Senior Network and Infrastructure Engineer

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Network and Infrastructure Engineer to build, maintain, and optimize the physical network and compute layer of our on‑premises environments. This role ensures the reliability, performance, and scalability of networks, firewalls, server hardware, racks, power, cabling, and related physical systems that support global production, lab, and test workloads. The ideal candidate brings deep hands‑on experience with datacenter operations, Cisco networking, physical compute hardware, and infrastructure best practices.

This is an in-person role. The ideal candidate must be located in an area central to Lanham, MD and Tysons, VA.

Key Responsibilities

Physical Compute & Hardware Management

• Deploy, install, rack, cable, and power physical servers, storage systems, and supporting hardware.
• Perform hardware diagnostics, break/fix tasks, component replacement, and lifecycle upgrades.
• Manage firmware, BIOS, and device‑level updates to ensure reliability and security.
• Maintain accurate inventory of physical compute assets, spares, and components.

Datacenter Operations

• Design, deploy, and manage enterprise network infrastructure using Cisco technologies (routers, switches, firewalls, VPNs).
• Architect and implement AWS networking solutions (VPCs, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, Route 53, security groups).
• Ensure proper airflow, rack layout, cable management, power distribution, and space planning.
• Coordinate with facilities for cooling, power budgeting, and physical security requirements.
• Perform routine datacenter health checks, environmental monitoring, and audits.
• Provide remote‑hands support for global sites as required.

Systems & Infrastructure Support

• Provision bare‑metal hosts and integrate hardware into virtualization or orchestration platforms.
• Collaborate with SRE, cloud, networking, and platform teams to support high‑availability workloads.
• Troubleshoot hardware and OS-level issues (Linux/Windows) during physical interventions.

Documentation & Process

• Maintain rack elevation diagrams, cabling maps, and hardware configuration records.
• Develop and maintain SOPs for installation, decommissioning, maintenance, and emergency recovery.
• Drive improvements in reliability, performance, physical infrastructure efficiency, and operational standards.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (or higher).

Experience

• A minimum of 7+ years in datacenter operations, physical compute engineering, or server hardware roles.
• Expert‑level experience with Cisco networking technologies (CCNP or higher preferred).
• Proven experience with AWS networking and cloud‑native networking architectures.
• Strong hands‑on experience with racking/stacking servers, cabling, hardware diagnostics, and physical maintenance.
• Knowledge of enterprise server platforms (Cisco, Dell, HPE, Supermicro).
• Familiarity with Linux or Windows for basic troubleshooting.
• Strong understanding of networking fundamentals (VLANs, LACP, routing, switching).
• Ability to lift \~50 lbs and work in hot/cold aisle environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with virtualization platforms (VMware, Proxmox, KVM) or bare‑metal orchestration tools (MAAS, Tinkerbell).
• Experience with hardware monitoring, observability, or datacenter telemetry systems.
• Knowledge of datacenter best practices including power planning, cooling optimization, and structured cable management.

Soft Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively within cross‑functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail in documentation, configuration, and operational processes.
• Strong problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Proven ability to work efficiently in fast‑paced and physically demanding environments.

Technology Stack

• Networking: Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, VPNs; routing protocols (BGP, OSPF).
• Cloud networking: AWS VPC, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, Route 53, security groups.
• Hardware/Compute: Dell, Cisco UCS, HPE, Supermicro server platforms.
• Virtualization: VMware vSphere/ESXi, Proxmox, KVM.
• OS: Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS), Windows Server (basic troubleshooting).
• Tools: Monitoring/observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, OpenObserve.
• Documentation: Rack diagrams, cabling maps, inventory systems.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a standard datacenter environment, including hot and cold aisles.
• Ability to lift and move up to \~50 lbs of equipment.
• Ability to use a computer for extended periods to support documentation, troubleshooting, and operational tasks.
• Ability to travel or support remote sites as needed.

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment 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.