About the RoleWe are building a next-generation SDR-based wireless mesh network for real-time voice, video, and data in challenging environments. Our stack includes a custom PHY, frequency hopping, and multi-hop MANET routing.We’re looking for a Wireless Network Protocol Engineer who can bridge the gap between radio hardware (SDR) and Linux networking, designing robust MAC / link-layer protocols and integrating them with mesh routing (e.g., batman-adv).If you enjoy making packets survive over noisy RF links, tuning protocols at MAC level, and working close to the metal, this role is for you.Key Responsibilities- Design & implement the radio MAC / link layer on top of our existing PHY:Frame structure, sequence numbers, ARQ/retransmissionsFragmentation / reassembly for larger packetsBasic QoS for voice, video, and file/data traffic- Integrate the radio with Linux networking:Expose the radio as a Linux network interface (netdev) (e.g., sdr0)Make it work seamlessly with batman-adv or similar mesh / MANET protocolsSupport standard IP networking over the mesh- Work with frequency hopping and scheduling:Implement time-slot based transmission and frequency hopping patternsDesign a link-layer scheduler that respects QoS and slot timing- Performance & reliability:Measure and optimise throughput, latency, and packet loss over multi-hop linksTune parameters (MTU, retries, timers, CW, etc.) based on real-world tests- Collaboration:Work closely with the hardware / SDR / FPGA team on timing, RF tuning, and integrationCoordinate with application / AI / backend teams to understand traffic patterns and QoS needs- Documentation & testing:Write clear documentation for protocols, APIs, and configurationDevelop test plans, simulation setups, and on-device tests for various topologiesMust-Have Qualifications- Strong proficiency in C for systems / embedded programming - Solid understanding of computer networking fundamentals: - Ethernet, ARP, IP, UDP/TCP - L2 vs L3, routing vs bridging, MTU, fragmentation - Hands-on experience with wireless protocols at MAC / driver level, for example: - Wi-Fi (802.11), 802.11s mesh, Wi-SUN, LoRa/LoRaWAN, 6LoWPAN, ZigBee, or similar - Experience with Linux networking: - Working with network interfaces, routing, bridging - Using tools like ip, tcpdump, wireshark, tc, etc. - Exposure to at least one of: - Mesh / ad hoc networking (batman-adv, OLSR, Babel, 802.11s, OpenWrt) - Software Defined Radio (SDR) (USRP, GNU Radio, LimeSDR, etc.)Nice-to-Have Skills- Experience writing or modifying Linux network drivers (netdev): - Familiarity with ndo_start_xmit, netif_rx, SKBs, and kernel networking APIs - Knowledge of OFDM / COFDM, SNR, link budgets, and RF basics - Experience with frequency hopping and time-synchronised TDMA or similar schemes - Familiarity with OpenWrt or embedded Linux systems - Experience with network security / crypto, such as: - WireGuard, IPsec, TLS, or custom link-layer encryption - Prior work on MANET research (ns-3 simulations, academic projects, theses, etc.)What We’re Looking For (Mindset)- You like working close to the hardware, not just at the application layer - You’re comfortable debugging with tcpdump, Wireshark, logic analyzers, and RF tools - You enjoy reading specs, protocol RFCs, and digging into kernel code when needed - You can take a high-level “we need voice + video over a mesh in bad RF conditions” requirement and turn it into a concrete protocol and implementation plan
Job Title
Wireless Network Protocol Engineer