Senior Systems Administrator, USG Program

📋 Job Overview

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

🏢 About Astranis

The System Administrator – JWICS/CWAN is responsible for the secure administration, operation, maintenance, configuration, and troubleshooting of information systems operating within a TS/SCI classified environment, including JWICS, CWAN, and associated National Security Systems (NSS). This position provides hands-on technical support for classified servers, workstations, network devices, applications, and supporting infrastructure. The System Administrator ensures systems are securely configured, maintained, monitored, and operated in accordance with applicable Dow, Intelligence Community (IC), customer, RMF, cybersecurity, COMSEC, and classified-information security requirements. The position works closely with the ISSM, COMSEC, Industrial Security, Physical Security, and government/customer technical representatives to maintain the security and operational availability of classified systems.

🎯 The Role

The System Administrator – JWICS/CWAN is responsible for the secure administration, operation, maintenance, configuration, and troubleshooting of information systems operating within a TS/SCI classified environment, including JWICS, CWAN, and associated National Security Systems (NSS). This position provides hands-on technical support for classified servers, workstations, network devices, applications, and supporting infrastructure. The System Administrator ensures systems are securely configured, maintained, monitored, and operated in accordance with applicable Dow, Intelligence Community (IC), customer, RMF, cybersecurity, COMSEC, and classified-information security requirements. The position works closely with the ISSM, COMSEC, Industrial Security, Physical Security, and government/customer technical representatives to maintain the security and operational availability of classified systems.

✅ Key Responsibilities

• Administer, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot JWICS, CWAN, and associated TS/SCI systems.
• Perform system administration on classified servers, workstations, network devices, and supporting infrastructure.
• Install and maintain authorized operating systems, applications, patches, and security updates.
• Manage user accounts, permissions, privileged accounts, system services, and system resources.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, authentication, network connectivity, and system-performance issues.
• Support system upgrades, technology refreshes, hardware replacement, and system decommissioning.
• Maintain system availability while ensuring required security controls remain in place.

📌 Required Qualifications

• Current CompTIA Security+ (or equivalent) certification in compliance with DoD Directive 8140
• Experience supporting classified system accreditation and cybersecurity compliance activities.

⭐ Desirable Experience

• SCI and/or Special Access Program (SAP) experience.
• Previous COMSEC Custodian or COMSEC Manager experience.
• Experience supporting DCSA Security Reviews and government inspections.
• Experience with eMASS, ACAS, Nessus, SCAP, or similar cybersecurity tools.
• CISSP, CISM, or equivalent cybersecurity certification.
• Government COMSEC training and certification.
• Experience with AWS of Azure Classified Cloud

🎁 Benefits

All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits. Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.

🛂 Visa & Eligibility

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required (To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))