Senior Network R&D Architect for AI-Ready Connectivity

Lumen; Columbia (SC); Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development to lead architectural strategy and disciplined experimentation at the intersection of advanced networking and enterprise decision‑making. This individual contributor role shapes reference architectures, evaluates vendor capabilities, and guides roadmaps for future network capabilities.

You’ll translate complex findings into actionable guidance for executives and technical teams, collaborate across functions, and maintain a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, CS, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years in network architecture, R&D, or related technical discipline.
• Proven ability to turn complex tech into actionable architecture decisions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior technical authority for Network R&D initiatives and architecture direction.
• Evaluate emerging technologies like quantum networking, post-quantum cryptography, AI infrastructure, and autonomous networks.
• Develop reference architectures, design patterns, and decision frameworks for future capabilities.
• Lead analysis of external partners, startups, and labs to generate actionable insights.
• Design experiments, pilots, and simulations to test feasibility, scalability, and security.
• Translate findings into clear risk, trade-off, and roadmap recommendations for leadership.

Skills

Network architecture

Executive communication

Technical leadership

Experimentation

Vendor evaluation

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Quantum networking

AI infrastructure

Cloud-native infrastructure

Job description

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development to lead architectural strategy and disciplined experimentation at the intersection of advanced networking and enterprise decision‑making. This individual contributor role shapes reference architectures, evaluates vendor capabilities, and guides roadmaps for future network capabilities.

You’ll translate complex findings into actionable guidance for executives and technical teams, collaborate across functions, and maintain a