Field Sales Engineer, Defence

Distance Technologies Oy; Helsinki; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Distance Technologies Oy is seeking a Field Sales Engineer to join our Commercial team in Finland, focusing on defence customers and partners. You’ll own the full technical customer journey, from discovery to integration, and help shape our roadmap with real-world feedback.

You’ll travel regularly to customer sites across Finland, work hands-on with sensors, displays and vehicle data networks, and collaborate closely with R&D and commercial teams to balance customer needs and technical

Qualifications

• Fluency in Finnish required; strong English is essential for international collaboration.
• Hands-on technical capability with hardware and software to integrate systems.
• Willingness to travel across Finland and visit Helsinki HQ weekly.
• Ability to engage with Defence Forces and industry partners effectively.
• Commercial mindset with customer-facing communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical engagement with defence customers and partners.
• Demonstrate and configure integrations on field demos and trials.
• Collaborate with R&D and product teams to translate requirements into feasible solutions.
• Manage and nurture relationships to support long-term partnerships.

Skills

Fluent Finnish

Strong English

Commercial mindset

Social skills

Job description

We are looking for a Field Sales Engineer to join our Commercial team in Finland and work with our customers and partners in the defence domain. This is your chance to implement and work with technology that others don’t have, for use cases that truly matter.

WHY DISTANCE?

At Distance Technologies, the problem we're solving is simple to state and hard to solve: the amount of data in the world is endless, but human capacity is not. We are building a fundamentally new perception layer between humans and machines, transforming transparent surfaces into interfaces unlike the world has ever seen. Think of the windscreen of a car, the visor of a helmet, or a sight device, each becoming a new front-end for AI. The way we turn bits and atoms into expanded human perception is protected by over 50 granted patents internationally. We build it for two demanding worlds: defense and automotive. And we build it from a single foundation fusing software, hardware and computational optics.

There are 50 of us today, with decade-long experience building world’s best products, optics, and open-source operating systems. We partner and build with globally leading companies like KIA, General Dynamics, Supacat, and Galvion, and we were Google Ventures' first investment in Finland. What we're building is hard, and will fundamentally change how we operate and see the world, and that's exactly why we seek exceptional people who enjoy building things never seen before.

THE ROLE

You’ll work with our defence offering and own the full technical customer journey, serving as the primary builder and bridge between Distance and our customers and partners. You aren't just presenting; you are actively shaping our roadmap by translating complex defence requirements into actionable R&D specifications, and vice versa. From the first discovery session to final integration and acceptance, you ensure our technology fits seamlessly into armoured vehicles and soldier systems. Whether you are running field demos, leading tendering processes, or working hands‑on with integrations, you are pivotal: you directly influence product development based on real‑world customer needs.

You will primarily support the Finnish Defence Forces and Finnish industrial partners while contributing to future Nordic and European programmes. This role demands a hands‑on technical builder mindset and requires regular travel to customer sites across Finland. Success isn't measured by presentations given or demos delivered, but by customers confidently progressing from evaluation to integration.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• Join us to define the next generation of human-machine interfaces for armoured vehicles and mounted soldiers.

• Shape the roadmap: you’ll help evolve our products, customer relationships, and partnerships in close collaboration with our R&D and product teams.

• Work in a collaborative, low-hierarchy environment with direct access to colleagues across both commercial and R&D teams.

• Get out of the office and into the field: you will actively demo and configure proof‑of‑concept integrations directly with our customers and partners.

• Build long‑term, trusted partnerships, prioritizing fair, sustainable outcomes over transactional quick wins.

OUR EXPECTATIONS

• We are looking for a fellow builder, not a passenger: you own your outcomes, take the initiative to remove obstacles, and move things forward without waiting for permission.

• Everything isn't ready yet and things change rapidly. You should be more excited than frightened about that, viewing ambiguity as an opportunity to build and shape the company.

• You have experience working with the Finnish Defence Forces, either directly as an employee or through a partner or prime.

• You have hands‑on technical experience that carries the integration side of the role. It doesn't have to come from defence, and you don't need all of it. For example: fitting sensors, displays or electronics into vehicles or other complex machines; working with wiring, power, connectors and vehicle data networks; or integrating, configuring and testing software and interfaces on real hardware.

• You should have willingness to travel mainly within Finland and visit the Helsinki HQ on a weekly basis.

• We look for a commercial mindset and strong social skills: while this isn't an active sales role, you'll interact frequently with customers and colleagues at Distance.

• Language-wise we seek fluent Finnish, as the primary focus is on Finnish customers, and strong English, as our own team is international.

DID WE GET YOU INTERESTED?