Senior engineer, network orchestration lead, iris2

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

Work requirements

The Network Orchestration Lead Engineer is responsible for leading the end-to-end orchestration architecture across MCC, SMO, SDN-C, GW Manager, OSS/BSS, RAN, Core Network, satellite payload, feeder links and inter-satellite links for a 5G-NTN multi-orbit satellite system. The role ensures that architecture, requirements, ICDs, RFPs, integration plans and delivery roadmaps are consistent across projects and aligned with the overall system objectives. The engineer coordinates cross-project activities, manages technical dependencies, supports vendor coordination, and provides technical governance for network automation and service orchestration activities.

General work requirements

• Define and maintain the end-to-end network orchestration architecture across MCC, SMO, SDN-C, GW Manager, OSS/BSS, RAN, Core, satellite payload, feeder links and ISLs.
• Synchronize cross-project technical activities, align roadmaps, define clear deliveries, manage dependencies, and ensure consistency between architecture baselines, requirements, ICDs, RFPs and integration plans.
• Coordinate the definition of orchestration use cases, service/resource workflows, operational procedures, contingency handling, automation principles and cross-domain information flows.
• Support the preparation and review of RFP/RFQ technical content, vendor clarifications, compliance matrices, technical evaluation reports, integration plans and risk mitigation actions.
• Provide technical governance for network automation, service orchestration, multi-domain resource coordination, system engineering activities and cross-team delivery execution.

Qualifications Background and Experience

Qualification Basis

• Master's degree in engineering or science, preferably in Telecommunications Engineering, Systems Engineering, Space Systems, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in telecom, satellite communications, aerospace, defence, or complex system programmes required; for Lead or Senior Engineer, 10+ years of relevant industry experience is required.
• Strong end-to-end knowledge of 5G-NTN orchestration architecture across MCC, SMO, SDN-C, GW Manager, OSS/BSS, RAN, Core Network, satellite payload, feeder links and ISLs.
• Solid knowledge of 5G NTN, O-RAN/SMO concepts, network automation, service orchestration, system engineering, vendor coordination, technical governance, delivery planning and risk management.

Essential experience

• Hands-on experience defining orchestration architectures, functional responsibilities, cross-domain workflows, information flows, operational scenarios and integration dependencies.
• Strong understanding of MCC/SMO architecture alignment, SDN-C coordination, gateway management, OSS/BSS service flows, RAN/Core interactions, feeder link constraints and ISL transport considerations.
• Experience managing technical dependencies between projects and ensuring consistency between requirements, architecture documents, ICDs, RFPs, vendor deliverables and integration plans.
• Experience with network automation and service orchestration concepts, including resource allocation, service provisioning, contingency management, performance feedback loops and closed-loop optimization.
• Ability to drive technical governance, architecture reviews, delivery planning, risk identification, issue tracking, decision records and cross-team alignment in complex programmes.

Highly desirable experience (several of the following):

• Experience working with MCC, SMO, NMS/OSS, SDN controllers, gateway management systems, 5G Core, RAN management or multi-domain orchestration platforms.
• Knowledge of O-RAN SMO, Non-RT RIC concepts, O1/A1/O2 interfaces, network slicing, policy-driven automation and service assurance for 5G and 5G-NTN systems.
• Experience supporting RFP/RFQ preparation, vendor technical evaluation, compliance analysis, gap analysis, clarification workshops and technical trade-off studies.
• Experience with system engineering methods, MBSE concepts, requirement traceability, interface definition, integration planning, validation strategy and risk management.

Proven work attitude:

Other key requirements / comments

• Management of technology development, work with cross discipline teams (MCC architects, SMO/RAN experts, core network experts, SDN-C teams, gateway teams, satellite payload engineers, OSS/BSS teams, procurement, sales, business experts, etc.)
• Research and Development project management experience, including roadmap alignment, delivery planning, dependency management, architecture reviews, vendor coordination and technical governance
• Communication skills, ability to explain complex orchestration, automation, 5G-NTN, SMO, MCC and multi-domain architecture concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear requirements, ICD inputs, RFP/RFQ technical sections, evaluation reports, action plans and architecture notes
• Commitment to deadlines and willingness to meet tight development, procurement, architecture, integration and delivery schedules
• 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