Forward Deployed Engineer ($220k-$300k + Equity) at High-growth defense tech AI startup
Software Engineering, Sales & Business Development, Data Science
United States
USD 220k-300k / year + Equity
Posted on Aug 31, 2026
This is a job that Jill, our AI Recruiter, is recruiting for on behalf of one of our customers.
She will pick the best candidates from Jack's network.
The next step is to speak to Jack.
Job Title
Forward Deployed Engineer
Salary
$220k-$300k + Equity
Company Description
High-growth defense tech AI startup
Job Description
You will embed directly with national security and law enforcement customers to develop production-grade code that addresses critical operational challenges. By building custom integrations and mission-specific agent configurations in secure environments, you’ll bridge the gap between core engineering and the front lines, ensuring high-stakes software solves real-world intelligence problems rapidly.
Location
Washington DC, USA
Why this role is remarkable
Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support.
And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate.
How does this work?
This isn't a trick. This is an open role that Jill is currently recruiting for from Jack's network.
Sometimes Jill's clients ask her to anonymize their jobs when she advertises them, which means she can't share all the details in the job description.
We appreciate this can make them look a bit suspect, but there isn't much we can do about it.
Give Jack a spin! You could land this role. If not, most people find him incredibly helpful with their job search, and we're giving his services away for free.
She will pick the best candidates from Jack's network.
The next step is to speak to Jack.
Job Title
Forward Deployed Engineer
Salary
$220k-$300k + Equity
Company Description
High-growth defense tech AI startup
Job Description
You will embed directly with national security and law enforcement customers to develop production-grade code that addresses critical operational challenges. By building custom integrations and mission-specific agent configurations in secure environments, you’ll bridge the gap between core engineering and the front lines, ensuring high-stakes software solves real-world intelligence problems rapidly.
Location
Washington DC, USA
Why this role is remarkable
- Directly impact national security by delivering advanced AI capabilities to federal agents and intelligence analysts in the field.
- Backed by top-tier VCs with a leadership team of former operators from elite government agencies and premier defense tech companies.
- High-autonomy environment with significant equity and the ability to own relationships at the highest levels of government command.
- Embed on-site with customers to write and deploy production code for tailored workflows and custom system integrations.
- Configure and optimize mission-specific AI agent systems to operate effectively within classified and high-security government environments.
- Act as the primary technical bridge, translating field insights and operational requirements back to the core engineering team.
- Proven experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer or similar technical role within the defense or national security technology sectors.
- Versatile full-stack engineering background with a working knowledge of AI/ML agent systems and complex data integrations.
- Strong self-direction and willingness to travel, with the ability to obtain or maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support.
And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate.
How does this work?
- Jack's an AI agent for job searching and career coaching. He works for you.
- Jill is the AI recruiter working for the company. She recruits from Jack's network.
- If it's a match and the company wants to meet you, they'll make the intro. In the meantime, if you'd like, Jack will send you excellent alternatives.
This isn't a trick. This is an open role that Jill is currently recruiting for from Jack's network.
Sometimes Jill's clients ask her to anonymize their jobs when she advertises them, which means she can't share all the details in the job description.
We appreciate this can make them look a bit suspect, but there isn't much we can do about it.
Give Jack a spin! You could land this role. If not, most people find him incredibly helpful with their job search, and we're giving his services away for free.