Core Network Lead

Airalo; United States; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

Airalo is seeking a Technical Team Lead to drive the global build and integration of Full MVNO systems. You will lead a small team of engineers and QA to architect, test, and deliver end-to-end MVNO capabilities across markets.

You will own core components from HSS/HLR to packet core and signaling stacks, ensuring regulatory compliance and service readiness for data, voice, and SMS. This is a remote, full-time role with global scope.

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on in mobile core networks.
• 2+ years leading a team of engineers/QA in agile/delivery environments.
• Strong working knowledge of both packet core and voice core including HSS/HLR, policy and charging, VoLTE and legacy voice.
• Expertise across the signalling stack: Diameter, SS7, SIP.
• Experience with messaging architecture and SMS routing, interworking with operators.
• Delivery mindset across multiple concurrent rollout streams with clear documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and manage a team of engineers and QA specialists across global rollout streams.
• Establish engineering best practices, integration templates, automated testing strategies and handover standards.
• Lead technical integrations with host mobile network operators globally (signalling, data, voice, messaging).
• Own architecture and setup of Full MVNO core components (HSS/HLR to packet core, signalling, routing, messaging).
• Direct implementation and troubleshooting across the signalling stack (Diameter, SS7).
• Ensure end-to-end service readiness for data, voice and SMS (session management, policy, data routing, VoLTE, legacy voice, interconnects).
• Design and validate mobile number portability routing per country regulations, ensure regulatory compliance and emergency services routing.

Skills

Mobile core networks

Team leadership

Packet core

VoLTE & legacy voice

Diameter/SS7/SIP

SMS routing

Documentation handovers

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in telecommunications/CS/EE

Tools

Nokia

Ericsson

Mavenir

Oracle Communications

Cisco

Summa Networks

NetNumber

XIUS

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Help Us Build The Future of Travel

At Airalo, we're making it easier for people to stay connected wherever they travel. As the world's first eSIM store, we help millions of travelers access affordable mobile data in 200+ countries and regions around the world.

Today, we're a team of 400+ people across 60+ countries, building a product used by travelers every day. We've grown quickly, but we've worked hard to keep what matters: trust, ownership, and the freedom for people to do great work without unnecessary layers or bureaucracy. We're fully remote by design, genuinely global, and united by a shared mission to make travel simpler for everyone.

Your Next Destination

• Location: Remote.
• Contract: Full-time, permanent.
• Benefits: Learn more about our benefits here in this link - https://airalo-public.notion.site/Benefits-25396a97ffca81fb9bc1f0be479f1be3?pvs=74
• Languages: English is our main working language day to day, so you'll need to be comfortable communicating in it both in meetings and async.

We are looking for a highly skilled, hands‑on Technical Team Lead to lead the global build and technical integration of Full MVNO systems. In this role, you will lead a dedicated Build Team responsible for architecting, integrating, testing, and commissioning end‑to‑end Full MVNO capabilities across global markets.

What You'll Do

• Lead, mentor and manage a team of around five engineers and QA specialists, owning sprint planning, task allocation and technical reviews across concurrent global rollout streams.
• Establish engineering best practices, integration templates, automated testing strategy and technical handover standards.
• Lead technical integrations with host mobile network operators globally, across signalling, packet core, voice and messaging.
• Own the architecture and setup of Full MVNO core components, from the subscriber database (HSS/HLR) through packet core, signalling routing and messaging platforms.
• Direct implementation and troubleshooting across the signalling stack, including Diameter and SS7.
• Own end‑to‑end service readiness across data, voice and SMS, covering session management, policy enforcement, data routing, VoLTE, legacy circuit‑switched voice and international interconnects.
• Design and validate mobile number portability routing in line with country‑specific regulatory frameworks.
• Own regulatory compliance for each market, covering lawful interception (ETSI ES 201 671 / TS 102 232, HI1/HI2/HI3) and emergency service routing such as e112, 911 and 999.
• Partner with QA on integration test plans, stress testing and acceptance testing, then drive Operational Readiness Reviews and clean documented handovers to the 24/7 Run team after launch.

What You'll Bring

• 5+ years hands‑on in mobile core networks
• 2+ years leading a team of engineers and/or QA specialists in an agile or delivery‑focused environment.
• Strong working knowledge of both packet core and voice core, including the subscriber database (HSS/HLR), policy and charging, VoLTE and legacy circuit‑switched voice.
• Expertise across the signalling stack, including Diameter, SS7 and SIP.
• Experience with messaging architecture and SMS routing, including interworking with other operators.
• Strong delivery mindset across multiple concurrent rollout streams, with clear communication and the ability to produce documentation good enough to hand a system over on.

Nice to have

• Automation experience: CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, Ansible), containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) or automated signalling test frameworks.
• Hands‑on with core MVNO vendors such as Nokia, Ericsson, Mavenir, Oracle Communications, Cisco, Summa Networks, NetNumber or XIUS.
• Cloud‑native or virtualised network functions on AWS, Azure, GCP or private cloud.
• Degree in telecommunications engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or similar.

€76,800 - €110,400 a year

At Airalo, we believe in roaming‑free recruitment. Just as we provide clear connectivity for travelers, we provide clear salary ranges for our candidates.

UK: £89,600 – £128,800

Ireland: €76,800 – €110,400

Western & Southern Europe: €50,800 – €116,117

Central, Eastern Europe & Caucasus: €53,851 – €88,291

Your Home Destination: Local market rates and cost of living vary. Your specific range within this band depends on where you're based, and there's room to discuss what's right for the person and the role. We'll walk through your range together on your first call with our Talent team so we're aligned for takeoff!

Why People Join Us

We started Airalo to make staying connected effortless, wherever you are in the world. Today, millions of travelers rely on our eSIMs, and many of the people building the product were customers first.

Our team spans 60+ countries, united by a shared belief that great work happens when people are trusted to own what they do. There's trust to own what you do, space to focus without constant layers of process, and a clear sense of what you're responsible for from day one.

As Airalo continues to grow, so do the opportunities to learn, take on new challenges, and make a real impact - from anywhere in the world.

On-Call

Participating in our on‑call rotation is a core expectation of this role. It's essential for maintaining 24/7 service reliability across our global operations, ensuring our systems remain resilient and our customers experience uninterrupted service, regardless of time zone or geography.

• Paid Rotation: We offer standby fees + overtime pay.
• Delayed Start: No on‑call duties for your first 6 months.
• Rest & Recovery: Guaranteed rest periods and flexible hours following night incidents.
• Shared Load: Rotations are split (Weekdays vs. Weekends) to minimize fatigue.

Please refer to the On-Call Policy in the Airalo Handbook for full details: https://airalo-public.notion.site/our-approach-to-engineering-on-call-policy

We sincerely thank all applicants in advance for submitting their interest in this opportunity. Airalo is an equal‑opportunity employer and values diversity, equity & inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations upon request for individuals with disabilities throughout our job interview process.

At Airalo, we use AI‑assisted tools as part of our recruitment process. Your application will be reviewed using tools that help our recruiters analyze and organize CV information. These tools support, but do not replace, human judgment; all hiring decisions are made by humans. If you progress to an interview, we may use tools to generate AI‑assisted notes - you can opt out of these. For more information on how we handle your data, please see our Privacy Policy: https://www.airalo.com/more-info/privacy-policy.