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Freelance Packet Core Engineer Jobs in Park Forest, IL

Canonical

Telco Cloud Field Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

The role of a Telecommunications Field Engineer at Canonical The telco industry is moving to ... Mobile Packet Core (4G/5G), Private Network, Radio Access Network (RAN), Voice, IP Backbone, VAS or ...

IMC

Network Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

Core areas include low-latency networking, unicast and multicast routing, BGP, PIM-SM, performance ... packet analysis * Experience with diverse network switching hardware platforms * Hands-on scripting ...

IMC

Backbone Network Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

Core Responsibilities: * Design and optimize backbone infrastructure for high-speed, low-latency ... Strong troubleshooting skills across LAN, unicast/multicast routing, and packet-level analysis.

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Freelance Packet Core Engineer information

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$14

$47

$130

How much do freelance packet core engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of May 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance packet core engineer in Park Forest, IL is $47.01, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $23.94 and $60.87 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Freelance Packet Core Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Packet Core Engineer, you need expertise in mobile core network technologies (such as EPC, 4G/5G, and IP networking), typically backed by a degree in telecommunications or computer science. Proficiency with tools like Wireshark, EPC nodes (MME, SGW, PGW), and certifications from vendors like Cisco or Nokia are highly valued. Strong analytical thinking, effective communication, and self-management skills set standout engineers apart in client-driven environments. These skills ensure reliable network performance, efficient troubleshooting, and successful project delivery in a rapidly evolving telecom landscape.

What are the most common challenges faced by Freelance Packet Core Engineers when working with multiple clients?

Freelance Packet Core Engineers often face challenges such as quickly adapting to varying network architectures, managing different client expectations, and ensuring seamless integration with diverse legacy and next-generation systems. Each client may use distinct equipment and have unique security policies, requiring the engineer to rapidly familiarize themselves with new platforms and protocols. Effective communication and time management are also crucial, as freelancers often juggle several projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of performance and documentation.

What is a Freelance Packet Core Engineer?

A Freelance Packet Core Engineer is a telecommunications specialist who works independently (not as a full-time employee) to design, implement, and maintain packet core networks within mobile communication systems such as 4G LTE and 5G. Their role involves configuring core network elements like SGW, PGW, and MME, troubleshooting network issues, ensuring data security, and optimizing network performance. They often work with mobile operators or vendors on a project basis, providing expertise for network deployments, upgrades, or migrations. Freelance Packet Core Engineers need to have strong knowledge of networking protocols, mobile core architectures, and relevant industry standards.

What is the difference between Freelance Packet Core Engineer vs Network Operations Center (NOC) Technician?

AspectFreelance Packet Core EngineerNetwork Operations Center (NOC) Technician
CredentialsNetworking certifications (e.g., CCNA, CCNP), LTE/5G knowledgeNetworking certifications, basic troubleshooting skills
Work EnvironmentRemote, project-based, client-specificOn-site or remote, monitoring network systems
Industry UsageTelecom, mobile network providers, freelance platformsTelecom, ISPs, enterprise networks

Freelance Packet Core Engineers focus on designing, implementing, and optimizing core network components for telecom providers, often working remotely on specific projects. NOC Technicians monitor and troubleshoot network issues in real-time, typically within a fixed environment. While both roles require networking knowledge and certifications, the freelance Packet Core Engineer emphasizes project-based work on core network infrastructure, whereas NOC Technicians focus on ongoing network maintenance and support.

What are the most commonly searched types of Packet Core Engineer jobs in Park Forest, IL? The most popular types of Packet Core Engineer jobs in Park Forest, IL are:
What cities near Park Forest, IL are hiring for Freelance Packet Core Engineer jobs? Cities near Park Forest, IL with the most Freelance Packet Core Engineer job openings:
Freelance Packet Core Engineer jobs near you
Telco Cloud Field Engineer

Telco Cloud Field Engineer

Canonical

Chicago, IL • On-site, Remote

Full-time

PTO

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

The role of a Telecommunications Field Engineer at Canonical

The telco industry is moving to software-defined services. This transformation is driven by open source software, cloud computing and the move to VNF / CNF approaches. Canonical Ubuntu is a key platform for telco innovation, and we are growing our team of specialists who work in the industry to accelerate the change.

Canonical enables operators and communications service providers to embrace this new world, with a focus on platforms such as Ubuntu, OpenStack, and Kubernetes, and reusable, high quality automation for operations at scale.

As part of the Canonical Field Engineering organization, you will lead customers through the design and delivery of OpenStack, Kubernetes, and software-defined networking solutions. Your passion for open-source technologies will enable customers to understand and operate advanced infrastructure substrates to meet the demands of 5G, sovereign AI, and beyond.

Location: Remote-based, Americas and EMEA

What your day will look like

  • Translate Service Provider requirements into practical telco cloud platform architectures, enabling VNF/CNF, NFV, and MEC workloads at scale
  • Provide technical pre-sales consulting to Service Provider teams
  • Design and implement telco-grade open source multi-tenant private clouds and micro clouds
  • Investigate, report and/or fix software defects uncovered during customer deployments
  • Demonstrate advanced Infrastructure as code (IaC) techniques relevant to telco
  • Architect and implement advanced, resilient Service Provider Cloud and Application solutions
  • Design and deliver software defined infrastructure with OpenStack, Kubernetes, MAAS and Ceph
  • Help customers adopt advanced Bare Metal, Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud solutions
  • Support customer tenant onboarding, participate in architectural and business capability discussions, and enable successful adoption and production readiness of customer use cases
  • Learn from customer engagements and drive meaningful product improvements
  • Shape our roadmap to accelerate our growth in the telco market

What we are looking for in you

  • A thorough technical understanding of the telco NFVi (VIM), NFVO, VNFM and MEC space and key telco cloud infrastructure technologies like CPU Pinning, NUMA, SR-IOV, DPDK, etc
  • Familiarity with telco architecture and industry standards
  • Working knowledge of at least one of the following domains: Mobile Packet Core (4G/5G), Private Network, Radio Access Network (RAN), Voice, IP Backbone, VAS or OSS/BSS
  • Working knowledge of Linux, Networking, OpenStack and Kubernetes
  • Python software development experience for automation
  • Ability to lead complex projects from start to finish
  • A collaborative, customer-centric mindset with a strong focus on customer success
  • Able to travel up to 25% of the time based on business requirements for events, customer meetings, project delivery

Additional skills that you might also bring

  • Second language such as Spanish, Portuguese or French
  • Track record of open source contributions
  • Understanding of AI and machine learning concepts, including sovereign AI, and their potential applications in telco environments, such as network optimization, predictive maintenance, unified communication, and customer experience improvement
  • Exposure to frameworks such as 3GPP, TM Forum ODA, eTOM, ETSI NFV, ONAP, O-RAN, or similar is a plus

What we offer you

Your base pay will depend on various factors including your geographical location, level of experience, knowledge and skills. In addition to the benefits above, certain roles are also eligible for additional benefits and rewards including annual bonuses and sales incentives based on revenue or utilisation. Our compensation philosophy is to ensure equity right across our global workforce.

In addition to a competitive base pay, we provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. Please note that additional benefits may apply depending on the work location and, for more information on these, you can ask in the later stages of the recruitment process.

  • Fully remote working environment - we've been working remotely since 2004!
  • Personal learning and development budget of 2,000USD per annum
  • Annual compensation review
  • Recognition rewards
  • 40 days annual leave per annum, including public holidays and our All Company holiday periods
  • Parental Leave
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues at 'sprints'
  • Priority Pass for travel and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm that is at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence - in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do.

Canonical has been a remote-first company since its inception in 2004.​ Work at Canonical is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Canonical provides a unique window into the world of 21st-century digital business.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.

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