Senior Network Engineer

Long Beach, California, United States

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Network Engineer to help architect, implement, and support mission-critical network infrastructure across data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise WAN environments. This role requires a strong technical background in routing, switching, security, and automation, as well as the ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams. You will support infrastructure modernization, lead complex troubleshooting efforts, and help shape the evolution of network services across the organization.

This position is ideal for engineers who are passionate about performance, security, and scalability—and who thrive in technically demanding environments with room to innovate.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Design, configure, and maintain enterprise network infrastructure, including routing, switching, VPNs, wireless, firewalls, and load balancers across multi-vendor environments (Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, Arista, Palo Alto, F5).
  • Build and support Layer 3 campus and data center networks leveraging protocols such as BGP, OSPF, VXLAN/EVPN, and MPLS.
  • Lead implementation of SD-WAN, hybrid cloud networking, and secure connectivity solutions (AWS/Azure/GCP).
  • Deploy and maintain monitoring, logging, and network observability platforms to ensure system health and performance.
  • Collaborate with architecture and cloud teams to support scalable, resilient designs and cloud migration initiatives.
  • Participate in the development and enforcement of network standards, documentation, and operational playbooks.
  • Apply automation tools (e.g., Python, Ansible, Jinja2) to reduce configuration errors and improve operational efficiency.
  • Serve as escalation point for complex network issues and provide root cause analysis and long-term remediation plans.
  • Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, security threats, and industry best practices; proactively make recommendations for improvement.
  • Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical knowledge-sharing across the team.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • 7+ years of hands-on experience in network engineering roles supporting large-scale enterprise or service provider environments.
  • Deep understanding of Layer 2/3 networking, including VLANs, STP, HSRP/VRRP, BGP, OSPF, QoS, and multicast.
  • Experience with modern data center and campus fabrics using VXLAN, EVPN, and spine-leaf architectures.
  • Proven expertise in configuring and supporting firewalls, VPNs, and remote access technologies.
  • Practical experience with hybrid cloud or cloud-native networking in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
  • Working knowledge of automation and scripting (Python, Ansible, REST APIs) for network operations and configuration management.
  • Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills across networking, security, and infrastructure layers.
  • Ability to manage projects, communicate technical ideas clearly, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, or related technical field
  • Technical bootcamps or equivalent work experience will be considered in lieu of a degree for outstanding candidates.

 

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Professional-level certifications such as CCNP, JNCIP, or vendor-neutral equivalents (CWNP, CompTIA, etc.).
  • Experience supporting SD-WAN, NAC (e.g., ClearPass, ISE), wireless networking, and network segmentation solutions.
  • Exposure to infrastructure as code, Git-based configuration pipelines, and open-source monitoring tools (NetBox, Grafana, Zabbix, etc.).
  • Experience in regulated or high-availability industries such as finance, aerospace, media, or healthcare.

 

Salary Range:

  • Senior Network Engineer: $140,000 - $185,000 USD
  • Staff Network Engineer: $160,000 - $230,000

Salary Range: California

$140,000 - $230,000 USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
 
Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.
 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast 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.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise be considered for deemed export licensing. To assist Vast in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which ITAR/EAR status applies to you:

(If not currently employed, please indicate 'N/A.')

Select...

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise be considered for deemed export licensing. To assist Vast in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which ITAR/EAR status applies to you:

U.S. Standard Demographic Questions

We invite our applicants to share their demographic background. These questions cover standard demographic details and ensures your anonymity.  If you choose to complete this survey, your responses may be used to identify areas of improvement in our overall hiring process.

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Vast’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.