Forward Deployed Engineer – U.S. Government

ELITEBRAIN • Washington, DC

4d • $150,000 - $250,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

CONFISA Staffing Services is conducting a confidential search for a highly skilled Forward Deployed Engineer – U.S. Government on behalf of a technology company developing advanced Artificial Intelligence solutions for mission-critical environments. We are seeking a hands-on engineer with strong expertise in Python, Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic AI, Data Pipelines, and Distributed Systems who can design, build, deploy, and maintain sophisticated AI solutions supporting high-impact U.S. Government missions. This position combines advanced software engineering, applied AI research, infrastructure development, and direct collaboration with government stakeholders. The successful candidate will take ownership of complex technical initiatives, transforming mission requirements into secure, scalable, production-ready AI systems. This is not a traditional software development or research-only position. We are looking for an engineer capable of working independently, solving ambiguous technical challenges, and deploying AI capabilities in demanding operational environments.

Requirements

• Strong professional experience in software engineering, applied AI, machine learning infrastructure, or related technical disciplines.
• Advanced proficiency in Python, including designing, developing, and deploying production-grade applications.
• Hands-on experience working with Large Language Models (LLMs) and developing AI-powered applications.
• Demonstrated experience building Agentic AI systems, including autonomous agents, multi-agent architectures, tool-using agents, or Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) workflows.
• Experience designing, developing, and maintaining data pipelines for machine learning, AI applications, or large-scale data processing.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, scalable architectures, and production infrastructure.
• Experience developing or supporting machine learning infrastructure, including model inference, experimentation, evaluation, and deployment.
• Proven ability to take technical ownership of projects from initial architecture and development through production deployment.
• Ability to independently solve complex technical problems and operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate directly with technical stakeholders, government partners, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Comfortable working in high-security, high-reliability, and mission-critical environments.
• Willingness and ability to relocate to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and work in a hybrid, forward-deployed environment.

Nice To Haves

• Active U.S. Government security clearance, or eligibility and willingness to obtain one.
• Previous experience supporting U.S. Government, defense, intelligence, national security, or other mission-critical technology programs.
• Experience developing AI solutions for government agencies or highly regulated environments.
• Familiarity with Reinforcement Learning (RL) workflows, simulation environments, or AI model evaluation frameworks.
• Experience building and deploying advanced LLM-based applications, including multi-agent systems and autonomous workflows.
• Background in AI startups, defense technology companies, government contractors, or advanced research organizations.
• Experience working directly with customers or strategic partners in forward-deployed engineering roles.
• Understanding of secure software development, infrastructure reliability, and production AI system operations.
• Ability to translate complex operational requirements into scalable, secure, and production-ready technical solutions.
• Experience working in fast-moving startup environments, mission-critical government settings, or both.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy agentic AI systems supporting critical U.S. Government operations.
• Build production-ready applications using Large Language Models (LLMs), multi-agent architectures, and advanced AI frameworks.
• Develop Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) workflows, tool-using AI agents, and human-in-the-loop systems.
• Translate complex operational requirements into practical AI solutions.
• Lead AI implementations from initial prototypes through production deployment.
• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines supporting AI model development and improvement.
• Develop infrastructure for model inference, experimentation, evaluation, and deployment.
• Support model training workflows, data curation, and performance optimization.
• Work with distributed systems and scalable computing infrastructure.
• Contribute to reinforcement learning workflows and simulation environments when applicable.
• Collaborate directly with U.S. Government stakeholders and strategic partners to understand operational requirements.
• Deploy and integrate AI solutions within high-security, high-reliability environments.
• Adapt technical solutions to evolving mission requirements.
• Provide hands-on engineering expertise throughout implementation and deployment.
• Ensure technical solutions meet demanding reliability, security, and operational standards.
• Own technical systems throughout their complete lifecycle, including architecture, development, deployment, monitoring, and optimization.
• Troubleshoot complex infrastructure, software, and AI integration challenges.
• Improve system performance, scalability, security, and reliability.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and research teams.
• Identify opportunities to accelerate AI adoption and improve operational efficiency.

Benefits

• Up to 100% reimbursement of eligible health insurance premiums.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching contributions.
• Additional benefits supporting professional development and employee well-being.
• Equity compensation eligibility.
• Potential performance-based bonuses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed