Hardware​/Network Engineer

Location: Onsite – Fairfax, VA
· U.S. Citizen Required (ITAR / Government Customer Requirements)

Type: Full Time

Nextgen

ID is a profitable, pre-Series A identity verification and biometric technology company operating 250+ self‑service kiosks. We are hiring an on‑site Hardware / Network Engineer to own the full lifecycle of our kiosk hardware platform: design, build, configure, deploy, and sustain. This role is hands‑on and cross‑functional — you will work directly with software engineering, operations, field service, and client solutions to ensure every kiosk ships reliable, connected, and secure.

Our kiosks process identity verification transactions in government and enterprise environments, meaning uptime, security, and network resilience are non‑negotiable.

• Onsite in Fairfax, VA — remote is not available.
• U.S. citizen required due to ITAR and government customer obligations.
• Comfortable working with physical hardware (assembly, cabling, bench testing) as well as network configuration and troubleshooting.
• Hands‑on ownership of kiosk hardware and network infrastructure — this is not a design‑only or advisory role.

• Document and standardize the current kiosk hardware BOM, assembly process, and QA acceptance criteria for consistent build quality.
• Establish a repeatable hardware provisioning pipeline: image, configure, test, and ship kiosks with minimal manual intervention.
• Audit and harden kiosk network architecture: VPN tunnels, firewall rules, cellular/LTE failover, and remote management access across hundreds of locations in the US and internationally.
• Implement hardware lifecycle management: inventory tracking, warranty/RMA processes, component obsolescence planning, and spare parts strategy.
• Define monitoring and alerting for hardware health: temperature, connectivity, peripheral status (camera, scanner, printer), and power/UPS telemetry.
• Collaborate with Dev Sec Ops  and software engineering to ensure secure boot, firmware integrity, and patch delivery pipelines for deployed kiosks.

Kiosk Hardware Engineering (Hands‑On)

• Own the kiosk hardware platform: component selection, integration, assembly documentation, and build‑to‑order manufacturing coordination.
• Design and maintain hardware test fixtures and acceptance procedures to validate each unit before deployment.
• Evaluate and qualify new components (cameras, biometric sensors, NFC readers, printers, touchscreens) for reliability, security, and cost optimization.
• Manage hardware BOM, vendor relationships, and procurement lead times in coordination with Operations and Supply Chain.
• Support field service engineers with remote hardware diagnostics and escalation procedures.
• Design, deploy, and maintain the network infrastructure connecting kiosks to cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Configure and manage site‑to‑site VPN, SD‑WAN, or zero‑trust network access for kiosk fleet connectivity.
• Implement network security controls: segmentation, firewall policies, intrusion detection, and encrypted transport.
• Own cellular/LTE connectivity strategy for kiosks without dedicated wired connections; manage carrier relationships and SIM provisioning.
• Monitor network performance, latency, and availability across the fleet using centralized dashboards and alerting.

Infrastructure & Reliability

• Define and enforce hardware configuration baselines to ensure consistency across US and international kiosk deployments.
• Implement remote management capabilities: BIOS/firmware updates, OS reimaging, peripheral diagnostics, and remote reboot/recovery.
• Partner with the Dev Sec Ops  team on hardening Windows endpoints: secure boot, Bit Locker, application whitelisting, and telemetry collection.
• Support SOC 2 and FedRAMP compliance requirements related to physical security, hardware integrity, and network controls.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work with Software Engineering on hardware‑software integration: driver compatibility, peripheral APIs, and firmware update mechanisms.
• Coordinate with Client Solutions and Field Service on deployment logistics, site surveys, and installation requirements.
• Provide technical…