resilience, mobility, service continuity, interoperability, and operation in demanding or degraded environments.
• Coordinate with suppliers the integration of servers, 5G Core, gNodeB, radios, antennas, edge platforms, and other communications components.
• Work with technological partners and European entities within international consortia to define common interfaces, architectures, and technical solutions.
• Supervise the integration, functional testing, performance, interoperability, validation, and demonstration activities of the developed solutions.
• Participate in laboratory and field testing, exercises, demonstrations, technical workshops, and international integration activities.
• Prepare and review technical documentation, including architectures, diagrams, specifications, configurations, interfaces, integration plans, test documentation, and technical reports.
• Identify dependencies, technical risks, and limitations of the proposed solutions and define alternatives or mitigation measures.
• Coordinate with other technological areas of Telefónica: cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud/edge, and defense systems, to develop integrated architectures.
• Align the 5G capabilities developed in the projects with the technological strategy, roadmap, and product lines of Telefónica Defense and Security.
• Identify technologies, components, knowledge, and assets generated in the projects that can be reused in other initiatives or evolved into new capabilities and products.
• Perform technological monitoring on the evolution of 5G, 5G-Advanced, private networks, critical communications, and emerging communications technologies applicable to defense and security.
• Support the preparation of new national and European proposals and opportunities, contributing to the definition of architectures, use cases, work packages, technical activities, resources, and demonstrators related to 5G and communications.

• Leadership and technical judgment, with the ability to become a reference within their field of expertise.
• Architectural vision and the ability to understand complex end-to-end systems.
• Analytical skills and technical problem-solving ability.
• Autonomy, initiative, and decision-making ability.
• Ability to technically coordinate teams and activities distributed across different projects.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both specialists and management profiles.
• Orientation toward results, technical quality, and achievement of objectives.
• Ability to work in international, multidisciplinary, and highly technological environments.
• Interest in innovation and the evolution of communications technologies applied to defense and security.

#WeAreDiverse #WePromoteEquality
We are convinced that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, transformative, and achieve better results. Therefore, we promote and guarantee the inclusion of all people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation and identity, culture, disability, or any other condition.

We want to meet you! 😊