RAN Engineer: role overview and daily workflow

What Does a RAN Engineer Do?

RAN engineers focus on the configuration, commissioning, and maintenance of gNB base station equipment. Unlike RF engineers who focus on radio propagation and coverage modeling, RAN engineers work directly with the base station software and hardware — configuring CU/DU parameters, managing software upgrades, commissioning new sites, and troubleshooting gNB-level alarms. They work within vendor OSS systems to manage configurations across hundreds or thousands of cells, ensuring consistent parameter settings and coordinating changes during maintenance windows.