Sr. Director R&D BTS Systems Engineering for Green Mobile Broadband - Abba Wireless Executive Search Group

Position Description

Significant opportunity to lead the end-to-end BTS components level Systems Engineering in Product Development, Product Road mapping, and Strategic Product Direction for a Fortune 200 manufacturer that is changing mobile broadband for Emerging Markets (Middle east, India, Africa, Eastern Europe). This broadband wireless system is unique in being cost-effective for consumers in emerging markets that are without huge power grids and modern telecom infrastructure. The system includes the BTS portion, not the actual radio systems or BSC. It concentrates on the RF performance (antennas, power amplifiers, RF filters, LNAs, passive RF components) and covers a range of technologies for the emerging markets (GSM Edge, WCDMA, UMTS. and 4G Technologies (WiMAX and LTE). The system is both “green” in deployment as it does not require huge power grids as well as replacing or overlaying existing networks. This is a well funded initiative by a large publicly traded company with worldwide expertise in other aspects of microwave systems, components, and antenna manufacturing. Current facility in Portland, Maine area, but may well open new facility for this division in Portsmouth/Manchester, NH (near Boston), DFW, or Stockholm, Sweden. Company offers full relocation package, attractive compensation plan, and this position should lead to VP level within 6 months depending on your accomplishments in this initiative.

You will be the “building block” working directly with the VPs in Antenna Systems, VPs in Business Development, and VPs in Manufacturing, emerging market customers in India, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe to develop a new system. Therefore the ideal candidate must have not only a proven track record in complete product lifecycles that are successful in the market, but must have the global experience to have worked with the business objectives in emerging markets, cost-effective manufacturing processes, and business development skills.

It is a very hands-on role in that you will define the end-to-end BTS systems product and detail the systems architecture requirements, architect the systems for pre-production, and develop the BTS system for manufacturing. They are NOT building the radio systems, but the BTS and require an expert in passive RF components, power amplifier and LAN design, RF filters, and antennas. Must have built R&D engineering teams both in USA and in India, China, and Europe. Build a team of systems, test, software, and hardware engineers. Make presentation to Senior Executive Management and to Customers. Be a major contributor to this Business Objective.

The ideal candidate has an employment background in managing end-to-end systems engineering of GSM BTS working for a cellular infrastructure vendor (like Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, Nortel, Alcatel, etc.) and RF components vendor (Qualcomm, Broadcom, ADC, etc.) building passive RF components (antenna arrays, EMI/RFI filters, power amplifiers, multiplexers, know RFIC or MMIC circuit design for different types of power combining and splitting components). You must also have worked in a startup, pre-IPO infrastructure vendor managing GSM or CDMA or WiMAX end-to-end BTS in R&D Systems Engineering building products and teams from scratch. Global experience having worked in both Europe and USA as well as have not only hands-on systems engineering and engineering management skills, but also solid aide to business development in having performed technical presentation skills at the CEO and CTO level both internal and customers.

Must have experience in multi-generational product planning (product planning from a systems and marketing and business objectives need). In addition, you must know cost-effective manufacturing process design.

Requires a MSEE with MBA or PhD EE with MBA with 15+ years experience in building and leading R&D systems engineering teams in developing end-to-end BTS for GSM and CDMA. Must be an expert in RF modulation, in particular the design of passive RF components (antenna arrays, EMI/RFI filters, power amplifiers, multiplexers, RFIC/MMIC circuits for different types of power combining and splitting components), and active RF components (diodes, transistors, chipsets, LNAs, and monitoring equipment). Must be familiar with WiMAX, LTE, WCDMA, and other existing and emerging wireless technologies.
Must be fluent in full product lifecycles from systems specifications to defining the architecture to field testing. Experience working with HFSS, Mathcad, Mathlab, and Eagleware are a MUST! Must be familiar with link budget analysis, RF propagation, analysis and optimization in multi-carrier networks, interference analysis, determination of coverage and capacity, handover analysis, issues and optimization.
This position will be promoted to VP within 6 months.

Must be US citizen, US permanent resident, Canadian citizen, or dual US/EU citizenship. Travel will be up to 30% in first 4-6 months in determining facility, recruiting and building a team (whether in Europe or USA).

How to Apply