Forward Deployed Software Engineer

INTRODUCTION We value candidates who have significant experience with managing complexity, working independently, and are motivated by hard problems. WHAT WE OFFER - The ability to have real impact on mission-critical workflows - The chance to use state-of-the-art tech to solve novel problems with mission partners - The opportunity to define your role through time as we grow - Competitive salary and equity upside with annual merit refreshes based on impact Position Overview As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will sit at the intersection of engineering and customer partnership. You will be onsite with customers regularly, building trust, diagnosing needs, and translating user feedback directly into product improvements. You are still fundamentally an engineer: you will write code, debug systems, and help shape the architecture of a platform built to leverage LLMs and modern AI application techniques. But you are equally comfortable in a customer briefing room as you are in a terminal. This role is for someone who finds it energizing to own the full loop: understand the problem, build the solution, deploy it, and watch it create value for users in real time. You should be comfortable with ambiguity, have a bias for action, and take pride in the quality and reliability of what you ship. You will work on a small, tight-knit team and will be expected to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to users and stakeholders with varying levels of technical fluency. As an early team member, you will also help shape our culture, processes, and product direction. We expect you to measure your work by impact, not activity. Location Washington, DC area. Up to 50% travel domestically and OCONUS. Key Responsibilities - Go onsite to customer environments to configure, optimize, and support ConductorAI software, including customizing workflows for specific customer use cases and troubleshooting the system - Write and maintain production-quality code in Python and TypeScript within a small engineering team - Work directly with users to gather feedback, understand workflows, and translate insights into actionable product requirements - Debug and improve system reliability, performance, and usability based on real-world customer usage - Build and deliver technical demonstrations to new and existing customers - Collaborate with the product and engineering team to develop new features, with a direct line from customer need to shipped capability - Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve operational efficiency at customer sites - As a core team member, contribute to company strategy, culture, and evolving responsibilities as we grow Qualifications - Active DoD Secret clearance or higher required at time of hire; required due to the classified nature of work performed under US government contracts - US citizenship required by applicable federal law and government contract obligations (ITAR/EAR); we are unable to consider green card holders or sponsor visas for this role - 2+ years of professional software engineering or forward deployed engineering experience - Proficiency in Python and TypeScript - Experience working directly with end users or customers in a technical capacity - Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences - Comfort operating with high autonomy in ambiguous, fast-moving environments - Experience with LLMs and modern AI application techniques - Ability to travel up to 40% domestically and OCONUS Desired Qualifications - Active TS or TS/SCI clearance - Experience in defense, intelligence, or national security environments - Experience at an early-stage startup or in fast-moving, ambiguous environments - Background in system design or full-stack development - Existing relationships with DoD or civil agency stakeholders Compensation The base salary range for this role is $150,000-220,000, with the opportunity for meaningful equi