4G/5G/RF Engineer

Job Title

4G/5G/RF Engineer

Agency

Texas A&M University System Offices

Department

Center for Applied Communications and Networks

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Bryan, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

The System Offices is one of several system members within the Texas A&M University System representing one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a network of 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M – Fort Worth and the Texas A&M - RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M University System mission is to provide education, conduct research, commercialize technology, offer training, and deliver services for the people of Texas and beyond.

The System Offices, within the Texas A&M University System, provides an outstanding benefits package including, but not limited to: competitive health benefits; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; a defined benefit retirement plan to include an employer contribution through Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS); if applicable, a defined contribution retirement plan to include an employer contribution through an approved ORP vendor: additional voluntary tax deferred annuity (TDA) options; tuition assistance; and wellness programs to promote work/life balance.

Salary:

$8,750.00 - $12,916.66 commensurate with experience.

Job Description Summary:

The 4G/5G/RF Engineer (officially titled Wireless Systems Research Engineer III, IV, or Senior I) works under general direction to manage the department’s internal wireless network systems while conducting and supporting basic and applied research in wireless technologies.

This role leverages a strong understanding of existing wireless networks to design, implement, integrate, troubleshoot, and test creative and innovative solutions to emerging challenges in next-generation wireless communications. Areas of focus include:

• 4G/5G wireless network
• Radio access network (RAN) systems (including O-RAN)
• RF fundamentals
• Device-to-Device (D2D) communications
• Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications
• Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)
• Cognitive Radio and intelligent wireless systems

This is more than an opportunity to study emerging wireless technologies—it is an opportunity to design, deploy, test, and research them in a real-world environment.

We don’t just read about the future of wireless communications. We build and test it.

 

Responsibilities:

Research Proposals 5%
- Conducts evaluation and analysis of technical approaches to research opportunities.
- Conducts research and evaluation of appropriate equipment, protocols, designs, procedures, and tools to address research requirements.
- Produces network designs and other technical aspects of the research proposal submission.

Network Design and Documentation 20%
- Helps establish standards and plans for new or upgraded research networks.
- Collects and evaluates input from researchers, systems administrators, contractors, and vendors to develop specifications, requirements, and plans for networks.
- Designs activities for network research projects.
- Recommends research network designs.
- Helps establish standards and processes used to detail network engineering designs, and assists with planning and mapping methods, procedures, problems, and repairs to those standards and processes.
- Designs research network system security measures, configuration backup, and security methods.

Network Configuration, Installation, and Testing 20%
- Collaborates with research team and develops work plans and time schedules for projects including outlining phases, identifying personnel, and networking requirements.
- Helps establish standards for the implementation of new technology deployments and research network integration and interoperability testing.
- Configures, installs, and tests research networks.
- Tests the methods and plans used to certify sophisticated research networking projects to required installation design standards.
 

Network Research, Operations, and Support 20%
- Helps establish protocols and processes for problem management and support.
- Provides Tier I, Tier II and some Tier Ill support for network issues and assists the rest of the research team as needed on other support issues.
- Performs diagnostics and repair of complex hardware and software problems.

- Monitors and evaluates effectiveness of established processes and protocols.
- Helps establish procedures for compliance with network security regulations.

- Performs security assessments and audits to ensure compliance with government standards.
- Designs and implements security measures, data backup, and protection methods.
- Develops disaster recovery plans for network equipment and systems.
- Drives to other locations on campus, on other campuses, and to vendor and other locations for meetings and to assist with research network installation and operations.
- Supports researchers with gathering data, such as packet captures, for research and other projects.

Research Project Presentations and Reporting 15%
- Contributes to the preparation of monthly/quarterly updates to project sponsors.
- Contributes to the presentation of monthly/quarterly project updates to project sponsors.
- Collects technical updates for monthly/quarterly updates to project sponsors.
- Collaborates with the research team to help define the contents of project deliverable reports.
- Collections data and other artifacts needed for project reporting.
- Assists with the preparation of project deliverables and reports.
- Assists with the preparation of presentations to project sponsors and at industry symposia
 

Training and Development 10%
- Stays abreast of emerging technologies and best practices.
- Engages in ongoing training and development opportunities to enhance technical skills and knowledge in research computing engineering.
- Leads, motivates, and develops Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching and Student Technicians, providing professional development and training.
 

Supervision and Training 5%
- Recruits, hires, and supervises student teams.
- Leads, motivates, develops, and coaches Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching and Student Technicians.
- Models ethical, regulatory, and performance standards.
- Models and promotes the open sharing of information, dedication to the team's mission, customer commitment, collaboration, and cooperation.
- Oversees and manages personnel issues.
- Participates in training and professional development with a special emphasis on leadership development, management, industry related acumen, and project and operations management.
- Conducts professional development trainings for team members.
 

Other Duties as Assigned 5%
 

Education and Experience:

Wireless Systems Research Engineer III

- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Six years of wireless networking related experience.

Wireless Systems Research Engineer IV

- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Eight years of wireless networking related experience.

Senior Wireless Systems Research Engineer I

- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Nine years of wireless networking related experience.

Registration, Certifications, and Licenses:

- Ability to obtain Secret-level US security clearance based on a background investigation.

- Ability to obtain a US Passport and the ability to travel domestically and internationally.
 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

- LANs and L2 switching: such as copper, fiber, WiFi, VLANs, spanning tree
IP networking and L3 switching/routing: such as IP subnetting, direct, static, and dynamic routing

- Cellular technology such as 4G and/or 5G core, transport, RAN, O-RAN, radios

- 4G: MME, SGW, PCRF, eNB

- 5G: AMF, SMF, UPF, PCF, NEF, gNB

- RF concepts such as antennas, propagation, low- vs high-frequency, SNR, LoS, Fresnel

- IP/L2 switching: such as copper, fiber, WiFi, VLANs, spanning tree

- IP/L3 switching/routing: such as IP subnetting, direct, static, and dynamic routing

- Skilled at using word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications to produce professional­ quality proposals and documentation.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

- Able to troubleshoot and problem solve independently or cooperatively.

- Able to install/remove equipment such as servers, switches, radios and antennas, in racks or mounted on walls or polls or other locations.

- Ability to work digitally (paperless) utilizing Microsoft 365 (Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, ... ), Adobe, and other tools.

- Willing and able to drive/travel to other parts of campus, other campuses, and other agencies in the state.

- Willing and able to occasionally work outside normal office hours.

- Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

Technical Knowledge and Experience:

-          WAN/LAN technologies: DWDM, LACP, SyncE, FlexE

-          Routing protocols:  OSPF, (E/I)BGP, redistribution, MPLS, VXLAN, SR

-          Software-defined Networking:  Yang, NETCONF, OpenFlow, etc.

-          Supporting services:  DHCP, NTP, PTP, DNS, Radius, LDAP

-          Network security:  firewalls, (CG)NAT/PAT, iptables, fail2ban, CMMC

-          Monitoring:  SNMP, syslog, SLA management, taps & packet brokers

Licenses and Certifications:

- IT certifications in Networking, Network Security, Juniper, Cisco or other routing and security categories.
- CBRS CPI.
- Certifications in 4G and/or SG wireless networks.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

- Skilled at mentoring and training other team members
- MS Office including Visio, Adobe Acrobat and other tools: Word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and drawing applications to produce professional-quality proposals and network documentation
-Skilled at client and vendor relations, requirement assessment and analysis, statement of work creation, project management, and service delivery
- High level project management skills
- Advanced diagnostic and problem-solving methodology
- Excellent written communication, analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
- Ability to install/remove equipment to/from equipment racks, poles and other locations.
- Self-starter, team-oriented.

Other Requirements:

This is an in-person position. Accommodations may be made for alternate work schedules or occasional remote work, but it would require a primary presence in the Bryan/College Station, TX region.

This position requires the ability to perform the following essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation:

·         Sit or stand for extended periods

·         Walk, use as step stool

·         Climb ladders to reach radio locations

Work will generally be performed in an environmentally controlled office space; however, occasional activities at outdoor facilities may be required, which could involve exposure to varying weather conditions, including extreme temperatures. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This is a security-sensitive position and is restricted to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents only. Only complete applications will be considered for employment at The Texas A&M System Offices. Incomplete job application data could result in your application being rejected without an option to reapply. A cover letter and resume may be required in addition to a completed employment application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.