Head of Forward Deployed Engineering (Washington)

Washington, District of ColumbiaOnsiteDirect Hire$215k - $300kAn early-stage defense AI startup building autonomous AI agents for national security and federal mission environments is hiring a Head of Forward Deployed Engineering. You'll lead the team responsible for bringing cutting-edge AI technology into customer environments, partnering closely with users while building scalable solutions using Python, TypeScript, modern AI frameworks, cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes, and distributed systems.
This is a unique opportunity to build and lead one of the company's most strategic engineering organizations from the ground up. You'll recruit, mentor, and grow a high-performing team while remaining close to customers solving real-world mission problems. They're looking for someone who has led forward deployed, solutions engineering, or customer-facing engineering teams in fast-moving environments and enjoys operating where technical leadership, product strategy, and customer success intersect. As the company grows, you'll play a major role in shaping both the engineering organization and the future of the product.Required Skills & Experience8+ years of software engineering experience with at least 3+ years in forward-deployed or heavily customer-facing environmentsExperience leading teamsStrong software development background using Python, Go, TypeScript, or similar languagesExperience building cloud-native applications on AWS or KubernetesAbility to work directly with customers, understand complex operational problems, and translate them into scalable software solutionsExperience mentoring, and growing engineering teamsStrong communication skills with executive-level customers and internal leadershipStartup or high-growth company experience strongly preferredDesired Skills & ExperienceExperience supporting defense, intelligence, or federal government customersExperience with AI/LLMs, agentic AI systems, or machine learning platformsFamiliarity with distributed systems and modern infrastructure platformsPrevious experience at companies such as Palantir, Anduril, Scale AI, OpenAI, or similar mission-driven technology organizationsHaving an active security clearance at TS or above
You will receive the following benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance401(k)Paid Vacation & HolidaysEquityOpportunity to build and lead a critical engineering function at a rapidly growing AI startupApplicants must be currently eligible for a security clearance.
#LI-SU1