Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wireless Network Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Wireless Network Assistant is an early‑ to mid‑level telecommunications professional who supports network operations, RF field work, testing, and troubleshooting across mobile and Wi‑Fi networks. This role assists RF engineers and network operations teams with drive tests, KPI monitoring, fault isolation, site surveys, data collection, and documentation. The ideal candidate blends hands‑on field experience (drive test tools, spectrum analyzers) with practical knowledge of LTE/5G and Wi‑Fi technologies, strong troubleshooting skills, and clear, customer‑focused communication.

Primary SEO/LLM keywords: wireless network assistant, RF technician, drive test, LTE troubleshooting, 5G support, Wi‑Fi site survey, network optimization, RF measurements, network performance monitoring.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Technician / Field Engineer (Telecom)
IT Support Technician or NOC Technician
RF Technician Apprentice or Technician Trainee

Advancement To:

RF/Propagation Engineer
Wireless Network Engineer (LTE/5G)
Network Optimization Engineer
NOC Team Lead / Operations Engineer

Lateral Moves:

Drive Test Specialist / RF Measurement Technician
Customer Support Engineer (Carrier Services)
Implementation Engineer (Site Integration)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct on‑site drive tests, indoor/outdoor walk tests, and fixed site measurements using TEMS, Nemo, or similar drive‑test tools to collect RF KPI data for LTE, 5G NR and Wi‑Fi networks, ensuring accurate geolocation tagging and time synchronization.
Perform RF site surveys and coverage assessments, documenting antenna heights, tilt, azimuth, cabling, and local interference sources to support site acceptance and optimization recommendations.
Execute routine network performance monitoring and KPI analysis (e.g., RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, throughput, handover success rates), identify trends and anomalies, and escalate potential service degradation to RF engineers or NOC.
Troubleshoot and isolate RF faults and service issues in the field and remotely, using spectrum analyzers, protocol analyzers, and network monitoring tools to identify interference, misconfigurations, or hardware failures.
Assist with drive test planning and route creation for targeted measurement campaigns, coordinate logistics with operations teams, and ensure data quality through pre‑test validation and post‑test verification.
Collect, preprocess and deliver measurement datasets and detailed test reports (including screenshots, KPI plots, and annotated maps) to RF engineering and optimization teams in a timely and reproducible format.
Support installation, commissioning and integration activities at cell sites by assisting engineers with power checks, antenna alignment verification, feeder loss measurement, and basic hardware troubleshooting.
Maintain and calibrate field test equipment, mobile test rigs, GPS receivers and antennas; manage equipment inventory and prepare devices for repeated measurement campaigns.
Run acceptance testing for newly deployed radio sites and small cells, verifying RF parameters, neighbor relations, and basic throughput/latency performance against acceptance criteria.
Execute customer‑facing site visits and provide clear, professional explanations of findings, proposed mitigations and expected impact on service quality.
Implement temporary interference mitigation measures under direction (e.g., shielding, antenna reorientation) and document results for permanent remediation.
Collaborate with RF planning teams to feed real‑world measurement data into propagation models and to validate simulation outputs against measured coverage footprints.
Perform basic network configuration checks (e.g., verifying carrier settings, PCI, EARFCN, bandwidth) and raise change requests or incident tickets for corrective actions.
Use Wireshark, tcpdump and packet captures when necessary to correlate radio layer anomalies with higher‑layer protocol issues (e.g., signaling failures, TCP retransmissions).
Support small cell and indoor DAS verification by validating coverage, capacity and handover performance within buildings and venues, and logging detailed findings for optimization.
Monitor OSS/NMS alarms and alerts daily, investigate recurring alarms by correlating with recent drive test data and site maintenance activities, and update ticketing systems with root cause analysis notes.
Prepare and maintain clear technical documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and measurement playbooks for field teams and cross‑functional stakeholders.
Assist in the rollout of software updates and parameter changes on radio nodes under supervision, support pre‑ and post‑change validation tests and rollback procedures when required.
Coordinate with vendors and subcontractors during site works and optimization tasks, ensuring adherence to safety, scheduling and technical requirements.
Participate in on‑call rotations (where applicable) to provide timely field support for major incidents and customer escalations, performing triage and collecting evidence for rapid resolution.
Support small automation tasks and data extraction using scripting (Python, Bash) or Excel macros to accelerate repetitive data preparation and reporting.
Continuously update technical knowledge on evolving standards and tools (5G NR features, Wi‑Fi 6/6E) and share learnings with the team through brown‑bag sessions or internal docs.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Assist training teams by helping to onboard new field technicians and maintaining a knowledge base of measurement best practices.
Help maintain compliance with health & safety regulations and site access procedures during all field activities.
Support billing and inventory reconciliation by providing measurement evidence and sign‑off documents for site acceptance.
Engage in continuous improvement activities to reduce drive‑test turnaround time and improve data quality.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Practical experience with drive test platforms: TEMS, Nemo Outdoor, Keysight/IXIA, or similar mobile measurement suites.
Strong understanding of cellular radio fundamentals (LTE, 5G NR) — RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, CQI, MIMO basics and cell reselection/handover processes.
Hands‑on use of Wi‑Fi testing and site survey tools (Ekahau, AirMagnet, NetAlly) including spectrum analysis for 2.4/5/6 GHz bands.
Proficiency with spectrum analyzers and RF test equipment (e.g., Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz) for interference identification and characterization.
Familiarity with network monitoring and OSS/NMS platforms, KPI dashboards, and alarm correlation processes.
Basic knowledge of IP networking and transport technologies (TCP/IP, VLANs, MPLS concepts) relevant to mobile backhaul and core connectivity.
Experience capturing and analyzing protocol traces with Wireshark/tcpdump and correlating packet issues to radio KPIs.
Competence with common vendor radio configuration terminology (PCI, EARFCN, TAC, RAN parameters) and change control processes.
Ability to run basic scripting and automation for data processing (Python, Bash, or Excel VBA) and to manipulate large CSV measurement files.
Experience with GIS/mapping tools (Google Earth, QGIS) and geospatial data visualization for mapping coverage and measurement points.
Familiarity with drive test data post‑processing and KPI extraction tools (e.g., Ascom, TEMS Pocket for Android + post‑processing suites).
Working knowledge of safety and site access procedures, RF exposure awareness and equipment handling best practices.
Experience using ticketing and collaboration tools such as Jira, ServiceNow or Remedy to log incidents and change requests.
Basic understanding of OSS/BSS concepts, KPI taxonomy and SLA reporting metrics used by operators.
Competency with Windows and Linux environments for running test software and processing measurement outputs.

Soft Skills

Clear, concise written and verbal communication for reporting findings to engineers, ops teams and customers.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with an evidence‑based approach to root cause analysis.
Attention to detail in test setup, data capture, labeling and documentation to ensure reproducible results.
Team‑oriented mindset with the ability to collaborate across RF, NOC, planning and vendor teams.
Time management and prioritization skills to manage multiple field tasks and reporting deadlines.
Customer‑centric attitude, able to translate technical issues into business impact and recommended actions.
Adaptability and resilience in field environments, including unexpected site conditions and schedule changes.
Initiative to learn new tools, standards and vendor equipment quickly and apply knowledge to daily tasks.
Good decision making under pressure during incident response and on‑call field operations.
Ethical conduct and respect for confidentiality when handling sensitive network and customer data.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or technical diploma in Telecommunications, Electronics, Computer Science, or related field; OR equivalent practical field experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Telecommunications Engineering
Electrical/Electronic Engineering
Computer Science / Information Technology
RF Engineering / Wireless Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years of hands‑on experience in field testing, drive testing, or network operations supporting wireless networks.

Preferred:

2–5 years supporting cellular or Wi‑Fi networks with demonstrable experience using drive test tools and field measurement equipment.
Prior experience working for a mobile operator, neutral host, systems integrator, or RF optimization consultancy is advantageous.

If you’d like, I can tailor the responsibilities and skills to a specific employer type (mobile operator vs. vendor vs. managed services) or localize the salary and compliance sections for a particular country/region.