Forward Deployed Engineer

Manifold Industries • Arlington, VA

7d

About The Position

Manifold builds software for people making strategic decisions on behalf of the United States, creating tools intended to sharpen the judgment of decision-makers. The Forward Deployed Engineer works directly with customers to understand important operational challenges and build software to address them. This early, high-ownership role owns work from problem discovery through implementation, embedding alongside users to understand workflows, turn ambiguous requirements into technical solutions, and rapidly build and iterate on customer-facing applications. The engineer uses Manifold’s existing platform capabilities and identifies opportunities to extend the core product, working closely with engineering, product, and business development.

Requirements

• B.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least 2 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals, including testing, version control, debugging, and API development.
• Proficiency in Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar programming languages.
• Experience building full-stack web applications with modern frontend and backend frameworks.
• Experience with relational databases, REST APIs, and external data integrations.
• Ability to rapidly prototype, implement, and iterate on software applications with minimal oversight.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to translate ambiguous requirements into technical solutions.
• Excellent communication skills, including working directly with customers and explaining technical concepts to nontechnical stakeholders.
• Willingness to work regularly alongside customers, including travel or on-site engagements as needed.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.
• U.S.-based U.S. citizen.

Nice To Haves

• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer, Software Engineer, Solutions Engineer, or in a comparable customer-facing technical role.
• Experience independently delivering software solutions from initial discovery through deployment.
• Experience with modern frontend frameworks such as React and Next.js.
• Experience building backend services using Python, FastAPI, or similar frameworks.
• Experience with data-intensive applications, data visualization, knowledge graphs, or complex analytical workflows.
• Experience integrating APIs, databases, and external data sources into customer-facing applications.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure, Docker, and modern software deployment workflows.
• Experience collaborating with product and engineering teams to turn customer-specific solutions into reusable capabilities.
• Experience at an early-stage startup or in a fast-paced engineering environment.
• Experience working directly with government, defense, or intelligence customers.
• Familiarity with national security, geopolitical analysis, intelligence workflows, or defense industrial systems.
• Experience building applications involving AI/ML, LLMs, or agentic workflows.
• Experience developing interactive dashboards, geospatial applications, or complex data visualizations.
• Experience supporting technical demonstrations, customer pilots, or pre-sales engagements.
• Experience contributing to a core software platform while delivering customer-specific implementations.

Responsibilities

• Own customer workflows from discovery to delivery by embedding with customers, understanding operational challenges, translating ambiguous requirements into technical solutions, and building and iterating on software.
• Build customer-facing applications, including custom interfaces, workflows, and integrations using Manifold’s platform and extending it as needed.
• Collaborate with product and engineering to identify reusable capabilities, improve the platform, and inform the product roadmap with lessons from customer engagements.
• Support pre-sales technical engagements in partnership with business development, including demonstrations, technical discovery, and solution scoping.
• Independently scope, prioritize, and deliver customer-facing capabilities while balancing rapid iteration, engineering quality, and long-term maintainability.

Benefits

• 401(k) with matching.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Health and wellness stipend.
• Lunch stipend three times per week and dinner stipend after 8 p.m.
• Company-wide break during the last two weeks of the year.
• Supportive leave of absence, including time off for military service, medical events, and parental leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level