Forward Deployed Field Engineer

NestAI; Oulu; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Occupational healthcare

Epassi Flex benefit

Lunch benefit

Mental wellbeing services via Auntie

Holiday allowance

Phone benefit

Mac or PC

Team lunches and company events

Job summary

NestAI in Finland is seeking a Forward Deployed Field Engineer to be the on-site face with customers during exercises and daily operations, owning the technical relationship and ensuring operational readiness.

You will adapt NestOS capabilities, troubleshoot in the field, and collaborate with project managers and customer teams. The role requires travel and the ability to operate in dynamic environments with security considerations.

Qualifications

• Comfortable with generic Linux systems and the command line.
• Understanding of network technologies (IP and radio).
• Some experience across the full stack.
• Experience with Python or scripting more broadly.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical relationship with customer stakeholders, communicating daily with project managers and technical teams.
• Develop and adapt NestOS capabilities to fit each customer's operational context.
• Work on site during field exercises and daily customer operations, troubleshooting issues as they come up.

Skills

Linux

Networking

Full stack

Python

Ambiguity tolerance

Travel readiness

Job description

NestAI builds the adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. Most AI systems are built once, validated at deployment, and expected to stay sufficient after that. That assumption holds until conditions change, and in defence, they always do. Our team develops adaptive intelligence for unmanned and command systems: AI that continuously learns from operational data and adapts to changing conditions, deployed in environments where there is no internet, no GPS, and failure is not an option. NestOS, our open, modular, and interoperable platform, enables this at scale and keeps capability evolution under sovereign European control.

Founded in 2025 by Peter Sarlin, whose previous company Silo AI became Europe's largest AI acquisition, NestAI has grown to over 200 engineers and scientists and partners with leading European defence forces and industry. We're ambitious about what we're building and honest with each other. The bar is high, and so are the standards we hold ourselves to. But this is also a place built on humility, trust, and looking after each other. If that sounds like the kind of work you want to do, keep reading.

Join us as a Forward Deployed Field Engineer

As an Forward Deployed Field Engineer, you'll be NestAI's point person on the ground with our customers, from exercises to daily operations. You'll see first-hand how a customer's capabilities fit into the bigger operational picture, and get exposure to genuinely varied technical contexts along the way. When something needs fixing, whether that's a line of code or a piece of hardware, you're the person who works it out with whatever is at hand. This role suits someone who thrives on variety, works well with ambiguity, and doesn't wait to be told what to do.

What you'll work on

You'll be the main technical point of contact for customers in the field, working across exercises and daily operations where every day looks different. Day-to-day, you will:

• Own the technical relationship with customer stakeholders, communicating daily with their project managers and technical teams
• Develop and adapt NestOS capabilities to fit each customer's operational context
• Work on site during field exercises and daily customer operations, troubleshooting issues as they come up
• Solve problems with whatever is at hand, whether that means debugging software or picking up a soldering iron, because no task is too small and no two days are the same
• Collaborate closely with NestAI's project manager, the FDE team assigned to the project, and the customer's technical team to keep operations running

What we're looking for

If your background doesn't match every requirement but the work resonates with you, we'd encourage you to apply. How you think, learn, and take ownership matters more to us than ticking every box. Here is what we are looking for:

• Comfortable with Generic Linux systems and the command line
• Understanding of network technologies, covering both IP and radio networks
• Some experience across the full stack
• Experience with Python or scripting more broadly
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, finding solutions in the field with whatever tools are at hand
• Willingness to travel to and work in customer environments as needed, including domestic and international trips lasting a few days at a time

Nice to have:

• Familiarity with UXV (uncrewed vehicle) hardware
• Deep expertise in one relevant specialist area, such as spectrum and frequency management or tactical systems such as TAK

Why join NestAI

• Work alongside over 200 engineers and scientists, including 60+ PhDs. People who've built AI platforms, autonomous systems, and defence technology across Europe. Most of our people say the best thing about NestAI is the people you get to work with.
• Work with real ownership. You identify what needs building, talk to the right people, and ship. Ownership here is the expectation, not a talking point.
• Work at a pace where Monday's idea can be Friday's deployment. The problems we're solving are urgent, so the culture reflects it.
• Work on systems that must operate with no connectivity, no GPS, and no margin for error. The problems we're solving are technically hard, genuinely novel, and they sit at the intersection of AI and the physical world.
• Work at a company where the platform, the practices, and the standards are all being built right now. The people here get to define how things work and how they scale.

What we offer

We offer practical benefits to support your work and wellbeing:

• The chance to participate in the NestAI Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP)
• Occupational healthcare (currently provided by Mehiläinen)
• Epassi Flex benefit for sports, culture, commuting, and wellbeing
• Lunch benefit (25% tax-free coverage)
• Mental wellbeing services via Auntie
• Holiday allowance (50% of holiday salary)
• Phone benefit (subscription and device per company policy)
• Your choice of Mac or PC
• Regular team lunches and company events

We are continuously developing our benefits offering as we grow.

Good to know

This role will require working outside, in varied weather conditions.
This role requires a security clearance, which is standard for defence industry positions in Finland. The process is handled by the relevant authority and typically takes two to three months. You can start working at NestAI before the clearance is finalised. We are happy to answer any questions about the process during the recruitment.

Relocation support is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please note, we can't accept applications sent via email.

NestAI is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants on their skills, experience, and potential, regardless of background, identity, or personal characteristics. We believe the best teams are built from diverse perspectives, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can do meaningful work.