Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed Engineer

As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will leverage extensive experience in deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting complex software and infrastructure within classified government and defense environments. This high-impact, client-facing position demands deep technical expertise and hands-on leadership in secure system deployments. You will operate directly with clients, traveling to on-site locations, providing strategic technical guidance to resolve unique challenges and ensuring the seamless operation of critical systems, particularly in Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) network environments.

Candidates must reside in one of the approved hiring hubs:

• DC/Maryland/Virginia
• Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC
• Denver/Colorado Springs, CO
• Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

What You'll Do:

• Lead the deployment and configuration of software solutions in secure, classified environments in support of US government customers. Work closely with our engineering and product teams to integrate complex systems and infrastructure.
• Serve as the main technical point of contact for government clients and their contractors, ensuring their requirements are met while adhering to strict security protocols.
• Support the internal Program Manager in producing and delivering technical contract CDRLs.
• Provide on-the-ground troubleshooting and immediate hand-on support for client systems, including software bugs, hardware issues, and deployment failures.
• Ensure that all deployed systems comply with government security standards and regulatory frameworks, including FedRAMP, NIST, and others. Maintain awareness of current security risks and advise clients on mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineering, DevOps, and security to implement secure and scalable solutions.
• Maintain clear and concise documentation for system configurations, troubleshooting procedures, and security compliance activities.
• Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and suggest optimizations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of deployed solutions.
• Be on-site at client locations for system deployments, updates and troubleshooting during high impact operational exercises, integration and training events. Travel to remote locations may be required.
• Up to 50% travel may be required at times to support critical client integrations

Skills You'll Bring to Our Team:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in systems deployment, engineering, or operations in highly regulated environments (government, defense, etc.).
• Proficiency in Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, RedHat) server administration.
• Proficiency deploying, maintaining and working with Kubernetes.
• Proficiency in maintaining and troubleshooting Helm charts within Kubernetes deployments
• Proficiency working in on-prem and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control, and automation.
• Proficiency with networking concepts, including VPNs, VLANs, and firewalls.
• Experience in task automation with a language (e.g., Go, Rust, Python, Bash).
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience with deploying complex systems in cloud or on-premise environments.
• Strong understanding of security protocols and best practices, including encryption, firewalls, access control, and identity management.
• Current DoD Secret clearance with the willingness and ability to upgrade to TS/SCI
• US Citizenship

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a startup environment
• Knowledge of DevSecOps tools and practices
• Experience with monitoring and alerting systems (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana)
• Familiarity with the following tech stack: AWS, Talos Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Istio, Git, GitLab, Terraform, relational databases
• Current TS/SCI