Communications Jobs in European Defence43 jobs

The technical skills involved vary by subdomain. Satellite communications roles typically require RF engineering, link budget analysis and experience with ground segment or terminal design. Tactical radio work leans on embedded software, waveform development and protocol stack implementation. Companies building 5G and LTE networks for military use look for telecom engineers familiar with 3GPP standards who can adapt those protocols for deployable, hardened environments. Photonic and free-space optical communications, an area where Cailabs is active, require optics and photonics backgrounds. Experience with anti-jamming, low-probability-of-intercept or mesh networking is a recurring requirement, reflecting the shift from benign operating environments to actively contested spectrum.

Many communications roles sit closer to classified programmes than other defence tech categories, because the systems themselves handle sensitive information and their performance characteristics are often restricted. Clearance requirements are therefore more common, though the employer typically initiates vetting and candidates are not expected to hold clearance before applying. For candidates coming from commercial telecom, the transition is viable. The physics of radio propagation and network protocols remain the same. What changes is the operating environment, the certification standards and the assumption that someone may be actively trying to deny, degrade or intercept the link.