Forward Deployed Engineer Software

Front Door Defense; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 143,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Istari is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to embed with customer teams in aerospace and defense, building integrations that fit into CAD/CFD/FEM pipelines and Istari's platform.

You will write production-quality code, architect integrations, and operate on-site with U.S. customers, leveraging your software expertise and willingness to tackle unstructured challenges in mission-critical environments.

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and production-quality code.
• Hands-on experience with CAD/CFD/FEM toolchains and related environments.
• Ability to operate on-site with U.S. defense/aerospace context.

Responsibilities

• Embed with customer engineering teams to understand workflows and constraints.
• Architect and build integrations to embed Istari's platform.
• Serve as the primary technical interface, driving value for customers.
• Develop, test, and maintain integrations following modern software practices.
• Translate field experience into actionable product insights and participate in reviews.

Skills

Software engineering fundamentals

CAD/CFD/FEM toolchains

On-site collaboration

U.S. citizenship

Tools

CAD

CFD

FEM

Job description

Forward Deployed Engineer

Architect and deploy platform integrations for customers' CAD/CFD/FEM pipelines on-site

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Compensation: $143,000 - 165,000 USD / year

Job Tags: Software

About The Role

Forward Deployed Engineer

Istari's software doesn't just get handed off, it gets deployed into some of the most complex engineering environments in aerospace and defense. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you'll be embedded directly inside our customer organizations, operating as part of their team while remaining tightly connected to Istari's product and engineering core.

This is not a support role. You are a builder. You'll write real code, architect integrations, and solve hard problems that emerge at the intersection of digital engineering workflows and mission-critical operations. The challenges you'll tackle require the instincts of a strong software engineer and the adaptability of someone who thrives in unstructured environments. Challenges like connecting CAD, CFD, FEM pipelines to Istari's platform; unlocking cross-discipline and cross-clearance collaboration; enabling organizations to actually use the tools in which they've invested.

You'll work alongside Istari Program Managers who are embedded in the same customer environments. They carry the program context and stakeholder relationships while you own the technical execution. Together, you operate as a unit capable of handling almost anything a customer throws at you. The best Forward Deployed Engineers make our product smarter, not just our customers happier.

Core Responsibilities:

• Embed with customer engineering teams to understand their workflows, data environments, and technical constraints
• Architect and build software solutions that integrate Istari's platform into existing digital engineering ecosystems (CAD, CFD, FEM, simulation pipelines, and related toolchains)
• Serve as the primary technical interface for the customer – not just answering questions, but proactively identifying where our software can drive more value

• Develop, test, and maintain integrations and workflow solutions following modern software engineering practices
• Write clean, maintainable code that can be productized or reused across customer deployments
• Contribute to internal tooling and documentation that scales your knowledge across the team

• Translate field experience into actionable product insights — you are one of Istari's clearest signals on what customers actually need
• Participate in internal engineering reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning
• Help develop proposals and technical approaches for new customer opportunities

Required Qualifications:

• Strong software engineering fundamentals — you write production-quality code and can defend your architectural decisions
• Hands-on experience with digital engineering toolchains: CAD, CFD, FEM, or related simulation and modeling environments
• Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments without a lot of hand-holding
• Ability to work on-site with customers in a U.S. defense or aerospace context (clearance eligibility required; active clearance a strong plus)
• U.S. citizenship required

Preferred:

• Experience integrating engineering software into larger data or workflow platforms
• Background in aerospace, defense, or other systems-engineering-heavy industries
• Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) or digital thread / digital twin concepts
• Exposure to or direct experience with advanced CAD, CFD, or FEM tools

Why This Role?

The engineers who do this job well become some of the most technically well-rounded people in the industry. You'll see how large, complex organizations actually work -- not just the happy path. You'll build things that get used immediately. And because you're reporting into Istari's Customer Success org (not a sales or account team), your career trajectory stays technical. You'll also have the Istari team behind you: regular syncs, access to internal engineering resources, and a clear path to influence the product you're deploying.

About Istari Digital

Istari is a digital engineering software company building open, scalable infrastructure for engineering data. Our platform lets customers simply and securely integrate engineering models across disciplines, organizations, and security levels -- whether they're designing prototypes, performing virtual testing, or training AI and autonomy for complex systems.

Focus is rewarded. Finish is remembered.

Facts are friendly. Even when they are not fun.

Fellowship is fundamental. Make others successful.

$143,000 - $165,000 a year The anticipated compensation range for this position may vary based on experience, skills, qualifications, location, and business needs. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonuses, equity, and a comprehensive benefits package.