Unfold your career
Raheeb Muzaffar, Senior Scientist, Wireless Communications
Raheeb Muzaffar is a Senior Scientist for Wireless Communications and started his career at SAL in 2020. Before that he worked as a researcher with Lakeside Labs GmbH, Klagenfurt, where he was involved in several projects related to drone communications. He earned his PhD in 2016 under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Program. At SAL, he established the 5G research and experimentation testbed in Linz and is leading the DETERMINISTIC6G project. Raheeb is also chairing the Industrial Automation vertical for COST INTERACT.
"As you keep on learning, your role models change with you"
What did you do before you joined SAL?
I moved to Austria in 2012. Before that, I lived in Pakistan where I earned my Bachelor and Master degrees in Computer Sciences, and worked at several IT and telecom companies. In 2012, I joined the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Program at the University of Klagenfurt. After my PhD, I worked as a researcher at Lakeside Labs in Klagenfurt, focusing on drone communication. Three years later, I got the opportunity to join SAL, which I took! I moved to Linz to join the Wireless Communications Research Unit. Back then, we were a small team, but we made some remarkable progress in the short time span since then and grew our team to around 15 people.
What are your responsibilities at SAL? what are your current tasks?
At SAL my first responsibility was to establish the 5G research and experimentation testbed in Linz. The goal of this testbed is to provide experimental support for industrial automation use cases and research for future developments. As SAL works as a bridge between research and industry, I started to exchange ideas with industrial and scientific experts to develop and optimize 5G technology for innovative 6G use cases.
Currently, I am involved in two funded projects. The first one, DETERMINISTIC6G is an EU funded project that I am leading at SAL. The other one, 5GEARING is an FFG funded project which I am coordinating. I am also currently involved in two funding proposals that will be submitted soon.
Can you tell us a little bit more about deterministic6G?
DETERMINISTIC6G is an EU funded project with a unique consortium of ten partners, led by Ericsson. The idea behind DETERMINISTIC6G is to develop an end-to-end deterministic communication architecture enabling innovative 6G use cases. The new project will develop the technology enablers that are essential for building time-sensitive communication needed for 6G. Our research focuses on how 6G could support deterministic communication for industrial automation, exoskeletons, and XR use cases.
What was your highlight at SAL so far?
Together with colleagues, I published five research articles, received two funding grants, and helped in establishing the SAL 5G research and experimentation testbed. I am also a co-chair of COST INTERACT where professionals from research and industry come together to discuss projects and research ideas. I am in a position where I have the great opportunity to network, publish, and collaborate for scientific advancements.
What do you appreciate about SAL?
SAL is a great bridge between industry and research. I appreciate my colleagues and my team lead Hans-Peter Bernhard because they are always down to help and provide support. The work environment is nice with flexible working times making it possible to work practically whenever and wherever I want. The support from managers and seniors is great, which makes us all very productive. Research-wise there are almost no boundaries as long as what we are doing lies within the defined SAL research objectives.
Do you have a professional role model?
It is not one role model, because as you keep on learning your role models change with you. While I was doing my studies my teachers and supervisors were my role models. Now there are so many big names in the research and industrial communities that all function as role models for me!
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