Test Engineer (Cellular Networks) full_time

About Lynk:

Lynk is the only patented, proven, and commercially-operational satellite-direct-to-standard-phone (sat2phone) system in the world.  Put simply, we build satellites that function as cellular towers and are capable of providing cellular service in any area of the world.  Lynk will enable all 8 billion people on the planet to stay connected with the existing standard phone in their pocket. Everywhere. No matter what.

This role is a unique opportunity to join an early-stage, well-funded start-up with a very promising future.  By joining Lynk, you will have the opportunity to directly touch the lives of billions. Our mission will be to bring mobile broadband to billions, pull hundreds of millions out of poverty, and save countless lives.

Job Summary:

As a Test Engineer at Lynk, you will have one of the most important and visible roles in the company!  You will be part of the Lynk technical team designing, building, integrating, and testing hardware and software for our satellite-based cellular towers in a rapid and agile manner.  The exposure you gain across the entire Lynk Network will result in you becoming one of our resident SMEs on the operation and performance of the Lynk Network.

We are seeking a highly motivated, organized, and accountable Cellular Network Test Engineer to help lead the testing of the Lynk Network.  The role involves the architecture, design, and validation of Lynk’s cellular network.  You will work closely with the development team and the product manager to understand the product requirements and provide feedback.  You will then be responsible for designing end-to-end test plans, procedures, and scripts for verifying system requirements are met and identifying bugs.

To be successful as a test engineer, you should have a strong background in engineering, testing, and quality assurance, with a focus on cellular network technologies and standards. You should also have excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills. You should be able to work independently and as part of a team, and be able to handle multiple tasks and deadlines.  

We are looking for people who:

• Enjoy working as part of a development team in a lab environment to verify functionality and debug potential issues.
• Are passionate about providing highly reliable connectivity to the entire world.  
• Enjoy designing, setting up, and executing software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and in-the-field tests/simulations to verify technology functions (or concepts) and characterize the performance. 
• Enjoy a challenge and have a track record of creative thinking to solve unconventional or unexpected problems.  
• Proactively run manual tests as needed to validate functionality, while also working to automate all test cases.  

Lynk plans to do field testing in both the local Northern VA area and various remote test sites, travel permitting.

Core Responsibilities:

Because Lynk is a small company, the Test Engineer will lead the testing of the entire telecommunication system, rather than just part of the system.  Specific responsibilities include:

• Work as part of the telecom development team, in close coordination with product management, to become a resident expert on system requirements and system design. 
• Leveraging your expertise of the Lynk Network, design end-to-end test plans, procedures, and scripts for verifying system requirements are met and bugs are identified.  
• Support the testing of the Lynk Network in the lab environment as well as out in the field. 
• Ownership of testing new releases, including new features and regressions.
• Ownership of system performance characterization and metrics. 
• Communicate test progress, results, and issues to stakeholders by maintaining up-to-date bug reports and performance metrics. 
• Conduct and organize testing efforts and plans.
• Perform manual testing when automation doesn’t yet exist (e.g. new features) and automated testing using our automated testing frameworks.  
• Design and implement automated test cases using languages such as Python, ROBOT, etc..
• Contribute to test automation frameworks and data analysis tools.
• Leverage various tools and methods, such as network analyzers, traffic generators, simulators, emulators, etc..
• Selection and/or development of software tools to support system verification.
• Identify, document, and report bugs and defects related to cellular network performance, functionality, and compatibility.
• Analyze test results and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Collaborate with the development team and the product manager to ensure quality standards and customer expectations are met.
• Debug and troubleshoot issues that arise during testing (including functional and performance testing).
• Documentation of testing plans, operational procedures, and results.
• Stay updated with the latest cellular network trends and technologies, such as 5G, LTE, and IoT.
• Design, development, and optimization of Lynk’s testing procedures/policies for our ongoing test campaign for our telecommunications technology.
• Implement continuous improvements and best practices within the team, and larger organization. 
• Operation, maintenance, and calibration of test equipment.

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Telecommunications Engineering, or a related field.
• At least four years of experience integrating and testing cellular communications systems including (GSM / 2G and LTE / 4G).
• In-depth understanding of the GSM and/or LTE architecture, protocols, and standards.
• Experience using network testing tools and frameworks, such as QXDM, Wireshark, Spirent, IXIA, iPerf, Traceroute, etc.  
• Experience writing automated scripts for executing and running telecommunications test cases.
• Proficiency with Linux Operating Systems.
• Proficiency with scripting in Python and Bash.

• Ability to write clear and concise test documentation and reports.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills and highly accountable.
• Attention to detail and quality orientation.
• Critical thinking and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Optional Qualifications:

These qualifications are not required but are nice to have. 

• Proven experience leading product testing.  
• Understanding of networking concepts (Ethernet, TCP/IP, etc.).
• Proficiency desired in Object Oriented Programming (OOP), C/C++, or Java.
• Experience with programming languages, databases, and web technologies, such as C, Python, SQL, and HTML.
• Familiarity with concepts such as DevOps, IaC, CICD, and SCM. 
• Experience with tools such as Gitlab, Jenkins, AWS Cloud, Terraform, Ansible, Docker, and Kubernetes.