Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Gov

OpenAI, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Hybrid work model

Travel up to 50%

Equity

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking a Forward Deployed Software Engineer for Gov to embed with government clients across Washington DC, Seattle, and San Francisco. You will architect and deliver full-stack deployments, partnering with defense and federal stakeholders to drive mission impact.

The role requires hybrid work, up to 50% travel, and strong systems design experience. As an FDSE, you will prototype, code, and guide customers on maximizing value from OpenAI models while identifying reusable patterns and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience, ideally in customer-facing or government environments.
• Active TS/SCI clearance or equivalent
• Write and review production-grade code across frontend and backend, using Python, JavaScript, or similar stacks.
• Familiar with cloud deployment models (Azure, AWS), Kubernetes, Terraform, and related infrastructure.
• Experience building or deploying systems powered by LLMs or generative models, and understand how model behavior affects product experience.

Responsibilities

• Own technical delivery across multiple government deployments, from first prototype to stable production.
• Deeply embed with public sector customers to design and build novel applications powered by OpenAI models.
• Enable successful deployments across customer environments by delivering observable systems spanning infrastructure through applications.
• Prototype and build full-stack systems using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks that deliver real mission impact.
• Proactively guide customers on maximizing business and operational value from their applications.
• Forge and manage relationships with customer leadership and stakeholders, ensuring successful deployment and scale.
• Scope work, sequence delivery, and remove blockers early—making trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality.
• Contribute directly in the code when clarity or momentum depends on it.
• Codify working patterns into tools, playbooks, or building blocks others can use.
• Share field feedback with Research and Product to influence model and product development.
• Keep teams moving through clarity, judgment, and consistent follow-through.

Skills

Engineering or technical deployment

TS/SCI clearance

Frontend and backend coding

Cloud deployment (Azure, AWS)

Kubernetes

Terraform

LLMs / generative models

Tools

Python

JavaScript

Kubernetes

Terraform

Azure

AWS

Job description

Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Gov | OpenAI

Careers

Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Gov

OpenAI for Gov - Washington, DC, Seattle, and San Francisco

About the team

The OpenAI for Government team is a dynamic, mission-driven group leveraging frontier AI to transform how governments achieve their missions. Our team works to empower public servants with secure, compliant AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Gov) and mission-aligned deployments that meet government technical requirements with strong reliability and safety.

About the role

Forward Deployed Software Engineers (FDSEs) lead complex deployments of frontier models in production. You will embed with our most strategic government and public sector customers—where model performance matters, delivery is urgent, and ambiguity is the default. You’ll map their problems, structure delivery, and ship fast. This includes scoping, sequencing, and building full-stack solutions that create measurable value, while driving clarity across internal and external teams.

You will work directly with defense, intelligence, and federal stakeholders as their technical thought partner, guiding adoption, maximizing mission impact, and ensuring successful deployments at scale. Along the way, you’ll identify reusable patterns, codify best practices, and share field signal that influences OpenAI’s roadmap.

This role is based in Washington DC, Seattle or San Francisco. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week. We offer relocation assistance. Travel up to 50% is required, including on-site work with customers.

In this role you will

• Own technical delivery across multiple government deployments, from first prototype to stable production.
• Deeply embed with public sector customers to design and build novel applications powered by OpenAI models.
• Enable successful deployments across customer environments by delivering observable systems spanning infrastructure through applications.
• Prototype and build full-stack systems using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks that deliver real mission impact.
• Proactively guide customers on maximizing business and operational value from their applications.
• Forge and manage relationships with customer leadership and stakeholders, ensuring successful deployment and scale.
• Scope work, sequence delivery, and remove blockers early—making trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality.
• Contribute directly in the code when clarity or momentum depends on it.
• Codify working patterns into tools, playbooks, or building blocks others can use.
• Share field feedback with Research and Product to influence model and product development.
• Keep teams moving through clarity, judgment, and consistent follow-through.

You might thrive in this role if you

• Bring 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience, ideally in customer-facing or government environments.
• Active TS/SCI clearance or equivalent
• Have scoped and delivered complex systems in fast-moving or ambiguous contexts.
• Write and review production-grade code across frontend and backend, using Python, JavaScript, or similar stacks.
• Are familiar with cloud deployment models (Azure, AWS), Kubernetes, Terraform, and related infrastructure.
• Have experience building or deploying systems powered by LLMs or generative models, and understand how model behavior affects product experience.
• Simplify complexity, make fast, sound decisions under pressure, and communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Spot risks early, adjust without slowing down, and model calm judgment when stakes are high.
• Are humble, collaborative, and eager to help others with empathy.
• Operate with high horsepower, thrive in dynamic environments, and can ruthlessly prioritize across multiple projects.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of the AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement .

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form . No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link .

OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy

At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Compensation

$145.8K – $280K + Offers Equity

The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. If the role is non-exempt, overtime pay will be provided consistent with applicable laws. In addition to the salary range listed above, total compensation also includes generous equity, performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
• Pre‑tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
• Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
• 13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
• Mental health and wellness support
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
• Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
• Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
• Relocation support for eligible employees
• Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.

More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.

This role is at‑will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.