--- title: 'Senior Network Engineer at Northwood Space' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-network-engineer-northwood-space-torrance-gzdcd2kh8z9c' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-10' --- # Senior Network Engineer at Northwood Space - **Company:** Northwood Space - **Location:** Torrance, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Posted:** 2026-09-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/northwoodspace/8ee46696-7cb9-4c3c-a189-07824509d851 ## Job description Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it. ## Role As Senior Network Engineer (Enterprise), you will design, deploy, and operate the network infrastructure that underpins Northwood's corporate facilities and hybrid cloud environments. This is a senior individual contributor role for an engineer with deep enterprise networking expertise who can build production-grade infrastructure from the ground up and maintain it to the operational standards required of a dual-use space communications company. You will own campus and facility network architecture, drive the implementation of zero-trust network segmentation, and ensure secure, high-availability connectivity across on-premises facilities, AWS GovCloud, and Cloudflare's backbone. You will work in close partnership with the security engineering team to ensure network infrastructure meets ITAR, CMMC, and government customer requirements. This role reports to the Head of Security. ## Responsibilities Campus & Facility Network Architecture - Design and build LAN infrastructure for corporate offices and facilities, including switching, routing, VLAN design, and network segmentation strategies that support enterprise workloads. - Own network lifecycle management across facilities, including hardware procurement, capacity planning, firmware management, and documentation. - Deploy and manage enterprise wireless infrastructure across multiple facilities, ensuring secure wireless access for corporate users and isolated network segments for operational and ITAR-controlled systems. Zero-Trust & Network Security - Implement zero-trust network architecture across Northwood's facilities and cloud environments, including microsegmentation, identity-aware access controls, and least-privilege network policies. - Deploy, configure, and manage FortiGate firewall infrastructure, including policy management, network segmentation, and security zone enforcement for government and ITAR-controlled workloads. - Administer Cloudflare Zero Trust and tunnel configurations to support secure remote access, site-to-site connectivity, and traffic inspection across distributed facilities. - Collaborate with the security engineering team to implement network-based detection controls, integrate network telemetry with SIEM platforms, and support incident response efforts. Hybrid Cloud & WAN Connectivity - Design and manage hybrid network connectivity between on-premises facilities, AWS Commercial, AWS GovCloud, and Cloudflare's backbone, including VPN solutions, private connectivity, and multi-cloud routing architectures. - Ensure network architecture supports compliance requirements for CUI handling, including appropriate segmentation between commercial and government workloads. Automation & Monitoring - Implement network monitoring and observability tooling to maintain visibility into performance, availability, and security posture across all network segments. - Develop and maintain network automation using tools such as Ansible, NetBox, or equivalent, reducing manual operational burden and enforcing configuration consistency. - Document network architecture, configurations, and standard operating procedures to support compliance audits and operational continuity. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with security engineering on firewall policy reviews, network access control design, and compliance evidence collection for CMMC and FedRAMP assessments. - Collaborate with infrastructure and engineering teams to ensure network design supports operational requirements and future scaling. - Integrate network infrastructure with identity management systems, including Okta, to support network access policy enforcement and user lifecycle management. ## Basic Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline and 5+ years of enterprise networking experience, or 7+ years of enterprise networking experience without a degree. - Hands-on experience with enterprise switching and routing, VLAN design, and network segmentation in production environments. - Demonstrated experience deploying and managing FortiGate firewall infrastructure, including policy management and network zone enforcement. - Experience designing and implementing zero-trust network architectures, including microsegmentation and identity-aware access controls. - Experience with cloud networking in AWS, AWS GovCloud, or multi-cloud environments, including hybrid connectivity and private networking. - Hands-on experience with Cloudflare, including Zero Trust, tunnels, and DNS. - Experience deploying and managing enterprise wireless infrastructure across multiple facilities. - Proficiency with network monitoring, automation, and troubleshooting tools. - Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance. - U.S. citizenship or status as a lawful permanent resident required to conform with ITAR export regulations. ## Preferred Qualifications - Active TS clearance or higher. - Proficiency with network automation tools including Ansible and NetBox. - Industry certifications such as CCNP, ACNP, or equivalent enterprise networking credentials. - Background in aerospace, defense, critical infrastructure, or other government-adjacent regulated industries. - Experience with ITAR compliance and network isolation requirements for controlled technical information. - Familiarity with CMMC, NIST 800-171, and DFARS compliance requirements as they relate to network architecture. - Experience integrating network infrastructure with identity management platforms such as Okta or Azure Active Directory. Additional Information: If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. ## About Northwood Space ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Building a global ground network for the future of space communications — delivering vertically integrated hardware, software, and shared infrastructure that lets space missions go from concept to live data delivery in months instead of years. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series B, raised $100M in January 2026) - **Headquarters**: Los Angeles, California, United States (additional offices in Torrance, CA; Washington, D.C.; with presence in the United Kingdom and India) - **Founded**: 2022 - **Founders**: Bridgit Mendler (CEO, Cofounder), Griffin Cleverly (Co-Founder, CTO), Shaurya Luthra (Co-Founder, Head of Digital) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing; Space-to-ground infrastructure; Satellite communications. - **Target customers**: B2B and B2G — commercial satellite operators, government agencies (e.g., U.S. Space Force), and defense customers. - **Mission**: “Take space missions further, faster” by building resilient, cloud-like ground infrastructure for the next century of space operations. ## Products & Services - **Hardware (Antennas built for scale)** : Phased-array antenna systems designed for volume manufacturing and rapid deployment (hours, not months). - **Network (Shared infrastructure)** : A horizontally scalable, dynamic capacity provisioning network that eliminates single points of failure and works across multiple orbits and frequency bands. - **Software (Orchestration intelligence)** : The intelligence layer that schedules contacts, routes data, and manages the entire ground network — enabling on-demand capacity without traditional procurement cycles. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed. - **Key Metric**: Total funding raised — **$136.4M** across four rounds (Grant $100K in 2023, Seed $6.3M in 2024, Series A $30M in 2025, Series B $100M in 2026). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz (led Seed, Series A, and Series B), Founders Fund (Seed), Washington Harbour Partners (led Series B and a prior round). Strategic partners include government agencies and commercial launch providers. - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount grew **117.6% YoY** to 65 employees (as of mid-2026). - 48 active job postings (+140% YoY increase). - Successfully tested next-generation phased array antennas. - Won a U.S. Space Force contract (mentioned in news snippets). - Expanded to three U.S. offices and international presence (UK, India). ## Competitive Advantages - **Vertically integrated ground stack** — from antenna hardware to network orchestration software — collapses deployment timelines from years to months/days. - **Hardware that deploys in hours** and scales like cloud computing, avoiding traditional multi-year procurement cycles. - **Resilient, shared infrastructure** designed for multiple orbits and frequency bands, reducing single points of failure. - **Strong talent pipeline** from SpaceX, Anduril, Tesla, Palantir, and other top aerospace/defense firms. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale the global ground network** by deploying more sites and increasing capacity for both government and commercial customers. - **Volume manufacturing** of antenna systems to meet surging demand. - **Deepen partnerships** with defense and intelligence agencies (National Security Space) and commercial satellite operators. - **Continue hiring aggressively** across engineering, operations, site management, and business development. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values include humility, bias to action, autonomy, and exceptionalism. Teams are trusted to own their work and make decisions. - **Impact**: Work is deployed globally — antennas built in Torrance, software orchestrated from LA, sites stood up worldwide. - **Benefits**: Competitive salary, meaningful equity, comprehensive medical/dental/vision, employer-sponsored 401(k), paid parental leave, commuter benefits, sponsored clubs and quarterly events. - **Work Model**: Likely on-site for hardware roles (Torrance, El Segundo, Washington D.C.); some software roles may offer flexibility. Two main office hubs: Los Angeles (HQ) and Washington D.C. - **Engineering culture**: Fast iteration, real-world deployment, cross-functional collaboration. “If you like building quickly and seeing your work deployed in locations around the globe, we want you at Northwood.” ## Sources 1. [northwoodspace.io](https://www.northwoodspace.io/) 2. [northwoodspace.io/about-us](https://www.northwoodspace.io/about-us) 3. [northwoodspace.io/careers](https://www.northwoodspace.io/careers) 4. [LinkedIn – Northwood](https://www.linkedin.com/company/northwood-space) 5. [Crunchbase – Northwood Space](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/northwood-space) ## Other roles at Northwood Space - [Head of Software](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-software-northwood-space-torrance-e08xe70z96cw) — Torrance, CA - [Director, International Growth](https://feeny.ai/job/director-international-growth-northwood-space-torrance-y9qv5d3a4d86) — Torrance, CA - [Director, Commercial Growth](https://feeny.ai/job/director-commercial-growth-northwood-space-torrance-bbd2pvqm2b4w) — Torrance, CA - [Head of Quality and Reliability](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-quality-and-reliability-northwood-space-torrance-crkadbyep88g) — Torrance, CA - [Chief of Staff to the CTO](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-of-staff-to-the-cto-northwood-space-torrance-0gmc6y3hmqjh) — Torrance, CA - [Capture Strategist](https://feeny.ai/job/capture-strategist-northwood-space-washington-6s5nreg28hen) — Washington, DC - [Mechanical Engineering Intern (2027 Summer Internship)](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineering-intern-2027-summer-internship-northwood-space-torrance-8bw3b7vr74qx) — Torrance, CA - [Software Engineering Intern (2027 Summer Internship)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineering-intern-2027-summer-internship-northwood-space-torrance-a4p0v8ejcwv1) — Torrance, CA - [Embedded Software Engineering Intern (2027 Summer Internship)](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-software-engineering-intern-2027-summer-internship-northwood-space-kwmveejwr37s) — Torrance, CA - [Electrical Engineering Intern (2027 Summer Internship)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineering-intern-2027-summer-internship-northwood-space-torrance-e3xapps0cg73) — Torrance, CA