Forward Deployed Engineer

Second Front Systems; Washington (Washington County); On-site; USD 105,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Healthcare coverage

401(k) + company contribution

Equity incentive plan

Professional development stipend

Parental leave

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Second Front Systems (2F) seeks an ambitious Forward Deployed Engineer to join our mission-driven team. You will lead deployments and deliver secure, scalable solutions for government customers, collaborating with engineering, DevOps, and security to meet strict standards.

This client-facing role requires hands-on leadership, on-site work at client locations, and willingness to travel. The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in regulated environments and strong Linux/Kubernetes experience.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in systems deployment, engineering, or operations in regulated environments (government, defense).
• Proficiency in Linux server administration.
• Proficiency deploying, maintaining and working with Kubernetes.
• Experience with on-prem and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Experience in CI/CD pipelines, version control, and automation.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment and configuration of software solutions in secure, classified environments.
• Serve as the main technical point of contact for government clients and contractors, ensuring requirements are met and security protocols followed.
• Support the Program manager in producing and delivering technical contract CDRLs.
• Provide on-the-ground troubleshooting and hands-on support for client systems.
• Ensure deployments comply with FedRAMP, NIST, and related security standards.
• Collaborate with engineering, DevOps, and security teams to implement secure, scalable solutions.
• Maintain documentation for system configurations, troubleshooting procedures, and security compliance.
• Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and suggest optimizations for efficiency.
• Be on-site at client locations for deployments, updates and troubleshooting; travel up to 50% may be required.

Skills

Linux server administration

Kubernetes

Helm charts

AWS / Azure / GCP

CI/CD pipelines

Networking basics

Scripting

Security best practices

Communication skills

On-site deployments

Tools

AWS

Talos Linux

Docker

Istio

Git

GitLab

Terraform

Relational databases

Job description

Second Front Systems (2F) is seeking an ambitious and visionary Forward Deployed Engineer to join our mission-driven team. As a dynamic, fast-growing leader in national security technology, we are committed to delivering transformative solutions that empower our nation’s defenders. This is a pivotal role for an expert capable of shaping the future of defense software delivery and security.

As a Forward Support Engineer, you will leverage extensive experience in deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting complex software and infrastructure within classified government and defense environments. This high-impact, client-facing position demands deep technical expertise and hands-on leadership in secure system deployments. You will operate directly with clients, traveling to on-site locations, providing strategic technical guidance to resolve unique challenges and ensuring the seamless operation of critical systems, particularly in Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) network environments.

Note: This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret / SCI eligible security clearance. Candidates holding an active or interim DoD TS/SCI eligible clearance (or higher) are strongly preferred. Due to the strict federal security requirements for this role, U.S. citizenship is required, and all candidates must successfully pass a comprehensive background screening. Additionally, candidates must reside in one of our approved hiring hubs:

• DC/Maryland/Virginia

• Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC

• Denver/Colorado Springs, CO

• Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

What You’ll Do:

• Lead the deployment and configuration of software solutions in secure, classified environments in support of US government customers. Work closely with our engineering and product teams to integrate complex systems and infrastructure.

• Serve as the main technical point of contact for government clients and their contractors, ensuring their requirements are met while adhering to strict security protocols.

• Support the 2F Program manager in producing and delivering technical contract CDRLs.

• Provide on-the-ground troubleshooting and immediate hand on support for client systems, including software bugs, hardware issues, and deployment failures.

• Ensure that all deployed systems comply with government security standards and regulatory frameworks, including FedRAMP, NIST, and others. Maintain awareness of current security risks and advise clients on mitigation strategies.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineering, DevOps, and security to implement secure and scalable solutions.

• Maintain clear and concise documentation for system configurations, troubleshooting procedures, and security compliance activities.

• Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and suggest optimizations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of deployed solutions.

• Be on-site at client locations for system deployments, updates and troubleshooting during high impact operational exercises, integration and training events. Travel to remote locations may be required.

• Up to 50% travel may be required at times to support critical client integrations

Skills You’ll Bring to Our Team:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in systems deployment, engineering, or operations in highly regulated environments (government, defense, etc.).

• Proficiency in Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, RedHat) server administration.

• Proficiency deploying, maintaining and working with Kubernetes.

• Proficiency in maintaining and troubleshooting Helm charts within Kubernetes deployments

• Proficiency working in on prem and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control, and automation.

• Proficiency with networking concepts, including VPNs, VLANs, and firewalls.

• Experience in task automation with a language (e.g., Go, Rust, Python, Bash).

• Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Hands-on experience with deploying complex systems in cloud or on-premise environments.

• Strong understanding of security protocols and best practices, including encryption, firewalls, access control, and identity management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a startup environment

• Knowledge of DevSecOps tools and practices

• Experience with monitoring and alerting systems (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana)

• Familiarity with 2F’s tech stack: AWS, Talos Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Istio, Git, GitLab, Terraform, relational databases

The base salary for this position will fall between $105,000-141,000 Your ultimate compensation will be determined by professional background, technical proficiency, seniority, and regional cost factors. Furthermore, this opportunity includes potential eligibility for equity awards and discretionary bonuses, rounding out a comprehensive total rewards offering.

Success at 2F Looks Like:

• Viewing obstacles as opportunities for growth

• Having a bias toward action and tangible, measurable results

• Striving to be both compassionate and direct with your feedback

• Being team-oriented and inclusive with your action

Perks & Benefits:

This role is a full time position. As a public benefit corporation, we’re a team of purpose-driven trailblazers transforming the future of U.S. national security. We hire the best to do their best and, as such, we are committed to providing the perks and benefits you need to be successful—both in- and outside the workplace.

We offer you:

• Competitive Salary

• 100% Healthcare, vision and dental coverage

• 401(k) + 3% company contribution

• Wellness perks (Fitness classes, mental health resources)

• Equity incentive plan

• Tech + office supplies stipend

• Annual professional development stipend

• Flexible paid time off + federal holidays off

• Parental leave

• Virtual work, but located near one of our hubs

• Referral Bonus

Who We Are:

At Second Front Systems (2F), we empower defense and national security professionals to stay ahead in the ongoing race to leverage emerging technologies effectively and securely. Founded by three former U.S. Marines with firsthand experience of the dangers outdated technology poses in combat, our team is dedicated to fast-tracking government access to disruptive, commercially-proven technology for U.S. national security missions.

Our Game Warden product, a fully managed and compliant DevSecOps platform, accelerates the process for accrediting software as a service (SaaS) applications for government use.

Learn how 2F can help you make an impact on national security missions at www.secondfront.com

One last thing:

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

State notices:

Colorado:

In accordance with Colorado law, applicants may redact their date of birth, dates of attendance, and dates of graduation from any uploaded documents.

Maryland:

Under Maryland law, an employer may not require or demand, as a condition of employment, prospective employment, or continued employment, that an individual submit to or take a polygraph examination or similar test. An employer who violates this law is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding $100.