Forward Deployed Engineer (DoD/Field CTO/Systems Integration/Defense)

Attis; United States; Remote; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Attis Global Ltd is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to act as a field CTO for customer engagements, prototyping and integrating software onto endpoints and secure government networks. The role combines production software engineering, secure edge integration, and direct customer delivery across defense ecosystems.

Ideal candidates have experience deploying AI/ML at the edge, working with containerization in air-gapped environments, and navigating DoD RMF compliance with enterprise IT and

Qualifications

• Experience designing and shipping desktop/server apps for edge environments.
• Proven ability to deploy containerized workloads in air-gapped or classified gov ecosystems.
• Familiarity with DoD RMF and government IT interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Prototype, package and integrate software onto endpoints, embedded hardware and secure networks.
• Collaborate with mission users and government stakeholders to define architectures and field validate solutions.

Skills

Forward Deployed Engineering

Field Engineering

Edge AI

Kubernetes

Docker

RMF DoD

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Helm

NVIDIA Container Toolkit

Job description

Forward Deployed Engineer (Field CTO / Defense Systems Integration), Remote US with travel, Between $170-200,000 base + equity

Forward Deployed Engineer sought for a well-funded, highly successful defense AI scaleup who bring state of the art AI to the tactical edge. They are a talented team of engineers and researchers who bridge the gap between core R&D and mission-critical customer deployments.

The company is developing advanced AI systems that can operate directly at the edge, bringing high-performance AI into demanding real-world environments without relying on constant cloud connectivity. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will serve as a field "CTO" for key customer engagements, owning the prototyping, packaging, and integration of software solutions directly onto endpoints, embedded hardware, and secure government networks.

We are looking for Forward Deployed Engineers who thrive at the intersection of production software engineering, secure edge integration, and customer-facing delivery. Bonus points if you've worked within a relevant defense AI, aerospace, edge AI, or airgapped operational environment.

The ideal candidates will have experience performing experimentation and deployment within one or more of the following areas:

• Designing, shipping, and maintaining robust desktop software or container-based production applications


• Deploying microservices and containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes, Helm) into secure, air-gapped, or classified government ecosystems


• Deploying AI/ML capabilities onto local endpoints, field hardware, or disconnected tactical edge environments


• Configuring GPU infrastructure for containerized workloads (e.g., CUDA/NVIDIA tooling or operators)


• Practical integration and serving of Large Language Models (LLM) and multi-agent systems into production workflows


• Navigating federal compliance frameworks (e.g., DoD RMF) and interfacing with enterprise defense IT, identity management, or cross-domain security architectures


• Collaborating directly with mission end-users, government program offices, and technical leaders to gather feedback, define system architectures, and run field validation.

Clearance Requirement:

Due to federal security standards, candidates must be U.S. Citizens with eligibility for TS/SCI security clearance.

Key Skills

Forward Deployed Engineering, FDE, Field Engineering, Edge AI, Software Engineering, Systems Integration, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Containerization, Iron Bank, Platform One, Impact Levels, IL4, IL5, IL6, DoD RMF, Risk Management Framework, Tactical Edge, Offline Software, GPU Acceleration, NVIDIA Container Toolkit, GPU Operator, Agentic Workflows, LLM Deployment, Cross Domain Solutions, IdAM, SIEM, Field CTO, Defense Tech, Government IT, Customer Engineering

Disclaimer:

Attis Global Ltd is an equal opportunities employer. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on any of the grounds protected by law, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, national origin, religion or belief, disability, pregnancy and maternity, marital status, political affiliation, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, and/or gender reassignment. M/F/D/V. We operate as a staffing agency and employment business. More information can be found at attisglobal.com.