IT Operations Engineer

HEO • Arlington, VA

32d

About The Position

We are a rapidly growing, US-based space startup revolutionizing satellite imaging using advanced in-orbit capabilities. Specifically, our expertise lies in leveraging in-space assets for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Non-Earth Imaging (NEI). As an international company, we navigate a unique landscape while delivering critical services to our clients. Having recently secured several significant contracts, we are expanding our team to meet the exciting demands of our growth.
To support this next phase, we’re building a high-performing, interdisciplinary team capable of pushing the boundaries of space technology. We’re looking for talented, passionate people who value collaboration, growth, and learning to join us.
HEO is a post-Series A company backed by high-profile venture funds including Airtree, Y Combinator, and In-Q-Tel. We are headquartered in Sydney, Australia, with offices in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
Role Overview
As HEO USA’s first IT Operations Manager, you will be the primary steward of our domestic technical environment. You will be responsible for establishing, managing, and scaling our US-based IT infrastructure, ensuring our team has the tools and systems they need to operate securely and efficiently.
This is a high-impact, foundational role. While your initial focus will be on IT governance, vendor management, and internal systems, you will have the unique opportunity to evolve into a DevSecOps role as we scale our US cloud footprint and move toward formal CMMC certification.

Requirements

• 5+ years in IT Operations, Systems Administration, or Technical Operations, preferably within a high-growth startup or a defense/government contracting environment.
• Strong proficiency in managing SaaS environments, MDM solutions (e.g., Jamf, Kandji), and Identity Management (IAM).
• Foundational knowledge of AWS (VPC, S3, EC2) with a desire to grow into a more architectural cloud role.
• A proven ability to build IT processes from scratch in a greenfield environment.
• Must be a US Person (Citizen or Green Card holder) due to the nature of CMMC/ITAR data requirements and potential access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

Nice To Haves

• Previous exposure to AWS services and an interest in learning Infrastructure as Code (specifically Terraform or CloudFormation) to assist in domestic cloud migrations.
• Familiarity with or a desire to learn the technical and administrative control implementations for CMMC Level 2 or NIST 800-171.
• A baseline understanding of CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions or GitLab CI) and an interest in integrating automated security scanning as our US engineering presence scales.

Responsibilities

• System Ownership: Act as the primary administrator for US-based internal systems, including identity providers (Okta/Google Workspace), hardware fleets, and productivity tools.
• Infrastructure Oversight: Manage the day-to-day health of our US IT environment, ensuring high availability and seamless support for our local team.
• Onboarding & Support: Design and execute technical onboarding for new US hires, including hardware procurement, MDM (Mobile Device Management) enrolment, and access provisioning.
• Policy Development: Establish IT standard operating procedures (SOPs) and internal security policies that align with our global standards while meeting US-specific requirements.
• IAM & Access Control: Enforce the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) across all US systems and lead regular access audits.
• Vendor Management: Manage relationships with US-based hardware and software vendors, ensuring cost-effectiveness and compliance with procurement standards.

Benefits

• Competitive Base Salary: We offer a strong base salary commensurate with your experience and the significant impact you'll have on our growth.
• Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP): As an early-stage employee, you'll receive a meaningful grant of employee stock options. This provides you with an ownership stake in our company and the opportunity to share directly in our future success. We believe in aligning your contributions with our collective growth, offering substantial upside potential as we achieve our ambitious milestones.
• Company-sponsored 401(k): Matching contributions vested immediately.
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Your well-being is a priority. We provide a robust employer-sponsored healthcare plan to ensure you and your family have access to quality medical care.
• Generous Paid Time Off: We value work-life balance and offer annual Paid Time Off (PTO) plus additional dedicated sick days.
• Paid Federal Holidays: Enjoy all federal holidays throughout the year, allowing you to recharge and spend time with loved ones.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed