Forward Deployed Engineer — Careers
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Forward Deployed
Engineer

Department
Engineering
Location
San Jose, CA
Salary
$165K–$220K
Clearance
Secret
Position
Forward Deployed Engineer
Employment
Full-time · Hybrid
Experience
3–5 years
01 — Overview

About the Role

We are looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer with 3–5 years of experience to embed directly with commercial and defense customers, solving complex real-world problems at the intersection of hardware, software, and mission-critical operations. This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-moving, early-stage defense tech company where you’ll be the face of the company on the front line — writing production-quality code in the field, shaping the product roadmap from the point of need, and working on technology that genuinely matters.

02 — Responsibilities

What will you be doing?

  • Deploy onsite with customers (industrial, defense, and government) to develop, debug, and ship high-impact software solutions in the field — often in air-gapped, austere, or disconnected environments
  • Cycle between customer sites and the office: gather real-world feedback, bring it back to the core engineering team, and iterate fast to improve the product
  • Diagnose and solve a wide range of technical problems on the fly — from networking issues to code bugs — using whatever tool is right for the job (Linux, Android, C, Rust, Python, etc.)
  • Act as the company’s ambassador on site: represent the company credibly with customer stakeholders, translate field learnings into product priorities, and identify new use cases
  • Collaborate with the company’s core engineering team (including PhDs and domain specialists) to escalate, communicate, and resolve complex technical challenges discovered in the field
03 — The Details

Role Details

Salary$165K - $220K
Hybrid work policyIn-office in San Jose, CA with 35–50% travel
EmploymentFull-time position
LocationSan Jose, CA
EquityCompetitive equity
Tech stack
Linux Android C Rust Python DevOps Networking / IP Embedded Systems Hardware-Software Integration SDLC Sensors AI
Why this role

Highlights

01

Founded in 2024 and already at 55 employees with real U.S. Army contracts in hand (Soldier Born Mission Command program). You’re joining at the ground floor with massive equity upside.

02

$165K–$220K base + competitive equity + unlimited PTO. Early-stage cash comp paired with real equity upside as the company scales.

03

You’re not building features in a vacuum — you’re embedded with frontline defense personnel and industrial operators solving urgent real-world problems where hardware, software, sensors, and AI collide.

04

Fast feedback loops are the whole point. Go on-site, gather signal, ship improvements, repeat. The team is small so your individual impact is outsized and direct access to leadership is a given.
What we need

Key Requirements

  • U.S. citizen with an active Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain one — non-negotiable due to contract obligations
  • 3–5 years of hands-on software engineering experience with a strong foundation in Linux, networking fundamentals, and low-level programming (C, Rust, or similar); comfort across multiple languages and abstraction levels
  • Demonstrated experience deploying and debugging integrated technology solutions onsite with customers — not just building in an office
  • Background in environments where software meets the physical world: embedded systems, defense tech, robotics, aerospace, IoT, factory automation, or similar “bits and atoms” domains
  • Scrappy, curious, and self-directed — thrives in ambiguity, willing to travel 35–70%, and genuinely excited to work in austere field environments (not just an air-conditioned office)