Principal Architect, AI-Ready Networking R&D (Remote)

Lumen; Des Moines (IA); Remote; USD 152,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work eligibility

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to shape future network capabilities through deep architectural expertise and disciplined experimentation. You will work at the intersection of advanced networking, technology strategy, and enterprise decision‑making, guiding experiments and decisions across internal and external partners.

The role demands strong communication with executives, engineers, vendors, and stakeholders to define hypotheses, run pilots, and

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in network architecture, engineering, or R&D.
• Strong ability to translate uncertain tech into concrete options and business impact.
• Experience leading architecture discussions with senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to mentor and elevate architectural thinking across teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide architectural direction across emerging network technologies and future capabilities.
• Evaluate technologies and design experiments, reference architectures, and decision frameworks.
• Lead vendor/academic collaborations and pilots to derive actionable insights.
• Translate findings into clear risk assessments and recommendations for leadership.

Skills

Network architecture

R&D leadership

Technical communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Optical & transport systems

AI infrastructure

Job description

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to shape future network capabilities through deep architectural expertise and disciplined experimentation. You will work at the intersection of advanced networking, technology strategy, and enterprise decision‑making, guiding experiments and decisions across internal and external partners.

The role demands strong communication with executives, engineers, vendors, and stakeholders to define hypotheses, run pilots, and