Partner Technical Lead - Japan

About this role

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 Partner Technical Lead (PTL) to serve as the primary technical liaison for strategic telecommunications partners, driving the successful integration, enablement, and deployment of advanced wireless communication services. This role combines deep technical expertise in cellular radio access networks (RAN) with strong customer-facing leadership, ensuring seamless collaboration between internal engineering teams and external partner organizations.

The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in wireless network systems, technical solution delivery, and customer engagement within large-scale telecommunications environments. They will be responsible for technical governance, issue resolution, deployment readiness, and ongoing service optimization across complex, multi-domain network ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

Partner Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for assigned telecommunications partners throughout integration and deployment activities.

• Lead technical reviews, integration workshops, deployment readiness assessments, and launch planning discussions.

• Communicate technical requirements, dependencies, risks, and timelines to both technical and business stakeholders.

• Manage technical escalations and drive resolution of partner-impacting issues.

Service Integration & Enablement

• Support the deployment and validation of wireless network services across multiple network domains.

• Coordinate feature enablement activities, system configuration, testing, and operational readiness efforts.

• Validate network performance, service functionality, and key operational metrics against established requirements.

• Provide technical guidance on network architecture, feature implementation, and service optimization strategies.

Technical Troubleshooting & Issue Resolution

• Lead root cause analysis activities for complex network, system, and service-related issues.

• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and product teams to identify and resolve defects.

• Develop troubleshooting procedures, technical documentation, and corrective action plans.

• Drive issues through resolution while maintaining clear communication with stakeholders.

Program Execution & Reporting

• Track deployment milestones, readiness criteria, and partner integration status.

• Develop and maintain technical reports, dashboards, risk assessments, and action-item tracking.

• Present technical updates, status reports, and recommendations to leadership teams.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives through lessons learned and process optimization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with engineering, operations, service assurance, deployment, and product teams.

• Contribute to technical standards, best practices, deployment guidelines, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

• Support the development and refinement of operational procedures and technical documentation.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in telecommunications, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical field.

• Advanced degree and/or industry-recognized telecommunications certifications are preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in wireless telecommunications, network engineering, systems integration, solution architecture, or customer technical leadership roles.

• Experience supporting large-scale wireless network deployments and service enablement initiatives.

• Demonstrated success managing technical relationships with telecommunications operators, enterprise customers, or strategic technology partners.

• Hands-on experience with LTE and/or 5G network integration, configuration, optimization, and troubleshooting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with satellite-integrated communications systems, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), or hybrid network architectures.

• Familiarity with multi-vendor network environments and interoperability initiatives.

• Experience supporting network trials, feature validations,…