Forward Deployed Engineer

Understanding Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Understanding Recruitment is partnered with a well-funded Defence AI start-up in the UK. We are seeking Software Engineers who can build production-grade software and AI-powered systems, writing robust Python code and tackling real-world deployment challenges.

You will work closely with end users and stakeholders to translate complex problems into practical engineering solutions, spanning backend, distributed systems, and infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Hands-on software engineer capable of writing production-grade code.
• Experience with Python and backend systems.
• Experience with distributed systems and infrastructure.
• Ability to work with end users and stakeholders.
• SC clearance eligibility or willingness a plus

Responsibilities

• Build and deploy advanced software and AI-powered systems in real-world environments.
• Work directly with end users to understand challenges and turn them into practical solutions.
• Write production-quality Python and solve problems across the software stack.
• Integrate AI capabilities into existing infrastructure, systems and workflows.
• Own engineering challenges end-to-end from requirements to deployment.
• Collaborate with engineers and AI researchers to turn cutting-edge tech into practical solutions.

Skills

Python

Backend engineering

Distributed systems

Infrastructure

Systems integration

Job description

Software Engineers - want to build technology that actually gets used in the real world?

I'm partnering with a well-funded, VC-backed Defence AI start-up developing advanced AI-powered systems to solve some of the most challenging problems in real-world operational environments.

What makes this interesting?

• Building and deploying advanced software and AI-powered systems in demanding real-world environments.
• Working directly with end users to understand complex challenges and turn them into practical engineering solutions.
• Writing production-quality Python and solving difficult problems across the software stack.
• Integrating AI capabilities into existing infrastructure, systems and operational workflows.
• Owning engineering challenges end-to-end, from understanding requirements through to deployment.
• Working alongside talented software engineers and AI researchers to turn cutting-edge technology into something that works in practice.

Who would be a good fit?

You could be a Software Engineer, Backend Engineer, Systems Engineer or Platform Engineer who enjoys solving difficult technical problems and wants to work closer to where their technology is deployed.

You don't need to have worked as a Forward Deployed Engineer before.

What matters is that you're a strong hands-on engineer who can write great code, navigate complex systems, communicate with different stakeholders and find solutions when the problem isn't clearly defined.

Experience with Python, backend engineering, distributed systems, infrastructure or systems integration would be particularly relevant.

The opportunity?

Join an ambitious, well-funded AI company at an early stage, work on genuinely challenging engineering problems and take ownership of getting advanced technology out of development and into real-world use.

This is for engineers who want technical depth, real ownership and a direct connection between the code they write and the problems it solves.

UK | Office-first with flexibility

UK right to work and eligibility for SC clearance required