Core Network Lead

Help Us Build The Future of Travel At Airalo, we're making it easier for people to stay connected wherever they travel. As the world's first eSIM store, we help millions of travelers access affordable mobile data in 200+ countries and regions around the world. Today, we're a team of 400+ people across 60+ countries, building a product used by travelers every day. We've grown quickly, but we've worked hard to keep what matters: trust, ownership, and the freedom for people to do great work without unnecessary layers or bureaucracy. We're fully remote by design, genuinely global, and united by a shared mission to make travel simpler for everyone. Your Next Destination Location: Remote. Contract: Full-time, permanent. Benefits: Learn more about our benefits here in this link - https://airalo-public.notion.site/Benefits-25396a97ffca81fb9bc1f0be479f1be3?pvs=74  Languages: English is our main working language day to day, so you'll need to be comfortable communicating in it both in meetings and async. What You'll Do: • Lead, mentor and manage a team of around five engineers and QA specialists, owning sprint planning, task allocation and technical reviews across concurrent global rollout streams. • Establish engineering best practices, integration templates, automated testing strategy and technical handover standards. • Lead technical integrations with host mobile network operators globally, across signalling, packet core, voice and messaging. • Own the architecture and setup of Full MVNO core components, from the subscriber database (HSS/HLR) through packet core, signalling routing and messaging platforms. • Direct implementation and troubleshooting across the signalling stack, including Diameter and SS7. • Own end-to-end service readiness across data, voice and SMS, covering session management, policy enforcement, data routing, VoLTE, legacy circuit-switched voice and international interconnects. • Design and validate mobile number portability routing in line with country-specific regulatory frameworks. • Own regulatory compliance for each market, covering lawful interception (ETSI ES 201 671 / TS 102 232, HI1/HI2/HI3) and emergency service routing such as e112, 911 and 999. • Partner with QA on integration test plans, stress testing and acceptance testing, then drive Operational Readiness Reviews and clean documented handovers to the 24/7 Run team after launch. What You'll Bring: • 5+ years hands-on in mobile core networks and Full MVNO integrations. • 2+ years leading a team of engineers and/or QA specialists in an agile or delivery-focused environment. • Strong working knowledge of both packet core and voice core, including the subscriber database (HSS/HLR), policy and charging, VoLTE and legacy circuit-switched voice. • Expertise across the signalling stack, including Diameter, SS7 and SIP. • Experience with messaging architecture and SMS routing, including interworking with other operators. • Proven experience delivering mobile number portability and lawful interception solutions. • Strong delivery mindset across multiple concurrent rollout streams, with clear communication and the ability to produce documentation good enough to hand a system over on. Nice to have • Automation experience: CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, Ansible), containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) or automated signalling test frameworks. • Hands-on with core MVNO vendors such as Nokia, Ericsson, Mavenir, Oracle Communications, Cisco, Summa Networks, NetNumber or XIUS. • Cloud-native or virtualised network functions on AWS, Azure, GCP or private cloud. • Degree in telecommunications engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or similar. Why People Join Us We started Airalo to make staying connected effortless, wherever you are in the world. Today, millions of travelers rely on our eSIMs, and many of the people building the product were customers first. Our team spans 60+ countries, united by a shared belief that great work happens when people are trusted to own what they do. There's trust to own what you do, space to focus without constant layers of process, and a clear sense of what you're responsible for from day one. As Airalo continues to grow, so do the opportunities to learn, take on new challenges, and make a real impact - from anywhere in the world. On-Call Participating in our on-call rotation is a core expectation of this role. It's essential for maintaining 24/7 service reliability across our global operations, ensuring our systems remain resilient and our customers experience uninterrupted service, regardless of time zone or geography. Paid Rotation: We offer standby fees + overtime pay. Delayed Start: No on-call duties for your first 6 months. Rest & Recovery: Guaranteed rest periods and flexible hours following night incidents. Shared Load: Rotations are split (Weekdays vs. Weekends) to minimize fatigue. Please refer to the On-Call Policy in the Airalo Handbook for full details: https://airalo-public.notion.site/our-approach-to-engineering-on-call-policy Before You Hit Apply By applying, you acknowledge and agree that, in case of successful application, Airalo may request to run background checks as a condition for entering into an agreement with you. Rest assured that these checks will only occur upon your prior consent and at the end of the selection process, and will be strictly limited to what is allowed under the laws that are applicable to you. All data that you share or that we collect in connection with such checks will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, available here: www.airalo.com/more-info/privacy-policy?srsltid=AfmBOooBT0rXAj1FaNelZ3VfN0wvhwzvAoxdtHnOKSVETpiSjiXVuycy    We sincerely thank all applicants in advance for submitting their interest in this opportunity. Airalo is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity, equity & inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations upon request for individuals with disabilities throughout our job interview process.