Senior Lab Manager

AST SpaceMobile•Lanham, MD

About The Position

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected. Position Overview We are seeking a Senior Lab Manager to lead MNO lab coordination, ensuring that schedules, configurations, templates, ATP plans, network integrity checks, and UE probe/device validation all meet commercial‑ready standards across operators and regions. This role orchestrates end‑to-end lab activities across multiple mobile network operators and geographic markets, ensuring that all validation processes, acceptance criteria, and deployment‑readiness standards are executed consistently and to commercial‑grade specifications. The Senior Lab Manager will oversee vendor and operator test plans, govern requests to internal RAN elements and interfaces, manage feature regression testing, enforce integrity checks to reduce rework, and drive timely acceptance sign‑offs across multi‑market deployments. This role ensures persistence targets, KPI expectations, and commercial‑readiness criteria are met while maintaining the highest standards of network validation. Operating at the intersection of satellite technology and global telecommunications infrastructure, this position requires both technical precision and operational excellence in lab management. Success demands balancing rigorous validation standards with aggressive commercial deployment timelines, while managing complex stakeholder relationships across MNOs, vendors, and internal engineering teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical field
8–12 years of experience in telecommunications or satellite‑communications environments, with hands‑on involvement in lab operations, system integration, or validation activities.
Demonstrated experience coordinating or managing MNO or carrier‑grade lab environments, including RAN, core network, and end‑to-end service‑validation workflows.
Proven track record working with multi‑vendor test plans and acceptance processes for network features, software releases, or new‑service deployments.
5+ years of experience in laboratory management or technical validation leadership roles within telecom or satellite‑communications settings.
Experience supporting large‑scale lab environments, multi‑market validation programs, and cross‑functional system‑integration initiatives.
Strong understanding of mobile network architecture (RAN, transport, core) and associated lab/testing workflows commonly used for network validation and acceptance
Proficiency in RAN and device testing, including feature‑level validation, performance verification, and probe‑driven testing methods used in carrier‑grade network acceptance.
Comprehensive knowledge of change management, configuration management, and test lifecycle management processes in telecommunications environments
Ability to lead cross-functional lab coordination with MNOs, internal teams, and vendors, driving alignment on schedules, configurations, and acceptance criteria
Strong organizational skills to manage multiple concurrent lab activities, markets, and partner demands while serving as the central point of communication
Structured approach to identifying, reproducing, and documenting issues uncovered during lab validation activities
Focus on rework reduction through proactive integrity checks and preventive validation measures that ensure first-time deployment success time deployment success
Clear, concise communication skills for both technical and nontechnical audiences across multiple organizational levels
Ability to influence stakeholders to adhere to agreed templates, processes, and signoff criteria while maintaining collaborative relationships

Nice To Haves

Experience in satellite communications, Non‑Terrestrial Networks (NTN), or hybrid satellite–terrestrial integration projects with mobile network operators (MNOs).
Prior responsibility for lab management or technical leadership in an operator, satellite provider, network vendor, or systems integrator environment
Familiarity with ATP processes and acceptance frameworks used by Tier1 MNOs and global satellite operators

Responsibilities

Lead MNO lab coordination across operators and regions, aligning lab schedules, configurations, and test templates to support commercial‑ready deployments and ensure consistent validation standards.
Oversee vendor and operator test plans within the lab environment, ensuring test scenarios, system configurations, and success criteria are clearly defined, traceable to requirements, and aligned with production deployment specifications.
Govern lab activities involving validation of internal and external interfaces, ensuring standardized call flows, clear prioritization, and disciplined execution while maintaining structured workflows and change‑control processes.
Manage synchronization between lab activities and production activations to minimize operational risk and avoid deployment conflicts.
Implement and enforce standardized lab processes, documentation practices, and change‑control mechanisms to ensure repeatability, auditability, and compliance with internal and partner standards across all testing environments.
Ensure ATP plans, network integrity checks, and UE validation are designed and executed to meet commercial‑ready criteria across operators and regions, maintaining rigorous quality standards throughout the validation lifecycle.
Reduce rework by implementing comprehensive integrity checks and pre‑validation routines prior to activation, including configuration‑consistency verification, regression‑testing protocols, and validation of critical performance indicators.
Drive timely acceptance sign‑offs across multimarket deployments, ensuring all test evidence, defect resolutions, and change documentation are complete and approved by relevant stakeholders within the required timelines.
Achieve persistence targets through proactive risk management, systematic issue resolution, and continuous process‑improvement initiatives that minimize delays and support sustained deployment success.
Establish and maintain robust defect‑tracking and follow‑up processes for lab‑identified issues, coordinating resolution with vendors, internal engineering teams, and MNO technical groups to ensure timely closure.
Enable deployments by coordinating lab readiness and test execution to support simultaneous or staggered rollouts across multiple labs and regions, ensuring market‑specific configurations, frequency plans, and feature sets are thoroughly validated prior to commercial launch.
Align lab test coverage with deployment roadmaps so high‑risk scenarios, new features, and satellite–terrestrial integration changes are comprehensively validated in controlled lab environments before field activation.
Support post‑deployment validation by applying lab learnings, standardized templates, and validated test assets to ensure a smooth transition from lab to production environments.
Act as the central point of contact for all lab‑related activities with MNO technical teams, internal engineering, NOC, and vendor partners, ensuring clear communication and coordinated execution.
Provide regular status updates on lab activities, ATP progress, identified risks, and acceptance timelines to internal leadership and external partners as appropriate.
Facilitate cross‑functional reviews of ATPs, network‑integrity criteria, and acceptance outcomes to ensure shared understanding, alignment, and consistent decision‑making across all validation stakeholders.