Network & Cybersecurity Engineer

Field Network Engineer

This role keeps the communications networks between unmanned aircraft and their ground control stations running in the field. You will design, harden, and support network deployments built on multi-hop RF relays, satellite links, VPN infrastructure, and firewalls across mixed Windows and Linux systems. A big part of the job is making these networks diagnosable, not just functional: better configurations, monitoring and health-check tooling built with the software team, and troubleshooting workflows that let field operators fix things themselves. Good fit for someone out of tactical or expeditionary communications, WISP field networking, or industrial and SCADA remote site work, where the network has to hold up nowhere near a help desk.

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Responsibilities

• Own the stability, upkeep, and troubleshooting of the networks connecting unmanned aircraft to their ground control stations in the field.

• Deploy, configure, and maintain multi-hop RF relay networks, satellite links such as Starlink or similar, VPN servers, and firewalls supporting flight and ground operations.

• Manage mixed Windows and Linux environments, including network and edge devices running in real field conditions rather than a controlled data center.

• Harden network configurations for resilience, security, and reliability across RF, satellite, and terrestrial links.

• Build network monitoring, diagnostic, and health-check tooling, working with software engineering on the automation and observability side.

• Write troubleshooting workflows, SOPs, and guides that let field operators and non-technical users diagnose and fix issues on their own.

• Design and scale network architectures and topologies with redundancy, failover, and room to grow as deployments expand.

• Configure and troubleshoot VPNs, firewalls, routing, and security policy across Windows and Linux.

• Diagnose complex problems on degraded, intermittent, or high-latency links, including RF and satellite paths.

• Turn network health and status data into plain, actionable instructions for non-technical operators and stakeholders.

• Triage during live operations and separate what needs immediate intervention from what belongs on a longer remediation list.

• Produce and maintain network documentation, including topology diagrams, interface definitions, configuration standards, deployment plans, and troubleshooting guides.

• Work across software, hardware, RF, and field operations to keep the end-to-end communications path reliable.

• Stabilize and improve existing imperfect network environments, working root cause rather than stacking one-off workarounds.

• Handle most issue resolution remotely, with occasional in-field support for the harder network and communications problems.

• Help define and refine data flows, configuration standards, and deployment practices for the network infrastructure.

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What you need

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, information technology, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years in network engineering, systems administration, or field communications with direct hands-on ownership of network stability and troubleshooting, beyond help desk or tier 1.

• Experience configuring and troubleshooting VPNs, firewalls, and routing in both Windows and Linux.

• Experience with wireless and RF networking and satellite communications such as Starlink, VSAT, or similar, including operating over degraded, intermittent, or high-latency links.

• Experience designing or scaling network architectures, not only maintaining what already exists.

• Scripting and automation with PowerShell or Python, enough to build basic diagnostic tools and health checks or to collaborate on more advanced tooling.

• A track record of stabilizing and improving messy existing networks, not only greenfield builds.

• Ability to translate network health, status, and performance data into clear guidance for non-technical end users.

• Ability to prioritize, triage, and act decisively during live operations.

• Strong grasp of TCP/IP fundamentals, including routing, subnetting, NAT, DNS, and DHCP.

• Proficiency configuring and troubleshooting VPNs, including peer-to-peer or supernode architectures such as n2n or similar, plus firewalls and security policy.

• Ability to diagnose issues across mixed Windows and Linux environments, covering endpoints, servers, and network appliances.

• Ability to design topologies with redundancy, failover, and scalability as deployments evolve.

• Ability to explain network issues, tradeoffs, and design decisions to non-technical operators and stakeholders.

• Strong written documentation skills for SOPs, troubleshooting guides, topology diagrams, and configuration standards.

• Comfort working cross-functionally with software, hardware, and RF engineers and with field operators.

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Nice to have

• Experience in field, remote, or expeditionary environments such as tactical communications, WISP field networking, or industrial and SCADA remote site networking.

• Experience supporting non-technical end users through network issues, with an emphasis on simplifying and enabling self-service.

• Experience securing field-deployed, tactical, aerospace, or defense networks, including VPNs, firewalls, encrypted communications, segmentation, and secure remote access.

• Familiarity with DoD cybersecurity practices such as RMF and NIST SP 800-53 as they apply to network infrastructure and system hardening.

• Experience supporting vulnerability assessments, security configuration reviews, patching, and remediation of network and OS findings.

• CompTIA Network+ or Security+ or equivalent.

• Cisco CCNA or CCNP or an equivalent vendor certification.

• Military communications or signal corps training.

• Other network or cybersecurity certifications such as Security+, CCNP Security, CISSP, or equivalent practical experience.

• A record of cutting down recurring operational issues through root cause analysis and systematic fixes.

• Ability to balance security, reliability, usability, and field practicality when making design and configuration calls.

• Self-directed learning, with the ability to pick up new hardware, radios, or link technologies as the fleet and architecture change.

• Understanding of RF and satellite principles, including link budget basics, latency and packet loss behavior, and interference troubleshooting.

• Comfort working alone on novel or ambiguous problems with incomplete information.

• Ability to stay calm and clear during live troubleshooting, including remote support for operators in the field.

• Interest in joining an established organization at the start of a new initiative, with high visibility and impact.

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Work environment

Onsite role in south central Washington. The work is mostly office and production environment, with most troubleshooting done remotely and travel around 5%, domestic and international, for in-field support on the harder problems. Daily work includes long stretches at a computer reading screens, documents, and engineering drawings, plus moving through office and production areas that may include uneven surfaces. You may carry or lift items up to 30 pounds, usually networking equipment, radios, or field hardware. You will work closely with software, hardware, and RF engineers along with field operators, in a setting focused on reliability, safety, and steady improvement of the communications infrastructure.

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To speak with our hiring team, click here (https://talentassistant.actalentservices.com/assistant/bookings/CxcdJ-NZ)

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Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Bingen, WA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $165000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• PTO - Paid Holidays - Sick Time - Medical/Dental/Vision - 401k

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 11, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.