Forward Deployed Engineer

About This Opportunity

We are representing a confidential aerospace technology client building advanced autonomous systems and command & control platforms for defense applications. They need a Forward Deployed Engineer who will embed directly with U.S. government and military customers to ensure technical success in real operational environments.

This is not a desk job. You will deploy software in austere locations, debug distributed systems in the field, and write code that warfighters depend on. If you want to see your work tested against reality in high-stakes environments, this role delivers.

Responsibilities

• Build and own critical software integrations that bring C2 systems to life in customer environments across diverse hardware configurations and operational contexts
• Debug complex distributed systems issues in the field, analyzing logs, network traffic, and system performance with minimal support
• Contribute to core service development alongside the engineering team, bringing field insights back into the product
• Write code daily across the full stack—solving customer-specific integration challenges, contributing to core services, and building monitoring solutions that hold up under pressure
• Support continuous operational environments, including non-standard hours, on-call response, and rotational coverage aligned to mission tempo
• Travel domestically and internationally (up to 75%) to test sites and customer locations—deploying software, troubleshooting in the field, and feeding requirements back to engineering
• Collaborate with U.S. military and government program offices on-site and remotely, translating complex operational requirements into software solutions

What We're Looking For

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field
• 3+ years of professional software engineering experience or equivalent demonstrated ability
• Strong proficiency in at least one major programming language (Python, C/C++, Golang, or Java)
• Solid understanding of networking fundamentals: NAT, DNS/mDNS, UDP/TCP protocols, multicast, and firewall configuration
• Experience with Linux system administration and shell scripting
• Proven debugging skills across complex software systems—you know how to read logs, use debuggers, and trace issues systematically
• Excellent communication skills for engaging with U.S. government and military customers and internal engineering teams
• Willingness and ability to travel 60-75% of the time, both domestically and internationally, including to remote or restricted-access locations
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance (active Secret clearance preferred)
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) to conform to U.S. Government export regulations

Preferred:

• Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and infrastructure-as-code
• Background in distributed systems, real-time systems, or robotics software
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation
• Experience in customer-facing engineering or technical sales engineering roles
• Prior defense, intelligence community, or aerospace software experience
• Comfort operating in non-permissive or resource-constrained environments

This role is for you if:

• You want to see your code run in high-stakes, real-world environments—not just pass CI
• You thrive on solving hard integration and deployment challenges independently
• You're comfortable being the most technical person in the room in dynamic, unpredictable field conditions
• You adapt to shifting schedules and operational demands without losing rigor

This role is NOT:

• A pilot position or flight test engineer role
• Primarily hands-on hardware work (electronics, wiring, mechanical assembly)
• A traditional SRE or DevOps role with predictable hours and controlled environments

How We Work With You

Candidates apply directly through Get A Job.ai. Our talent team will conduct an initial screening to understand your background and match you with the right opportunity. Once we identify a strong fit, we submit your profile to our client for consideration. Please do not contact the client directly—all communication flows through our recruiting team to ensure a smooth and professional process.

Pay

Our client offers competitive compensation, meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company, comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, paid sick leave, monthly wellness stipend, catered lunch (office), and paid parental leave. Specific pay details will be discussed during the screening process based on your experience and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity: Get A Job.ai is committed to equal opportunity employment. We make hiring decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.