Director, RAN Software Engineering

About Skylo

Skylo is a global Non-Terrestrial Network service provider based in Mountain View, CA, offering a service that allows smartphone and IoT cellular devices to connect directly over existing satellites. 

Skylo’s direct-to-device service is now live on millions of activated devices across five continents, with more than 60 million square kilometers of coverage, in partnership with multiple satellite operators, mobile network operators (MNOs), Tier-1 chipset makers, and OEMs. Devices connected over satellite are managed and served by Skylo's commercial NTN vRAN, featuring a 3GPP standards-based cloud-native base station and core.

Skylo is a global Non-Terrestrial Network service provider based in Mountain View, CA, offering a service that allows smartphone, automotive,  and IoT cellular devices to connect directly over satellite. 

Skylo’s direct-to-device service is now live on millions of activated devices across five continents, with more than 60 million square kilometers of coverage, in partnership with multiple satellite operators, mobile network operators (MNOs), Tier-1 chipset makers, and OEMs. Devices connected over satellite are managed and served by Skylo's commercial NTN vRAN, featuring a 3GPP standards-based base station and core. Skylo provides an anywhere, anytime connectivity solution that allows devices to seamlessly roam between terrestrial and satellite networks. 

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Director of RAN Software Engineering to lead Skylo’s radio access network (RAN) software engineering team based in Finland. This role will be responsible for the design, development, and productization of our RAN software. Skylo develops software platforms across 3GPP and cloud application technology segments including RAN platforms, 4G/5G core network services, and cloud-based applications.  

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, and productization of Skylo’s RAN software products.
• Ensure high availability, fault tolerance, and security best practices for the software components.
• Design software products for network deployment and work closely with Skylo’s network engineering and network operations teams to understand product requirements and build to suit.
• Champion CI/CD, DevOps, and automation to accelerate software delivery and enhance operational reliability.
• Contribute to defining and executing the long-term software engineering strategy, ensuring alignment with Skylo’s business goals and network architecture.
• Drive software innovation in areas such as NB-IoT over satellite, software-defined networking (SDN), and network function virtualization (NFV).
• Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing RAN software engineering team.
• Define team structures, hire key talent, and establish engineering best practices.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and accountability.
• Implement clear performance metrics to track engineering productivity and software quality.
• Work closely with Product Management, Network Operations, and IT to define requirements and roadmaps for RAN software solutions.
• Engage with third-party vendors and partners to integrate external tools, APIs, and cloud services into Skylo’s ecosystem.
• Support Skylo’s network engineering team in troubleshooting and optimizing network performance.
• Manage the RAN software development budget, ensuring cost-effective resource utilization. 
• Define KPIs to measure RAN software performance, security, and operational efficiency.

Qualifications & Experience

• 15+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in building and scaling cloud-native software systems in a production environment.
• Experience in real-time network management, OSS/BSS platforms, or IoT cloud services.
• Strong programming expertise in C++, Python, Go, or equivalent, with hands-on experience in cloud-based infrastructure as code (Terraform, Helm).
• Deep understanding of NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, or satellite communications protocols.
• Strong grasp of security best practices, including authentication, encryption, and access control in distributed systems.
• Experience in leading multicultural teams that develop high-performance, highly available, and scalable applications.
• Excellent communication skills with a track record of collaborating across engineering, product, and operations teams.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Prior experience in telecommunications, NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks), or satellite communications.
• Familiarity with 3GPP standards, particularly LTE-M, NB-IoT, and 5G NTN specifications.
• Experience with edge computing architectures and SDR (Software-Defined Radio) integrations.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML applications in network optimization and anomaly detection.
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth startup environments.

EEO Statement
Skylo is an equal-opportunity employer and we celebrate diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, parent or caregiver status, political affiliation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. Please let us know if you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability.