Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed EngineerLocation: Rosslyn, VA Company Stage of Funding: Series A (Andreessen Horowitz-backed) Office Type: Onsite (5 days/week) + Travel (~25–40%) Salary: $190,000 – $235,000 + EquityCompany DescriptionOur client is a venture-backed defense technology company building AI-powered logistics software for the U.S. military and allied forces. Their platform replaces outdated, manual processes with predictive, real-time systems that improve operational readiness and decision-making in high-stakes environments.Backed by top-tier investors and staffed by a combination of elite engineers and veterans, the company is rapidly scaling and already supporting critical operations across multiple branches of the military. This is an opportunity to work on mission-critical software in a fast-growing, high-impact environment.What You Will DoWork directly with end users (military personnel and operators) to understand problems and deliver impactful software solutionsOwn features end-to-end, from concept and prototyping to deployment in real-world environmentsBuild and deploy full-stack systems across backend, frontend, and systems integration layersDebug and resolve complex issues in production, often in high-pressure, real-world conditionsCollaborate with engineering, product, and operations teams to deliver scalable, reliable solutionsContinuously improve system performance, observability, and reliability through monitoring and iterationTravel (~25–40%) to deploy and support systems in operational environments, both domestically and internationallyIdeal Candidate Background2–6 years of software engineering experience, ideally in startup or high-ownership environmentsStrong coding ability (Java strongly preferred; experience with Go, TypeScript, C++, or similar also valuable)Experience working in customer-facing or deployment-oriented engineering rolesProven ability to own and deliver projects end-to-end in ambiguous environmentsStrong debugging skills and experience working with production systemsAbility to work onsite in the DC area and travel as requiredActive U.S. Secret security clearance requiredPreferredExperience in defense tech, aerospace, or other mission-critical domainsPrior Forward Deployed Engineer, Solutions Engineer, or similar experienceExperience deploying software in constrained or real-world environmentsFamiliarity with systems integration, networking, or distributed systemsBackground working in small, fast-moving teams with high ownershipCompensation and BenefitsCompetitive base salary: $190,000 – $235,000Equity in a high-growth Series A companyOpportunity to work on mission-critical software with real-world impactHigh ownership role with direct exposure to users and deploymentsWork alongside top-tier engineering talent and experienced operatorsCareer growth opportunities as the team scales rapidlyThis role is ideal for engineers who want to operate at the intersection of software, real-world deployment, and mission-critical systems—owning impactful work from code to field execution.