Life at Ericsson Athlone

Vaishali Lalit, AI Development Specialist

Working on NM Gen AI Playground as part of Ericsson’s newly launched AI Zone project has been a truly exciting and fulfilling experience. What makes this journey unique is the opportunity to build AI-powered solutions that automate repetitive tasks and streamline complex workflows. It’s not just about applying cutting-edge technology—it’s about creating something that directly improves the way people work. Being part of a team that’s shaping such an impactful product feels meaningful, and I’m proud to contribute to a future where AI helps drive efficiency and innovation at scale. My favorite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is the supportive and collaborative environment. The team is not only technically strong but also incredibly welcoming and eager to help. It’s inspiring to see how everyone actively contributes and participates in building something meaningful. There’s a strong sense of shared purpose, and the culture encourages learning, innovation, and continuous growth—which makes coming to work every day genuinely enjoyable.

Flavio Livide, Principal Developer

Working with the technology at Ericsson Athlone is a unique experience that presents a challenging yet rewarding combination of robustness, load, and efficiency. This target would challenge any software engineer and push them to innovate and excel in their field. My favourite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is witnessing the company evolve as it embraces new ways of working and cutting-edge technologies. It's an inspiring environment that fosters growth and adaptation, keeping us at the forefront of the industry. For anyone considering a career at Ericsson Athlone, my advice is simple: make yourself heard. We are listening to you, and your voice matters here.

Abdusalam Abubakar, Systems Analyst

I joined via Ericsson’s fully funded MSc Applied Software Engineering program. After completion, I started as a Trainee Engineer 6 years ago. Before this, I had little experience in software or technology having graduated with a BSc in Financial Mathematics. However, this wasn’t an issue due to the supportive environment in Ericsson. My colleagues encouraged and facilitated my growth, which led to great opportunities to travel and work with others across the globe. I now work in OSS particularly in deployments. I get to experiment with emerging cloud technologies to improve our products. I enjoy the variety of work, and the interesting problems I get to contribute to!  

Abeer Abouhajar, Engineer

Working with the technology at Ericsson Athlone is a unique experience because, as a UX designer, I enjoy the challenge of turning complex concepts into simple, user-friendly designs. It’s rewarding to know my work can make someone’s day-to-day tasks easier and more enjoyable. My favorite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is the supportive and collaborative culture. I’ve grown from a graduate into a UX designer here, and the people and environment make it a place I genuinely enjoy working every day. For anyone considering a career at Ericsson Athlone, my advice would be: be open to learning and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The teams here are incredibly supportive, and it’s a great place to grow both personally and professionally.

Ana Belén Vallejo Mora, Product Development Leader

In Ericsson Athlone, the SON Radio Optimization product has given me the opportunity of growing in different areas due to the diversity of culture and knowledge. The SON product joined different professionals from all over the world working with many operators over the years and I learnt a lot from their experience. Unlike my colleagues, my background up to that point was in the research area, designing algorithms and testing them first in a simulator, and later in the real network during field trials with customer engagements. I brought that experience to the team, and I explored other relevant topics specially focused on 5g use cases Active Antennas and Machine Learning.

Seán Holland, Master Engineer

I joined Ericsson 6 years ago after many years working for network operators. I work in the Automation Apps team designing new rApps which automate solutions to our customers network management problems, and which run on the new Ericsson Intelligent Controller (EIC) platform. In this team, I get opportunities to use my telecoms experience, to learn new technical and analytical skills, and to apply these on the very latest network technologies, 5G, AI, Cloud RAN etc. In my time here I’ve worked on projects as diverse as providing emergency mobile coverage in the aftermath of hurricanes, to ensuring phone users get the best download speeds possible. I find the variety of work particularly attractive, and deal regularly with customers, software teams, and colleagues in research and commercial. I particularly enjoy the culture in Ericsson where people are treated with dignity and respect, and both effort and achievements are recognised and rewarded

Oriana Gómez, Senior Engineer - UX

I joined Ericsson in 2018 as a User Experience designer and my team drives the UX direction for Network Management products throughout their software development lifecycle. I came to Ireland with a background in computer science and software development, so I’ve greatly enjoyed the opportunity to dive into UX and accessibility, advocating for users alongside an experienced team of usability and telecoms experts. One of the things I enjoy the most about work is coming up with solutions that will end up making someone’s job easier -and hopefully enjoyable. Also, getting to collaborate every day with a super diverse, smart, and engaging group of people. 

Shreya Pallavi, Project Manager

In Ericsson we work with industry leading cutting edge technologies. This gives us opportunity to find the best fit technology for our purpose and it keeps us ahead in competitive market — and that’s what I find unique about working with the technology I am currently involved in.

My favorite part of working in Ericsson in is its people and culture. There always something new to learn in friendly and fun environment. I moved to Athlone after graduating from Teesside University looking for something unique and adventurous and i believe i found my niche in Ericsson.

Advice to anyone looking for career in Ericsson Athlone is: if you are passionate about technology and thrive to be best in what you do then this the place for you. Ericsson Athlone team will support you.

Miguel Angel Melara Abarca, SI Support Manager

My name is Miguel Angel Melara Abarca, and I currently work in Customer Support as a SI Support Manager. I've worked with Ericsson for about 14 years, starting my career shortly after graduating from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) University in Mexico City and joining the Ericsson Graduates Program from GSC Mexico. 8 years ago, I relocated to Ericsson Athlone as part of my career development and since then I have collaborated in different areas such as RV, Systems, SI-HELPDESK, Customer Support, and Ericsson Orchestration. Ericsson and Customer Support have provided me with a highly active career path, allowing me to engage in a variety of projects with diversified scopes.

Bairbre Lane, Head of Release, Deployment & Support

My favourite part about working here revolves around my colleagues. There’s a strong sense of community and I always feel very supported as everyone is incredibly helpful. I learn something new every day which is often accompanied with a lot of laughter!

Recently, I’ve been energised by my team exploring AI capabilities to improve our processes, leverage insights and increase our capabilities. I’m really proud of their forward thinking and seeing one recent idea become a reality quite quickly was both exciting and eye opening. It feels like there’s lots of possibilities ahead of us!

Daniel Marko, Engineer

What I find unique about working with the technology I'm currently involved in is the opportunity to create UI elements and tools that serve’s a dual purpose for both end users and UI developers. My favourite thing about working at Ericsson Athlone is the wide range of backgrounds and diverse experiences. I would advise anyone considering a career here to bring their passion. If you're passionate about what you do, then Ericsson Athlone is a great place to be.

Svetoslava Kostova, Senior Engineer

My name is Svetoslava, and I joined Ericsson in 2020 through the graduate program. I work as a Senior Engineer in the CI/CD area. I manage the demands of various technologies which include Jenkins, Groovy, Docker, Python and Shell scripting. I work on making the CI flow more efficient so developer teams can get reliable, fast and early feedback. This area is very new and exciting, and I face many stimulating challenges each day. My job allows me to work with many different and newly emerging technologies. Ericsson provides a chance to grow and develop not only in technical skills but also in skills such as teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and communication. All around we have great teams, a friendly atmosphere, and a supportive community which makes everyday a pleasure

Wenyu Shi, Engineer

I have worked at Ericsson for two and a half years as a UI Developer. I initially began as an intern and joined the graduation program at the Athlone site. My team passionately supports a UI software development kit for creating web-based user interfaces for Ericsson applications. This dynamic team environment has provided me with invaluable opportunities for continuous learning in both technical skills and effective teamwork and collaboration. Ericsson offers a vast array of training resources that can be chosen based on individual interests or needs. Additionally, Ericsson embraces and respects diverse cultures, and I am grateful to develop my career here.

Shane Kelly, Principal Developer, DX Architect

My name is Shane Kelly, I work in PEG Developer Experience, in PEU CLX in Cloud RAN as a Developer Experience Solution Architect. I have been working with the company for 20 years. I started off in Infrastructure Engineering, I worked on architecting and building the first large scale Test Environment Clouds in the PDU. I also held roles such as a PO for CI CD, Tech Coordinator for the Platform in Orchestration and as a CI, CD & DevOps Architect in PDU OSS. The combination of those backgrounds has brought me to my current role of Cloud RAN DX Solution Architect. I really enjoy keeping up to speed with and working with the latest thinking and technologies in the industry today. Ericsson has provided opportunities, training and scope for change and learning. Moving between roles is always enabled through support from colleagues and leadership. I love the learning and improvement culture here at Ericsson. We strive to be the best at what we do.  

Conor Beenham, Senior Engineer

I joined Ericsson in September 2020 through the graduate program here in Athlone. From day one, I was working with technologies I’ve never used before, producing production ready code, and improving live networks with our 4G and 5G SON products. From the beginning, everyone has been very supportive and respectful regardless of what stage you are at in your career. Ericsson has a flexible work environment, from working at home, to the variety of tasks ready to tackle. I have enjoyed my time at Ericsson so far, and while I have learned a lot, I still feel that I have opportunities for improvement through the extensive training courses, and career developments that are here to offer. 

Kanika Mathur, Engineer

My favorite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is the balance it offers—between a challenging and sociable work culture, and flexible work arrangements that support my well-being. Being part of a positive, inclusive, and growth-oriented culture makes it all worthwhile.

If you're considering a career at Ericsson Athlone, my advice is this: if you are looking for an innovation-driven, tech-oriented company with a healthy work-life balance, Ericsson Athlone is the place to be. Inspiring colleagues and a multi-cultural environment where people are valued, collaboration is encouraged, and there’s room to evolve professionally makes the experience truly enriching.

Tom Wasniewski, Senior Engineer

My favorite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is the people. At Ericsson Athlone, you never work on your own. You never feel alone. The team, the department, and the entire building is here for you. For real.

What I find unique about the technology I'm currently involved in is the excitement around AI. Aren't we all looking forward to how AI—and its ensuing offspring technologies—will reshape the way we work?

And if someone were considering a career at Ericsson Athlone, my advice would be simple: just do it! We're the best office in town.

Shane Flynn, Line Manager

I joined Ericsson after completing the Ericsson funded MSc 7 years ago. Ericsson has really helped me achieve my personal and professional goals. I am working on a dev-ops team providing world-class CI/CD to Ericsson’s emerging products including EIAP. Working in this area has allowed me to grow both in my development working with emerging technologies like Kubernetes, Ansible, Docker and Spinnaker and in my leadership ability to drive team discussions, representing my team at Ericsson Tech Day, and being a voice for the future of CI/CD in Ericsson. Ericsson has encouraged me to explore my passions outside of the team also, as one of the co-founders of the Mental Health Group LMI, I get to work together with other colleagues to provide support and initiatives around mental health in the workplace. Whatever your goals are Ericsson will support you and help you to achieve them.

Jack Price, Engineer

Working with graph databases, which have the power to vastly improve the capabilities of AI, offers me unique insight into how graphs work and how they can be leveraged in the form of neural networks. At Ericsson Athlone, my favorite part is the fantastic work-life balance where everybody is relaxed and nobody is breathing down your neck. If you need to step out during the day to go to the bank, for example, that's totally fine, as long as the hours are made up and the work gets done. For anyone considering a career at Ericsson Athlone, it’s worth noting that one of Ericsson's greatest strengths is our openness to change. If you see something that you think can be improved or there's time to be saved, we empower you to take the lead on that. So, even if you encounter something that doesn't seem ideal for you, it's not set in stone—you can improve things for everyone.

Joseph McNamara, Senior Research Engineer

I started in Ericsson in 2017 through an enterprise partnership scheme with my university. During that time, I became familiar with the role of research in industry and gained hands on experience in the areas of network management and advanced analytics. On completion of my studies, I returned to the team as a researcher and continued developing my skills through formal training and engagement with internal and external organizations. Ericsson has provided a supportive environment which has allowed me to explore and expand my knowledge in areas interesting to me and I have also travelled to many countries to present my work as part of my research team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Ericsson so far and I am excited to see the new challenges of next generation mobile networks. 

Vinoth Kumar Natarajan, Senior Engineer

Hi, my name is Vinoth Kumar Natarajan and I work as a Lead Java Developer at Ericsson Ireland. I feel grateful to be part of an amazing team as Ericsson provides ample opportunities to explore new technical areas and excel at them. Periodic trainings conducted by learnings & development and company sponsored certifications are a great way to keep ourselves future ready. As part of a team that supports each other, we work coherently towards a common goal. Finally, Ericsson’s focus on employee well-being results in a healthy work-life balance which is the cherry on top. 

Peter Lemass, Engineer

What I find unique about working with the technology at Ericsson is the chance to work on a CI Portal built using the Django Python framework, which allows me to work across both the backend and frontend. On the backend, I get to write in Python, while on the frontend I work with HTML, Django templates, and JavaScript. I enjoy the variety and the full-stack perspective it gives me, as well as the opportunity to see the direct impact of my work on tools our developers use every day.

My favorite part of working at Ericsson Athlone is a mix of things: escaping the pace of the big city, the great colleagues I've met, being able to play tennis onsite, and the daily collaboration with my team as we solve real problems and continuously improve the developer tools we support.