Forward Deployed Engineer

About the Company

Our client is a Series A software company building the operating system for modern hardware manufacturers. Their platform helps companies running complex physical production, across aerospace, defense, energy, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, manage their factory operations end to end. They are growing quickly and scaling a forward-deployed engineering team that works hand in hand with customers on-site.

The Role

As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will embed directly with customers to build tailor-made software on top of our client's platform for companies manufacturing some of the most advanced hardware in the world. It is a rare blend of deep engineering and direct customer impact, with real ownership over what you build and ship.

What you'll be doing

• Deploy to customer sites to learn their operations and build custom software on the client's platform
• Own complex database work: schema design, SQL optimization, and data models that power real-time factory operations
• Write full-stack production code (React/TypeScript front end, Python back end, PostgreSQL) that flows back into the core product
• Act as the technical point person for customer engineering and operations teams
• Help deploy and showcase the client's new AI product across customer sites

Tech stack: Python, React, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, SQL, AWS

Requirements

• 3–5 years of full-stack software engineering experience with a clear back-end and database lean; front-end-heavy profiles are not the right fit
• Strong SQL with real depth in relational database design and data modeling: you can design complex schemas and optimize queries (this is assessed directly in the interview)
• Background in either enterprise or customer-deployed software (for example ERP, logistics, industrial, or deployment-heavy platforms) or engineering at a company with a physical manufacturing floor (aerospace, space, defense, or advanced hardware)
• A track record of shipping customer-facing production code as a software, forward-deployed, solutions, or product engineer
• A strong communicator who builds rapport quickly with customers
• Comfortable working with AI-native development workflows
• Must be a US citizen or green card holder, which is required for compliance on this role

Nice to Haves

• Experience spanning both worlds: enterprise-deployment software and manufacturing-floor environments
• Prior forward-deployed, solutions, or embedded-with-customer engineering experience
• Comfort thriving in a fast-paced startup or small-company environment

Why Join

• Build software that ships into some of the most ambitious manufacturing environments in the world
• End-to-end ownership on high-impact, customer-facing work rather than a support role
• Join a forward-deployed team early and help shape its playbook as it scales
• Competitive salary plus equity, with strong benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401K, parental leave, and more)

Details

• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Work policy: Hybrid, 1–2 days in-office plus customer site visits in the SF area
• Compensation: $160K–$190K + equity
• Visa sponsorship: Not available; US citizen or green card holder required
• Employment type: Full-time