Senior Network R&D Architect for AI-Ready Connectivity

Lumen; Richmond (VA); Remote; USD 167,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to lead architectural direction across emerging network technologies and enterprise strategy. This senior individual contributor role operates at the intersection of advanced networking, technology strategy, and vendor partnerships.

You will shape hypotheses, run experiments and pilots, develop reference architectures, and translate findings into actionable guidance for technical and business leaders. Remote in the U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, CS, EE, telecom, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years in network architecture, R&D, or related technical discipline.
• Deep expertise in optical/transport, IP, programmable networks, and AI-enabled infra.
• Ability to evaluate emerging technologies and translate uncertainty into experiments and options.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and making sound recommendations with evolving data.
• Strong executive and technical communication to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Proven ability to influence across matrixed teams and external partners.
• Commitment to disciplined experimentation with hypotheses, milestones, and gates.
• Ability to mentor and elevate architectural thinking across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior technical authority for Network R&D initiatives with architectural direction.
• Evaluate technologies like quantum networking, post-quantum cryptography, AI infrastructure.
• Develop reference architectures, design patterns, proofs-of-concept and decision frameworks.
• Lead deep technical analysis of vendors, startups, labs, and partnerships for actionable insight.
• Design experiments, pilots, lab validations, simulations, and technical assessments.
• Translate findings into architecture implications, risk assessments, and actionable recommendations.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Architecture, Product, Security, Operations, Finance, Legal, Procurement.
• Identify dependencies, standards implications, operating model impacts, and commercialization paths.
• Provide thought leadership on future network evolution and customer differentiation.
• Establish governance for R&D with architecture reviews and exit criteria.
• Represent Network R&D in forums, partner discussions, and executive briefings.
• Maintain external view of technology shifts and partner ecosystems for strategic advantage.

Skills

Network architecture

R&D strategy

Executive communication

Technical leadership

Ambiguity navigation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Network Research & Development, to lead architectural direction across emerging network technologies and enterprise strategy. This senior individual contributor role operates at the intersection of advanced networking, technology strategy, and vendor partnerships.

You will shape hypotheses, run experiments and pilots, develop reference architectures, and translate findings into actionable guidance for technical and business leaders. Remote in the U.S.