Forward Deployed Engineer (Norfolk, VA area)

Yurtsai; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 185,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Legion is seeking a forward‑deployed engineer to sit with customers and design custom workflows on top of our agentic AI platform. You’ll understand mission needs, rapidly develop app packs, and act as both builder and translator in real‑world environments.

You will spend 80–100% embedded with customers in classified environments, shipping practical solutions quickly while surfacing patterns to improve the core platform. Strong communication is essential.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in Forward Deployed Engineering or similar customer-facing roles.
• Experience building and shipping full-stack apps in production.
• Proficiency in Python, JavaScript/TypeScript.
• Experience integrating with enterprise systems (O365, Palantir Foundry, Databricks, ServiceNow, Atlassian).
• Ability to build simple UI/UX with Node.js/Next.js/React.
• Able to work autonomously and solve ambiguous problems.
• Strong communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience in classified/restricted environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Embed with customer teams to understand mission workflows and constraints.
• Design and build custom apps/workflows on the platform.
• Prototype and iterate AI solutions in real environments.
• Translate user needs into technical implementations.
• Operate independently in constrained environments with minimal oversight.
• Gather product feedback and feed it to engineering.
• Collaborate with product/engineering to influence roadmap.
• Integrate with enterprise systems and build lightweight UI components.
• Support deployment, troubleshooting, and iteration in the field.

Skills

Python

JavaScript/TypeScript

UI/UX

Autonomy

Communication

Tools

Node.js

Next.js

React

Microsoft O365

Palantir Foundry

Databricks

ServiceNow

Atlassian

n8n

Job description

About Legion

Let’s be real, AI isn’t magic; Legion was built to move beyond AI hype—delivering secure, reliable systems that work alongside the people tackling the world’s most critical challenges.

Born from a Department of Defense partnership and trusted by leaders across government and enterprise, Legion embeds intelligence inside complex systems, unlocking data, accelerating human workflows, and strengthening mission‑critical systems. We don’t replace workflows—we optimize them, ensuring quality, efficiency, and reliability inside the platforms our partners already use.

With world‑class collaborators like Palantir, Nvidia, HPE, and Oracle, we’re building intelligent infrastructure that enhances human capability and drives impact at the edge and across a range of enterprises.

We’re looking for bold thinkers and doers to join us in shaping the future of AI that’s secure, grounded, and built to work.

Forward Deployed Engineer (Norfolk, VA area)

This position requires a US Department of Defense or Intelligence TS/SCI clearance.

80–100% embedded with customers, working independently in classified or constrained environments.

Due to Government contract requirements, we are only able to hire US citizens or Green Card holders.

The Role:

We’re looking for a forward‑deployed engineer to work directly with customers to design and build custom workflows on top of our agentic AI platform.

This is not a traditional product or platform engineering role. You will sit with end users, understand mission needs, and rapidly develop “app packs” and workflows that solve real operational problems. You’ll operate as both a builder and a translator—turning ambiguous requirements into working systems. You’ll have a finger on the pulse of our end users, transforming requests and requirements into truly transformative agentic AI solutions that revolutionize user workflows.

You will spend the majority of your time (80–100%) embedded with customers, working independently in classified or constrained environments. Success in this role requires autonomy, strong communication, and the ability to ship practical solutions quickly.

You’ll also act as a feedback loop into product and engineering—surfacing patterns, feature gaps, and opportunities to improve the core platform.

Responsibilities:

• Embed with customer teams to understand mission workflows, pain points, and operational constraints
• Design and build custom applications and workflows ("app packs") on top of the platform
• Rapidly prototype and iterate on agentic AI solutions in real‑world environments
• Translate non‑technical user needs into technical implementations
• Operate independently in forward‑deployed environments with minimal oversight
• Gather and synthesize product feedback, feature requests, and usage insights
• Collaborate with product engineering and agentic solution teams to influence roadmap and capabilities
• Integrate with enterprise systems (data platforms, ticketing systems, collaboration tools, etc.)
• Build lightweight UI components and interfaces where needed to support workflows
• Support deployment, troubleshooting, and ongoing iteration of solutions in the field

Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in Forward Deployed Engineering, Solution Engineering, or similar customer‑facing technical roles
• Experience building and shipping full‑stack applications or prototypes in production or near‑production environments
• Proficiency in Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or similar scripting languages
• Experience integrating with enterprise systems (e.g., Microsoft O365, Palantir Foundry, Databricks, ServiceNow, Atlassian)
• Ability to build simple UI/UX using frameworks like Node.js, Next.js, or React
• Proven ability to operate autonomously and solve ambiguous problems
• Strong communication skills with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Experience working in classified or restricted environments is a plus

Domain Experience:

• 4+ years supporting military, intelligence, or defense‑related environments
• Familiarity with mission domains such as operations, logistics, intelligence, or C4/IT systems
• Experience working with government or federal customers preferred

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience building or deploying AI/ML systems, especially agentic workflows
• Familiarity with tools such as n8n, Palantir Foundry, or other workflow/automation platforms
• Experience evaluating AI system performance and interpreting resultsExposure to product telemetry, usage analytics, or feedback‑driven iteration
• Experience working in early‑stage or high‑growth startup environments

Why Join Us:

This role sits at the edge of product and reality. You won’t be building features that may or may not get used—you’ll be building systems that are immediately deployed and tested in the field.

If you want to work close to the mission, own outcomes end‑to‑end, and have a direct hand in shaping both product and customer success, this is the role.

Compensation Information

$185,000 — $260,000 USD

Equal Opportunity Statement

Legion provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.