Remote Principal Network Architect, R&D & Emerging Tech

Lumen; Topeka (KS); Remote; USD 152,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Life & Voluntary Benefits

Job summary

Lumen seeks a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to lead architectural strategy and rigorous experimentation across emerging network technologies. This senior role shapes reference architectures, evaluates vendor capabilities, and guides strategic decisions with measurable outcomes.

Remote across the U.S., you will partner with engineering, product, security, and business teams to translate complex findings into actionable roadmaps and customer-focused capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or related technical field.
• 12+ years of network architecture and R&D experience.
• Deep expertise in optical/transport, IP networking, programmable networks, or cloud-native infrastructure.
• Proven ability to translate technical uncertainty into experiments and architecture options.

Responsibilities

• Provide architectural direction for emerging network technologies and initiatives.
• Evaluate technologies such as quantum networking, post-quantum cryptography, AI infrastructure, and autonomous networks.
• Develop reference architectures, design patterns, and POC approaches.
• Lead deep technical analyses of vendor, startup, academic, and national lab opportunities for actionable insight.
• Design experiments, pilots, labs validations, simulations, and assessments for feasibility, scalability, and security.
• Translate findings into clear architecture implications and actionable recommendations for executives.
• Collaborate with multiple teams to align R&D with enterprise priorities and customer needs.
• Establish disciplined governance for R&D, including reviews and exit criteria.

Skills

Network architecture

R&D strategy

Technical leadership

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Lumen seeks a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to lead architectural strategy and rigorous experimentation across emerging network technologies. This senior role shapes reference architectures, evaluates vendor capabilities, and guides strategic decisions with measurable outcomes.

Remote across the U.S., you will partner with engineering, product, security, and business teams to translate complex findings into actionable roadmaps and customer-focused capabilities.