Senior Full-Stack Engineer - AI Defense Tech $220K

Zipdev; New York (NY); Remote; USD 170,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible PTO

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Zipdev is hiring a Senior Full‑Stack Product Engineer for an AI defense platform. This remote US role combines product engineering with forward‑deployed engineering to deliver agentic AI capabilities in real‑world deployments.

You will bridge software development and field deployments, working with end‑user operators in sensitive environments to translate high‑stakes requirements into production‑ready features across a modern stack.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Strong practical software development skills across full-stack.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy core product capabilities across a modern stack (React, Python, PostgreSQL, Redis, S3).
• Partner with defense operators to translate operational needs into features.
• Integrate applications in government IT environments (IdAM, SIEM, data platforms).
• Own development lifecycles from architecture to field testing and support.
• Travel 40–50% to defense hubs for deployments and testing.

Job description

Senior Full-Stack Engineer - AI Defense Tech $220K — Remote

This is a high-ceiling, niche-premium role at the intersection of defense tech and modern AI engineering — a combination that commands top-of-market compensation and accelerates career trajectory in a rapidly growing sector.

Compensation vs. Market: At $170K–$220K base plus equity, this exceeds the median Senior Full‑Stack Engineer salary in the US (~$150K–$170K). The TS/SCI clearance premium alone typically adds $20K–$40K over non‑cleared equivalents, making the range fair-to-strong for the requirements.

Skills You'll Build:

• Agentic AI and LLM application development — one of the fastest-growing engineering specializations in 2024–2025.


• Forward‑deployed engineering (FDE) — a high‑prestige, increasingly in‑demand hybrid role pioneered by companies like Palantir.


• Secure government cloud (AWS GovCloud, RMF) and enterprise integration (IdAM, SIEM) — rare, sticky skills with limited supply.

Culture Signals: \"Newly funded,\" \"high-priority team,\" and equity in a \"well‑capitalized, profitable enterprise\" suggest a growth‑stage defense tech startup with real revenue — lower risk than a pure pre‑revenue startup, with more upside than a large defense contractor.

Green Flags: Meaningful equity, flexible PTO, strong mission alignment. Watch for: The 40–50% travel demand is significant and can cause burnout if not managed carefully. Confirm whether travel is predictable and scheduled well in advance.

Location: Remote (US) — New York / Tri‑State Area preferred

Travel: 40%–50% (Key hubs include Washington, D.C., Tampa, San Diego, and New York)

Learn more

Replay

Learn more

Clearance: Active US Security Clearance required (TS/SCI strongly preferred; active Secret considered)

Compensation: $170,000 – $220,000 Base Salary + Equity + Comprehensive Benefits

Work Authorization: US Person required (US Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee; no visa sponsorship available)

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Full‑Stack Product Engineer to join a high-priority, newly funded product engineering team developing an agentic AI platform that processes large‑scale datasets for real‑time intelligence delivery.

In this hybrid product engineering and forward‑deployed engineering (FDE) role, you will bridge the gap between software development and real‑world deployment. You will work directly with end‑user operators in sensitive environments, translate high‑stakes operational requirements into production‑ready software, and build full‑stack features end‑to‑end.

Key Responsibilities

• Full‑Stack Development: Design, build, and deploy core product capabilities across a modern tech stack (React, Python, PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3).


• Forward‑Deployed Problem Solving: Partner directly with defense and intelligence operators on‑site to identify unmet operational needs and rapidly turn them into robust product features.


• Enterprise System Integration: Deploy, integrate, and harden applications within sensitive government IT environments, including enterprise data platforms, Identity and Access Management (IdAM), SIEM tools, and cross‑domain solutions.


• End‑to‑End Feature Ownership: Own development lifecycles from architecture and prototyping through field testing, user acceptance, and continuous operational support.


• Field Deployments: Travel up to 40–50% to operational test beds and customer installations across primary defense hubs.

Mandatory Qualifications

• Active Security Clearance: Current, active US Security Clearance (TS/SCI strongly preferred; candidates holding an active Secret clearance may be considered). Clearances in process cannot be accepted.


• US Personhood: Must qualify as a US Person under federal export regulations without sponsorship.


• Experience: 4 to 10 years of professional software engineering experience as a full‑stack or product‑focused individual contributor.


• Government / Defense Exposure: Demonstrated track record building, testing, or deploying software tailored to US government, defense, or national security missions.


• Modern Full‑Stack Capabilities: Hands‑on proficiency with modern web frontends (React) paired with relational and key‑value datastores (PostgreSQL, Redis) and object storage (S3).


• Integration Expertise: Practical experience integrating software with government enterprise infrastructure (IdAM, SIEM, data platforms, or secure enclaves).


• Communication & Stakeholder Presence: Exceptional interpersonal and technical communication skills with direct experience collaborating with non‑technical stakeholders and military/civilian operators.


• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical technical foundation).


• Mobility: Willingness and ability to travel 40% to 50% domestically.

Preferred Qualifications

• Practical experience with DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) or deploying to AWS GovCloud / secure cloud enclaves.


• Balanced full‑stack proficiency with particular strength in frontend architecture and user workflow design.


• Hands‑on exposure to agentic AI workflows, LLM application development, or large‑scale data retrieval pipelines.


• Incentive Equity: Meaningful equity grant in a well‑capitalized, profitable enterprise.


• Health, Dental & Vision: Full coverage included.

Is this role truly remote or is on‑site presence required? The role is classified as Remote (US) with a preference for the New York/Tri‑State Area, but it requires 40–50% domestic travel to defense hubs including Washington D.C., Tampa, San Diego, and New York. You cannot perform this role from outside the United States. What security clearance is required, and can I apply if mine is in process? An active US Security Clearance is mandatory — TS/SCI is strongly preferred, though an active Secret clearance may be considered. Clearances currently in process cannot be accepted; you must hold an active clearance at time of application. What is the total compensation for this role? Base salary ranges from $170,000 to $220,000 annually, supplemented by a meaningful equity grant in a profitable company, plus full health/dental/vision, 401(k), flexible PTO, and comprehensive travel coverage. Do I need prior defense or government experience? Yes — a demonstrated track record of building, testing, or deploying software for US government, defense, or national security missions is listed as a mandatory qualification. Is visa sponsorship available for this position? No. The role requires US Person status (US Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee) and no visa sponsorship of any kind is available.

Remote work & career advice that actually works.