Vice President, Global R&D Quality & Intelligent Validation

Designation: Vice President, Global R&D Quality & Intelligent Validation

Location: Bengaluru, Hybrid

Why should you choose us?

Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecommunications through cloud-native, Open RAN and software-driven mobile network solutions. Built on the technology and operational expertise used to launch Japan's newest mobile network, Rakuten Symphony is transforming how operators build, deploy and operate mobile networks globally.

As the industry accelerates toward Open RAN, cloud-native architectures, AI-driven automation and software-defined networks, Rakuten Symphony is at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions that enable operators to deploy and operate networks faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost.

The Radio Access Network (RAN) Business Unit is a critical pillar of Rakuten Symphony's growth strategy, responsible for delivering world-class RAN software products, driving commercial success, and enabling customer deployments across global markets.

We are seeking exceptional leaders who thrive in fast-paced environments, embrace accountability, and are passionate about building industry-leading products and organizations.

Let's build the future of mobile telecommunications together.

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We are looking for a head of Product I&V (Integration and validation). You will own the Product Testing lifecycle of our RAN portfolio, ensuring that our development velocity is matched by rigorous, AI-driven validation. You must be capable of managing a large-scale organization (100+ headcount), engaging with global customers at an executive level, and driving a cultural shift toward automation and intelligent testing.

Key Responsibilities:

• R&D Quality Leadership: Lead the end-to-end QA strategy for RAN R&D. Unlike service delivery roles, this position focuses on deep-tier product validation, working alongside hardware and software engineering teams to ensure quality is baked into the development lifecycle.
• Large-Scale Organizational Management: Provide strategic and operational leadership to a team of 100+ professionals. Foster a high-performance culture that emphasizes technical rigor, accountability, and innovation.
• AI & Automation Transformation: Move the organization away from manual-intensive processes. Lead the implementation of AI-driven testing tools and advanced automation frameworks to optimize test coverage and reduce time-to-market.
• Executive Representation: Act as the primary face of our quality organization to global customers. You must be able to articulate our quality roadmap, handle high-stakes performance escalations, and maintain the trust of Tier-1 telecom partners.
• Technical Stakeholder Alignment: Partner with R&D heads to integrate testing into the CI/CD pipeline. Use your deep RAN domain expertise to challenge development assumptions and ensure the product meets 3GPP and industry performance standards.
• Capacity & Resource Planning: Oversee the recruitment, training, and retention of top-tier talent in the competitive Bangalore telecom market.
• Lab Resource management: Ownership and Management of Lab resources viz. tools, test environments and overall architecture for the I&V lab.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Domain Expertise: 1825 years of total experience in the Telecommunications sector, with a non-negotiable focus on RAN R&D. (Note: OSS/BSS or pure Service Delivery profiles will not be considered).
• Proven Scale: Demonstrated experience managing large, complex technical teams of 100+ personnel in a product-development environment.
• Technical Proficiency:
• Deep knowledge of 4G/5G RAN architecture and Telecom software.
• Good understanding of ORAN architecture and principles.
• Hands-on experience with AI-based testing tools and modern automation stacks.
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle (PDLC) in an R&D context.
• Strategic Communication: Exceptional ability to present to global customers and internal leadership. You must be comfortable managing pressure and providing clear, actionable insights during critical project phases.
• Location: Must be based in Bangalore. (Willingness to be on-site 3-4 days per week is required to facilitate collaboration with the leadership team).
• Education: Bachelors degree in Engineering (Telecommunications/Computer Science). Advanced degrees or relevant certifications in Quality/Management are a plus.

Why this role is unique:

• Product vs. Service: This is a core R&D role. You are building the quality engine of the product, not just maintaining service levels.
• High Impact: You will be the architect of our "Quality-First" approach, influencing the product roadmap for our global RAN deployments.
• Strategic Autonomy: You will be an independent leader, reporting to executive management and playing a key role in defining the future of our R&D quality processes.

RAKUTEN SHUGI PRINCIPLES:

Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviours that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success.

• Always improve, always advance. Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen.
• Be passionately professional. Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best.
• Hypothesize - Practice - Validate - Shikumika. Use the Rakuten Cycle to success in unknown territory.
• Maximize Customer Satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction for workers in a service industry is to see their customers smile.
• Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! Always be conscious of time. Take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team.