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Loft Federal

Mission-as-a-service smallsat launch and management

Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/3/2026
$120k - $185k+ Equity options + Relocation assistance
Mid
Arvada, CO, USA
In Person
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • Strong experience with public cloud infrastructure, ideally Google Cloud Platform.
  • Deep expertise in Kubernetes architecture, deployment, operations, and resource optimization.
  • Demonstrated ability to design and build scalable, highly available systems.
  • Familiarity with Software Defined Networking concepts and tools.
  • Experience implementing and maintaining observability stacks, including Grafana, Prometheus, and Loki.
  • Proficiency in at least one backend language: Go, Python, Rust, C/C++, or Java.
  • Deep understanding and hands-on experience with DevOps practices, including continuous integration and continuous delivery, infrastructure as code, and automation.
  • A proven track record of working in fast-paced, high-growth technical environments.
  • Ability to operate independently with a proactive, results-driven approach.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen and have a Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with developers and satellite operators to foster a strong SatDevOps culture.
  • Design, implement, and maintain scalable, reliable, and secure infrastructure in a hybrid cloud environment.
  • Improve the developer experience by building better tools, workflows, and environments.
  • Lead efforts to automate and optimize systems, including continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines, infrastructure provisioning using infrastructure as code, and deployment workflows.
  • Own and evolve the observability stack, including metrics, tracing, and logs, to improve usability and performance.
  • Implement and advocate for best practices in software reliability, fault tolerance, and performance tuning.
  • Proactively identify, investigate, and resolve system reliability issues, perform root cause analyses, and implement long-term fixes.
  • Partner with teams to design and operate Software Defined Network solutions.
  • Contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
Desired Qualifications
  • Hands-on experience with GitOps frameworks such as ArgoCD and FluxCD.
  • Interest or experience in FinOps and cost-optimized architectures.
  • Understanding of orchestration in resource-constrained environments, such as space systems.
  • Knowledge of systems engineering tools and software development lifecycle governance.
  • Familiarity with security practices, vulnerability scanning, threat detection, and risk mitigation.

About the company

Loft Federal provides mission-as-a-service for small satellite missions to the U.S. national security space community. It handles the entire process of getting a payload to orbit, offering regularly scheduled missions so clients can focus on their data rather than the launch. The company uses pre-procured satellite buses and proprietary plug-and-play software and hardware to quickly integrate and launch payloads, delivering missions in months instead of years. This makes Loft Federal different from competitors by targeting government payloads with a turnkey, cost-effective, and predictable path to space, backed by a streamlined operations model rather than standalone launch services. The overall goal is to give government and defense organizations reliable, timely access to space for their data-gathering payloads.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Golden, Colorado

Founded

2022

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • The August 20, 2026 Arvada opening supports 100 employees and signals demand growth.
  • Initial cleanroom capabilities arrive in October 2026, enabling faster payload integration and customer onboarding.
  • Loft Federal won the Space Force STEP 2.0 vehicle in May 2025, extending program visibility through 2035.

What critics are saying

  • Firefly, Rocket Lab, and others are packaging launch-plus-payload services, squeezing Loft Federal margins by 2028.
  • Loft Federal still depends on Loft Orbital execution, so any launch slip hits government credibility immediately.
  • If SDA and Space Force awards slow after 2026, Loft Federal’s classified-facility expansion becomes stranded capacity.

What makes Loft Federal unique

  • Loft Federal’s Candelas facility gives secure, classified-ready integration space in Arvada, Colorado.
  • Its mission-as-a-service model bundles payload integration, software, launch, and operations for government customers.
  • Loft Orbital booked $500M lifetime revenue and launched Loft Federal into classified programs by 2025.

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Benefits

Performance Bonus

Company Equity

Company News

Jeffco Business District
Aug 20th, 2026
Loft Federal opens major ops facility in Arvada.

Loft Federal opens major ops facility in Arvada. Gen AI | August 20, 2026 | Loft Federal has opened a new 60,000-square-foot operations and integration facility in Arvada, a notable investment inside Jefferson County that adds high-value aerospace and government-contracting activity to the local economy. The new site is expected to support up to 100 employees, contractors and mission partners, making it relevant for area businesses that serve growing technology, advanced manufacturing and professional services needs. Why this is relevant to businesses in Jefferson County: * The facility is located in Arvada, directly within Jefferson County, making it a local business expansion with potential spillover for suppliers, service providers and commercial real estate. * Loft Federal said the site is expected to support 100 employees, contractors and mission partners as operations grow, which can increase demand for local vendors and business services. * The investment strengthens Jefferson County's aerospace and defense business base, sectors that can attract additional partnerships and follow-on economic activity.

Global Risk Community
Apr 8th, 2025
global optical satellite imaging market

In April 2023, Ball Corporation partnered with Loft Federal and Microsoft for the Space Development Agency's NExT contract, involving an experimental testbed of 10 satellites scheduled for launch in 2024.

Nasdaq
Apr 3rd, 2024
Volume Production Begins for Mynaric's Flagship Space Laser Terminal - CONDOR Mk3

Mynaric was also selected by Loft Federal to supply the CONDOR Mk3 terminals to NExT - the SDA's Experimental Testbed.