Solutions Architect

About Northwood Space: Northwood is on a mission to transform connectivity between Earth and space. Satellites are only as powerful as the ground systems that connect to them - without that critical infrastructure, they can’t be steered or send their data back to Earth. Northwood’s global ground network ensures that missions ranging from national security, to global connectivity, to disaster response can unlock their full potential and operate every day without fail. We take a vertically integrated approach to building an end-to-end ground system, delivering technology that is scalable and reliable for both government and commercial customers. Backed by over $100M from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Washington Harbour Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, Founders Fund, and others, Northwood has proven its ability to move fast – we’ve stood up a fully operational site in Australia in just 3 months, where similar efforts typically take years. Northwood is rapidly scaling its global footprint, with 30+ sites planned across 2026 and 2027. We’re building and deploying infrastructure at a pace the industry hasn’t seen before. If you thrive on building quickly, solving hard problems, and seeing your work deployed globally on critical missions, we want you at Northwood. SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT Northwood is building a global network of next-generation ground stations, and we’re looking for a Solutions Architect to define the products that power that network. You will translate customer needs and network-level analysis into concrete product definitions – what we build, how it performs, and how it scales. You will work closely with Sites, Business Development, and Engineering leadership to aggregate demand across customers, shape product direction, and drive alignment on what Northwood brings to market. This role is highly cross-functional and high-leverage, sitting at the intersection of customer requirements, system design, and product execution / evolution. RESPONSIBILITIES: - Translate network-level inputs (capacity, coverage, latency, deployment timing) into concrete product architectures. - Define RF and system-level parameters, including antenna configurations, link performance targets, throughput, and availability requirements. - Develop and iterate on solution architectures using simulation outputs, link budgets, and real-world constraints to ensure technical and operational viability. - Partner with Business Development to shape customer engagements and support proposals. - Drive alignment with Engineering Leadership on system tradeoffs, product direction and roadmap, and deliver clear, execution-ready system definitions. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, physics, or mathematics. - 5-10+ years of experience in systems engineering, solutions architecture, or technical product roles, with demonstrated ownership of complex, cross-functional systems. - Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. - Working knowledge of RF systems, ground stations, satellite communications, or related infrastructure. - Proven ability to operate across disciplines (hardware, software, network, operations) and drive alignment across teams. - Excellent communications skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and competing priorities. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: - Experience defining and deploying complex communications, networking, aerospace, or infrastructure systems at scale - Strong understanding of RF systems, satellite communications, network architecture tradeoffs, and system performance analysis - Ability to translate customer requirements and operational constraints into scalable technical product definitions and execution-ready architectures - Experience partnering with customers, business development, and engineering teams to shape proposals, product direction, and roadmap decisions - Strong systems thinking, technical judgment, and ability t