A day in the life

As Swift's IT Support Engineer, you'll own day-to-day IT operations end-to-end, taking Swift's IT from "whoever's free fixes it" to a real, owned function the whole team can rely on. You'll be the person who keeps everyone's computers, software, accounts, and connectivity working at multiple sites, and who keeps the office and lab network stable and well-covered. As an early and likely sole IT hire, you won't just keep the lights on-you'll build the systems, runbooks, and standards that let IT scale with the company.

On a typical day, you might troubleshoot a connectivity issue in the lab, set up a new hire's laptop and accounts, enroll devices in MDM, enforce MFA across a core system, and close out a stubborn Wi-Fi dead zone. You might also rack and cable new gear, walk over to look at an instrument PC, write a runbook from a ticket you just resolved, run an access review, or negotiate with a vendor or ISP. You may also coordinate with our third-party consultants and operations team to qualify for government data security certifications. We expect you to use AI as a force multiplier-drafting knowledge-base articles, triaging common tickets, and scripting routine automation so you can reserve your hours for the hands-on, relational, and judgment-heavy work that matters most.

This role touches every part of the company, from R&D and engineering to operations. As an early hire, you'll help define how IT works at Swift and build the foundation it grows on, which will naturally create opportunities to expand your own skills and responsibilities. We encourage you to take full advantage of these opportunities.
You might be a good fit if you...

• Troubleshoot methodically across hardware, OS, software, and network-isolating root cause, resolving quickly, and preventing the same problem from coming back.
• Are confident with networking fundamentals-TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, Wi-Fi, VPN, and firewalls-and can read and fix a network problem, not just restart it.
• Can run endpoint and identity management-MDM, imaging, and identity/SSO administration-to keep the fleet consistent, current, and secure.
• Are calm, clear, and empathetic with non-technical colleagues, turning frustrating moments into trust.
• Treat access, patching, and least privilege as defaults, and spot risk in everyday requests.
• Can triage a noisy queue, make the right call on what's urgent, and follow through without supervision.
• Write things down once so they don't have to be solved twice, building a process that scales past one person.

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following...

• Experience as the first or sole IT hire, standing up tooling and process from scratch.
• Exposure to lab, manufacturing, or other operational-technology (OT) environments and instrument PCs.
• Familiarity with security baselines, endpoint security tooling, and frameworks like SOC 2 or CIS controls.
• Light scripting (Bash, PowerShell, or Python) to automate routine tasks.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CompTIA A+/Network+/Security+, or vendor networking certs).
• Genuine enthusiasm for the breadth of building IT at a hardware startup-and an understanding of why solving climate change matters.

The logistics

• Compensation: Competitive package including salary, equity, and benefits
• Expected Pay Range: $80K - $110K per year
• The actual offer, reflecting total compensation and benefits, will be determined by factors such as relevant experience, skills, and other qualifications
• Ideal start date: ASAP - target August 2026
• Job type: Full-time
• Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What you'll love about Swift

• Work with purpose: Join our mission to unlock the full potential of solar energy and make a global impact.
• Lead with innovation: Be part of an extraordinary team building cutting-edge solar technology - growth mindset; culture
• Thrive with benefits: Have 100% of your monthly premiums for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental and vision insurance premiums covered by us. Employees also benefit from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful equity.
• Invest in your career: You'll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. We'll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

We recognize that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often hesitate to apply if they don't meet all the criteria. If you're excited about this role and believe you can contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply-even if you don't meet every qualification listed. We're eager to meet people from all backgrounds, and your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

If you believe in our mission, but this isn't the right job for you, please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at [email protected] with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!