Principal Automation and AI Operations Engineer

AST SpaceMobile · Dallas, TX

Level: Senior
Team: Controls
Degree: Required
Experience asked: 5+ years
Industry: Aerospace & defense
Posted: 30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A senior controls role at AST SpaceMobile (aerospace & defense) in Dallas, TX. Proven, hands-on competence across network automation; Python, Go, or similar languages; infrastructure as code; event-driven systems; workflow automation; data engineering; machine learning; AIOps; autonomous remediation; digital twins; and policy-driven.

They ask for: 5+ years · degree required
Tools it names: Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Automation, Capacity planning, Tooling

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

How this role compares

Against 76 other live controls postings in Texas.

Base pay: Not listed in this posting
Experience asked: More than usual (5+ vs 4+)

Skills these teams ask for most

PLC 84%
✓ Automation 77%
Robotics 38%
EHS / safety 27%
Root cause 22%
✓ Python 22%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Capacity planning, Tooling, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 5+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone on the team first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

1
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at AST SpaceMobile
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: AST SpaceMobile in Dallas

1 other open role at this site.

Automation Engineer · Controls

Full description from AST SpaceMobileAs posted on their careers site.Show

Key Responsibilities

◆Define, lifecycle-manage, and document the NAS and NCC SKUs within the Gateway.
◆Design and build automated test frameworks and scripts for Gateway subsystems, including RF chain, baseband, BPMS, eNB/gNB, networking, and NCC/OSS interfaces.
◆Drive pre- and post-deployment validation on each Gateway SKU against golden configuration and performance baselines.
◆Partner with RF, hardware, and software engineering teams to align test plans and pass/fail criteria, and support field trials and FOAs.
◆Work with Operations and OSS teams to enable end-to-end visibility and management of the Gateway.
◆Automate repetitive operating and engineering tasks, and build event-driven remediation workflows.
◆Integrate telemetry with operational decision engines, and develop predictive failure and capacity models.
◆Create automated incident triage and build engineering assistants for troubleshooting.
◆Establish guardrails for AI-driven operational actions and develop digital representations of network and service state (digital twins).
◆Automate configuration validation prior to deployment, and measure automation coverage and manual-touch reduction.

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.

Experience

✓5+ years of experience in network automation, DevOps/SRE, or operations engineering, ideally within telecom, networking, or satellite ground-segment environments.
✓Building automated test frameworks that replace manual validation procedures at scale.
✓Defining and lifecycle-managing hardware/software SKUs and associated acceptance criteria.
✓Supporting field trials, FOAs, or first-deployment validation for new network products.
✓Proven, hands-on competence across network automation; Python, Go, or similar languages; infrastructure as code; event-driven systems; workflow automation; data engineering; machine learning; AIOps; autonomous remediation; digital twins; and policy-driven operations.
✓Integrating telemetry pipelines with operational decision engines or automated remediation systems.

Preferred Qualifications

✓Experience building or operating toward a highly autonomous operations model.
✓Familiarity with NAS and NCC systems, or equivalent core network/operations-support platforms.
✓Experience with predictive/ML-based failure detection or capacity planning models in a production network.
✓Familiarity with satellite, RF, or baseband subsystems and their test/validation requirements.
✓Experience developing digital twins or simulation models of network/service state.
✓Background establishing governance or guardrails for AI-driven or autonomous operational actions.

Requirements

✓Ability to work in a standard office environment and use a computer for extended periods.
✓Ability to work in laboratory and technical testing environments.
✓Ability to travel periodically to support deployment, integration, testing, and operational ac

Show full description ↓

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Principal Automation and AI Operations Engineer to support the definition, lifecycle management, and documentation of the NAS and NCC SKUs within the Gateway and their integration with other Gateway elements — including the Q/V systems, eNB/gNB, BPMS, and Networking — as well as other OSS systems.

This role is responsible for designing automated test frameworks and scripts for Gateway subsystems, driving pre- and post-deployment validation of each Gateway SKU against golden configuration and performance baselines, and partnering with RF, hardware, software, and service delivery teams on test plans, pass/fail criteria, field trials, and FOAs to ensure Gateway operability under a highly autonomous operating model.

The ideal candidate is collaborative, methodical, and automation-minded, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where test coverage, manual-touch reduction, and automation scope expand with each new Gateway SKU and feature.

Soft Skills

•Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive relationships across technical and non-technical teams.
•Proven ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional engineering, product, and operations organizations.
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts.
•Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a methodical approach to troubleshooting.
•Meticulous attention to detail to ensure the accuracy of technical documentation, test results, and project deliverables.
•Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
•Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment.

Technology Stack

•Python, Go, or similar languages for automation and tooling development.
•Infrastructure-as-code frameworks (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, or equivalent).
•Event-driven and workflow-automation platforms.
•Data engineering and telemetry pipelines (e.g., streaming/message-bus systems, time-series databases).
•Machine learning and AIOps platforms for predictive analytics and automated remediation.
•Digital twin/simulation tooling for network and service state modeling.
•CI/CD and automated test frameworks for RF, baseband, BPMS, eNB/gNB, and networking subsystems.
•NCC/OSS platforms and their APIs for end-to-end Gateway visibility and management.

Physical