Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed EngineerWork Style: Customer-facing / Field-based

Employment Type: Full-timeFocus: Agentic AI, National Security, Defense Technology, Field Engineering, Production SoftwareAbout Our ClientOur client is building AI technology for the people and organizations responsible for protecting the country.Their platform is deployed into high-consequence environments across the U.S. national security community, including intelligence, defense, and law enforcement.

The work is mission-critical, the environments are complex, and the stakes are real.This is an opportunity to join a team building agentic AI systems for operators who need reliable, secure, and effective technology in the field.About the RoleOur client is hiring a Forward Deployed Engineer to sit at the intersection of engineering, product, customer deployment, and mission operations.This is not a traditional implementation, support, or solutions engineering role. This person is a core engineer who also thrives directly with customers in high-pressure environments.You’ll contribute production code to the core platform, extend agent capabilities, deploy systems into sensitive government and defense environments, and own the full technical arc from scoping and integration through live operation and customer trust.The right candidate is comfortable shipping code during the week and deploying it into a secure customer environment by the end of the week.What You’ll DoContribute directly to the core platform by writing production code, building features, and extending agent capabilitiesDeploy and operate agentic AI systems in sensitive government, defense, intelligence, and law enforcement environmentsOwn technical deployments from scoping and integration through live operationServe as the primary technical interface for mission owners, operators, and senior stakeholdersLearn customer workflows, constraints, language, and mission needs quicklyBuild rapid prototypes, custom integrations, and field-expedient solutions in hours, not long planning cyclesBring the best field-built solutions back into the core productTranslate field requirements, edge cases, and operational feedback into clear product and engineering improvementsOperate independently at customer sites with minimal oversightStand up and maintain field infrastructure across heterogeneous hardware and networking environmentsConduct live demonstrations for senior government and military stakeholdersOwn the outcome when the margin for error is thinWhat We’re Looking ForStrong software engineering fundamentals with the ability to ship production codeExperience building, deploying, or operating systems in complex customer environmentsAbility to work directly with technical and non-technical stakeholders in high-pressure settingsComfort operating independently with limited directionStrong problem-solving skills in ambiguous environmentsAbility to build quick prototypes and durable production systemsStrong communication skills and the ability to earn trust with mission-focused usersHigh ownership, strong judgment, and a bias toward actionInterest in agentic AI, defense technology, national security, intelligence, law enforcement, or mission-driven softwareWillingness to work in secure or sensitive environments and travel as neededBonus ExperienceExperience with government, defense, intelligence, law enforcement, or national security customersExperience deploying software into secure environments, including SCIFs or similarly restricted settingsExperience with agentic AI systems, LLMs, tool use, RAG, workflow automation, or mission softwareExperience with field engineering, forward deployed engineering, solutions engineering, or customer-facing technical deploymentsExperience standing up infrastructure across varied hardware, networking, or air-gapped environmentsExperience building production software in high-stakes or regulated environmentsActive or prior security clearanceWhy This OpportunityBuild AI systems for mission-critical national security use casesWork directly with the people using the technology in the fieldContribute to the core product while owning real-world deploymentsOperate in environments where speed, judgment, reliability, and trust matterBuild rapid solutions at the edge and turn them into lasting product improvementsJoin a team where forward deployed engineers are core engineers, not post-sales supportStep into a role with high ownership, technical depth, and direct mission impact

Location: US-based in on of the following cities:NYCSFAustin, TXWashington DC