This listing does not state pay. Across 77 open network engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $99,500 to $147,500 and the median is $120,000.

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How AI is used in this kind of work

Among network and computer systems administrators, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for network and computer systems administrators: 34% (high).

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

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Skills this job asks for

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About the job

Icarus was founded on the belief that the Stratosphere is the Forgotten Frontier and that reclaiming it will define the next era of aerospace and what is possible from the sky. We build solar-powered aircraft that fly at 60,000 ft for weeks at a time, delivering persistent, affordable, and scalable presence from this layer of the atmosphere.

Mission

Re-establish and maintain dominance in the Stratosphere.

What you’ll do

Network Engineering:

Design, deploy, and maintain networking infrastructure

Configure and manage routers, switches, VPNs, firewalls (including Palo Alto), and network segmentation for both on-site and field-deployed systems

Solve novel networking challenges at field events and exercises—each deployment may involve different radio systems, routing paradigms, and connectivity constraints

Build and document network architectures that are flexible enough to support rapidly evolving mission requirement

Security & Compliance:

Own and drive the IATT and ATO process end-to-end, building on Icarus’s existing IATT foundation. There will be lots of support from the IT team, the software team and the firmware team, but you will own the network.

Conduct and manage STIG reviews, ACAS/Nessus vulnerability scans, and remediation across compute systems, cameras, and other networked components

Coordinate directly with government cybersecurity leads on compliance artifacts, scan submissions, and risk acceptance packages

Develop and maintain security documentation including system security plans, network diagrams, and compliance evidence packages

Build approved CI/CD pipelines so that products can continue to be improved after authorization

AI-Assisted Operations:

Use AI tools daily to accelerate compliance documentation, network analysis, vulnerability remediation, and configuration management

Build AI into production workflows—not just prototyping. AI will be an integral part of how you do this job. Before AI this job would not have been possible by just one person

Stay current with evolving AI capabilities and continuously find new ways to apply them to security and networking challenges

What we’re looking for

5+ years of experience in network engineering, IT security, or a related field

Deep hands-on expertise with VPNs, routers, switches, firewalls, and network architecture—you can configure, troubleshoot, and design from scratch

Direct experience with the government IATT process—you have taken at least one system through a full IATT end-to-end and have seen the ATO process

Familiarity with STIGs, ACAS/Nessus scanning, and DoD cybersecurity compliance frameworks (RMF, NIST 800-171)

Experience working with or supporting DoD/military customers on network security

Comfort working across satellite communications, tactical radio networks, and conventional IP networking

Strong documentation skills—you can produce the compliance artifacts that government reviewers need

Bonus points for

Familiarity with Tailscale or similar mesh networking solutions

Experience with CI/CD pipeline design and DevSecOps practices

Background in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries

Familiarity with CUI/SBU data handling requirements

Why Icarus

Meaningful equity

Top market salary and bonuses

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Factory in El Segundo

Real ownership, real hardware, real flight

Small team, massive responsibility (but growing very fast)

High signal (engineering) to noise (management) culture

Dream desk setup

Daily lunch

Unlimited Celsius

This is not a normal IT job

We are pioneers, not corporate managers. Icarus deliberately optimizes for a high signal (engineering) to noise (management) ratio, where engineering, manufacturing, flight, and execution matter more than process, politics, or management overhead.

Your users are engineers. They will find the edge of anything you deploy and they will tell you about it. Support them accordingly.

You are supporting a factory, not just an office. Test benches, CAD workstations, license servers, and manufacturing equipment are all in scope.

You are building the function, not maintaining it. There is no existing Network Engineering team, no inherited backlog, and no one to tell you which ticketing system to use.

We expect full extreme ownership. This is a high-trust, no-BS team, and everyone pulls their weight.

We want builders. No hand-holding, no fluff, no fake projects. Real problems, real data, and real results.

You must thrive under pressure, learn fast, and solve problems across functions.

We move fast. We expect results and an obsession with quality and speed.

No tourists. No bystanders. Only builders.

Hiring process

Intro call

Interview with Head of Operations

Meet the CEO and team in-person

US salary range

$115,000 - $165,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Icarus' total compensation package.