Lumen Technologies

Lumen Technologies

Senior Director, Network Research and Development

Remote, USA · Director

Sponsorship not specified$175k-$233kDetected 9 days ago
A/B TestingProduct ManagementProduct StrategyProcurementIntellectual PropertyElectrical EngineeringNetwork EngineeringAR/VRResearchLeadershipCommunication

About the role

  • This leader will serve as the single-threaded owner for Network R&D, driving a focused portfolio of emerging technology bets that inform future architecture, product, security, and network strategy.
  • Translate emerging technology trends into practical implications for Lumen's network strategy, product roadmap, architecture decisions, and future-state operating model.
  • Protect the R&D team from being pulled into ongoing operational execution or near-term delivery work while maintaining strong connectivity to the teams that may eventually scale or operationalize validated capabilities.

Responsibilities

  • Define and manage a clear R&D charter that distinguishes exploratory research and validation from production delivery, near-term roadmap execution, and business-as-usual architecture work.
  • Establish disciplined intake, review, and reporting mechanisms to evaluate R&D opportunities, track outcomes, and support quarterly governance discussions with senior leaders and investment stakeholders.
  • Drive strong stop/continue decision-making by quickly ending low-value or non-viable initiatives and reallocating focus toward the highest-potential opportunities.
  • Build a culture of technical depth, curiosity, accountability, disciplined experimentation, transparency, and enterprise-minded decision-making.
  • With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.
  • Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.

Requirements

  • 15+ years of experience in network engineering, network architecture, advanced technology strategy, R&D, product engineering, emerging technology incubation, or a related technical leadership function.
  • 10+ years of experience leading technical teams, senior engineers, architects, or cross-functional innovation programs.
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate emerging technologies and translate technical uncertainty into structured experiments, decision points, and business-relevant recommendations.
  • Strong strategic thinking with the ability to connect long-horizon technology shifts to enterprise priorities, customer needs, financial impact, and future network differentiation.

Nice to have

  • Experience leading R&D, innovation, advanced architecture, emerging technology, lab, or incubation teams within a telecommunications, cloud, infrastructure, security, or deep technology environment.
  • Exposure to quantum technologies, post-quantum cryptography, QKD, advanced optical systems, next-generation fiber, photonics, AI infrastructure, autonomous networks, digital twins, or programmable network architectures.
  • Experience structuring technology pilots, proof-of-concepts, vendor co-development efforts, academic collaborations, national lab engagements, standards participation, or startup partnerships.
  • Strong understanding of intellectual property considerations, vendor partnership models, co-development terms, licensing approaches, or commercialization pathways for emerging technology work.
  • Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.
  • We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them.

Compensation

  • $175k-$233k

Benefits

  • Benefits Bonus Structure Requisition #: 342787 Life at Lumen Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization.
  • We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.
  • Develop and govern a portfolio of R&D initiatives across adjacent, emerging, and frontier horizons, ensuring each initiative has a clear hypothesis, learning milestone, kill criterion, and decision value.

Visa & Work Authorization

  • nities We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or inform
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This listing is sourced directly from Lumen Technologies's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.