Applied Research Specialist - Programmable Networks

BT Group; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading telecommunications company in the UK seeks a technical expert to lead and manage research projects. The role requires a strong academic background, exceptional communication skills, and experience in network engineering. Benefits include a 10% on-target bonus, pension scheme, and world-class training opportunities. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to significant advancements in the telecommunications infrastructure sector.

Benefits

10% on target bonus

BT Pension scheme

25 days annual leave

24/7 private virtual GP appointments

World-class training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Strong academic record in technology specialism with post-graduate qualification(s).
• Expert communicator with experience presenting to peers and managers.
• Skilled in patenting and technical publications.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage research projects with matrixed resources.
• Engage with stakeholders across the organisation.
• Define and perform research in complex technical domains.

Skills

Network Engineering

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Data analysis

Cybersecurity

Orchestration

Collaboration research testbed design

Education

Post-graduate qualification (PhD or equivalent)

Tools

API design and implementation

Virtualisation / Cloud computing

Technical publications

Job description

Responsibilities

• Leading and managing one or more related research projects and activities comprising of matrixed resources both inside and outside BT, including university students and vendors.
• Proactively leading engagement with working level stakeholders across the organisation as well as external partners as appropriate.
• Proactive engagement with the relevant business units to downstream strategic technologies for commercial realisation.
• Domain expert responsible for maintaining expertise in a specific technical domain.
• Responsible for intellectual property creation, managing patent filing in their domain and supporting IPR exploitation where appropriate.
• Accountable for defining and performing research in a specific domain (i.e. End to End Research Platform) or area that is typically unknown, complex, high impact and high value across multiple domains.
• Responsible for authoring thought leadership technical papers, capturing intellectual property.
• Supervision of professionals, graduates and post-graduate student placements and secondments.
• Depending on business needs, may manage Research Specialists, Professionals or other Team members.
• Technical domain expert: Deep technical or domain expertise. They continually develop their expertise in a key technical area so they are recognised as a technical expert in that domain.

Qualifications

• Strong academic record in technology specialism with post-graduate qualification(s) (PhD or equivalent research experience).
• Expert communicator: Regularly presents to peers and managers about their research and area of technical expertise.
• Experienced in open innovation: Skilled in patenting, technical publications, conference presentations etc.
• Storytelling with data: strong skills in building the case for change, drawing on data and analytical techniques where appropriate, and communicating this to business audiences.
• Concept Evaluation: ability to spot relevant innovations, horizon scanning, determine relevance for the business, develop an effective conceptualisation and build trials to test the concept.

Technical Expertise

• Network Engineering
• Network and IT hardware configuration / Troubleshooting
• S/W development / API design and implementation
• Test planning, design, scripting, execution, automation and documentation
• Orchestration
• Virtualisation / Cloud computing
• Collaboration research testbed design and run experience
• Problem-solving, attention to detail, and data analysis.
• Hands-on lab experience
• First and /or Second line technical support experience
• Cybersecurity
• TM Forum catalyst
• Significant delivery: evidence of significant business impact through delivery of research
• Stakeholder management: evidence of managing project stakeholders across the business at a variety of grade and seniority levels
• Innovative Thinker: ability to spot and identify new innovations and act to bring them in and capitalise and create value
• Commercial Applicability: understanding the business case principals around relevant innovations and the real value to the business through value proposition build
• Excellent awareness of industry trends, future direction and opportunities
• Self-starter, pro-actively working with minimal guidance
• Problem solving, intellectually curious, comfortable taking ownership and responsibility
• Ownership and responsibility

Background

BT Group was the world's first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled. As home to several of the UK's most recognised and cherished brands - BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business.

Over the next two years, we will complete the UK's largest and most successful digital infrastructure project - connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband. Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other. While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come. This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK's best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country's biggest infrastructure companies. Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented. BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

Benefits

• 10% on target bonus
• BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
• From January 2025, equal family leave: receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It's for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
• Enhanced women's health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
• 24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
• 2 weeks carer's leave
• World-class training and development opportunities
• Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes, Looking in:

Leadership

Leading inclusively and Safely I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity. Owning outcomes I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation. Looking out: Delivering for the customer I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business. Commercially savvy I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making. Looking to the future: Growth mindset I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.