Automation Developer - Service Enablement

astspacemobile; Lanham (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

AST SpaceMobile is building a global cellular broadband network in space to enable direct use of standard mobile devices. This role focuses on designing automated test frameworks, end-to-end test suites, and AI-enabled automation to validate satellite and gateway systems.

The engineer will develop Python-driven automation, build dashboards, and ensure reliable lab operations, with emphasis on scalable analytics and documentation for cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• At least 4 years of hands-on experience in automation development.
• Experience in telecommunications, satellite, or network systems.
• Experience developing automation for embedded systems, RF, or complex test environments.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end service lifecycle.
• Proficient in Python.
• Experience with REST APIs, data parsing, automation scripts, structured logs, and report generation.
• Experience with version control tools such as Git.
• Experience with CI tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or similar platforms.
• Familiar with RF equipment such as spectrum analyzers and signal generators.
• Hands-on experience integrating AI agents into automation and test workflows.
• Experience developing tools and servers for agents using MCP or equivalent interfaces.
• Ability to design agentic workflows that are cost- and token-efficient.
• Experience with AI-assisted development tools to accelerate delivery.
• Familiarity with evaluation and observability for AI systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop automated test frameworks, scripts, APIs, dashboards, and tools using Python.
• Develop end-to-end and HIL test suites for satellite, gateway, RF, payload, embedded, and communication-system workflows.
• Build and maintain automation with GUI support, cloud-triggered job execution, instrument drivers, result storage, and automated reports.
• Automate RF and system validation procedures that control lab equipment.
• Develop and maintain analytics and monitoring workflows for gateway/satellite platforms.
• Build and maintain AI-agent tooling for the automation stack, including MCP servers and APIs exposing lab equipment, telemetry, dashboards, and CI systems as agent-callable tools.
• Analyze test results, identify root causes, debug automation failures, and collaborate with developers to resolve issues.
• Present analysis visually via dashboards, charts, and reports readable by engineers and non-specialists.
• Create and maintain automation documentation, test plans, user guides, reports, criteria, and handover material.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to ensure test coverage and reliability.

Skills

Automation development

Telecommunications

AI agent integration

Documentation

Team coordination

Communication

Problem-solving

Cost/token efficiency

Security awareness

Education

B.Sc. in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

Python

Git

Jenkins

GitLab CI

SCPI/TCP

HTTP/XML

SNMP

SSH

MCP protocol

Job description

Position Overview

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.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop automated test frameworks, scripts, APIs, dashboards, and tools using Python.


• Develop end-to-end and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test suites for satellite, gateway, RF, payload, embedded, and communication-system workflows.


• Build and maintain automation with web GUI support, cloud-triggered job execution, instrument drivers, result storage, and automated report generation.


• Automate RF and system validation procedures that control lab equipment.


• Develop and maintain analytics and monitoring workflows for gateway/satellite platforms.


• Build and maintain AI-agent tooling for the automation stack, including MCP servers and APIs that expose lab equipment, telemetry, dashboards, and CI systems as agent-callable tools operating within defined cost, token, and latency budgets.


• Analyze test results, identify root causes, debug automation failures, and collaborate with developers and engineering teams to resolve issues.


• Present analysis visually in a way that is immediately clear to its audience: dashboards, charts, and reports that surface findings and required actions, readable by engineers and non-specialist stakeholders alike.


• Create and maintain detailed automation documentation, test plans, user guides, reports, acceptance criteria, and operational handover material.


• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to ensure test coverage, repeatability, maintainability, product quality, and operational reliability.

Qualifications

Education

• B.Sc. in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience

• At least 4 years of hands-on experience in automation development.


• Experience in telecommunications, satellite, or network systems.


• Experience developing automation for embedded systems, RF systems, communication systems, hardware interfaces, or complex test environments.


• Strong understanding of end-to-end service lifecycle.


• Proficient in Python.


• Experience with REST APIs, data parsing, automation scripts, structured logs, and report generation.


• Experience with version control tools such as Git.


• Experience with CI tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or similar platforms.


• Familiar with RF equipment such as spectrum analyzers and signal generators.


• Hands‑on experience integrating AI agents (LLM‑based) into automation and test workflows, for example log triage, failure analysis, test generation, and report drafting.


• Experience developing tools and servers for agents using the Model Context Protocol (MCP) or equivalent tool/function‑calling interfaces, exposing internal systems such as lab equipment, databases, dashboards, and CI as agent‑callable tools.


• Ability to design agentic workflows that are cost‑and‑token‑efficient, including right‑sizing the model per task, context and prompt optimization, caching and batching, and preferring deterministic code over model calls where possible.


• Experience with AI‑assisted development tools such as Claude Code, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot to accelerate delivery.


• Familiarity with evaluation and observability for AI systems, including regression tests for prompts and agents, tracing of agent runs, and usage/cost monitoring.


• Awareness of data‑security and privacy considerations when connecting LLMs to internal or customer data.

Preferred Qualifications

• SQL and database experience.


• Experience with dashboards, databases, cloud services, or data platforms such as FastAPI, React, PostgreSQL, InfluxDB, AWS ECS/Fargate, S3, SharePoint/Graph, or Jira.


• Experience with instrument‑control methods such as SCPI/TCP, HTTP/XML, SNMP, SSH, or similar interfaces.

Soft Skills

• Strong problem‑solving skills and high attention to detail.


• Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple engineering owners.


• Team player with strong communication skills.


• Comfortable creating clear technical documentation, test reports, and operational instruct