Software Engineer

Green Key Resources; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Green Key Resources is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to join an early-stage AI venture. You will deploy AI-powered software, working directly with defense customers to ensure successful integrations and optimal system performance.

This critical role requires technical expertise and customer-facing skills, along with a solid background in software engineering. The position offers a competitive salary, equity, and benefits as you collaborate with experienced founders in a meaningful domain.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of software engineering or solutions engineering experience.
• Experience with APIs, data pipelines, or backend services.
• Ability to operate independently in fast-paced startup environments.

Responsibilities

• Deploy and customize AI software for government and defense customers.
• Partner with users to understand workflows and translate requirements into solutions.
• Build integrations with customer systems and APIs.

Skills

Software engineering or solutions engineering

APIs

Problem-solving skills

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

AI/ML applications

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

SQL

PostgreSQL

Python

Job description

Our client is an early-stage, venture-backed AI company in the defense space and they are looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer to work directly with customers deploying AI-powered software into real-world mission environments.

This is a highly technical, customer-facing role where you'll bridge engineering and implementation—working alongside end users to understand operational challenges, configure solutions, build integrations, and ensure successful deployments. You'll have significant ownership and play a key role in shaping both the product and customer experience.

What You'll Do

• Deploy and customize AI software for government and defense customers.
• Partner directly with users to understand workflows and translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Build integrations with customer systems, APIs, and data sources.
• Develop Python-based tools, automation, and deployment utilities.
• Troubleshoot production issues and optimize system performance.
• Work closely with product and engineering teams to influence roadmap based on customer feedback.
• Travel occasionally to customer sites as needed.

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of software engineering or solutions engineering experience.
• Experience working with APIs, data pipelines, or backend services.
• Comfortable working directly with technical and non-technical customers.
• Ability to operate independently in fast-paced startup environments.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) is a plus.
• Familiarity with AI/ML applications, LLMs, or data engineering is a plus.
• Previous experience supporting government, defense, or national security customers is preferred.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, or infrastructure automation.
• Knowledge of SQL, PostgreSQL, or other databases.
• Experience with REST APIs, FastAPI, or modern Python frameworks.
• Active U.S. Security Clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Why Join?

• Work on mission-critical AI technology with real-world impact.
• Early-stage startup with significant ownership and influence.
• Competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits.
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced founders and engineers building cutting-edge AI solutions for national security.