Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

Advanced Navigation • Huntsville, AL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Forward Deployed Engineer specializing in Geospatial Navigation plays a critical, high-impact role in driving strategic commercial expansion by leveraging advanced technical expertise to solve complex customer requirements, architect end-to-end navigation solutions, and articulate the business value of Advanced Navigation's product portfolio. Serving as a technical authority and strategic advisor to enterprise and defense accounts, this role bridges sophisticated navigation technologies with commercial objectives—leading high-stakes Proofs of Concept (PoCs), driving product integrations, and mentoring junior engineering personnel.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (e.g., Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Geomatics, Systems Engineering, or Robotics) or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in technical pre-sales, solution architecture, or systems engineering within a complex high-tech hardware, software, or defense environment.
• Advanced technical knowledge of GNSS, INS, sensor fusion, position-velocity-orientation algorithms, and complex system integrations.
• Must be willing and able to travel nationally and internationally up to 75%.
• Must be a "U.S. Person" (U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) and EAR (15 CFR §772.1) due to handling defense technologies and trade-controlled technical data.
• Demonstrated track record of presenting complex technical solutions to C-level executives and technical review boards.
• Ability to analyze kinematic data, interpret complex engineering specs, and perform advanced mathematical calculations.
• In-depth technical mastery of GNSS, INS, Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOG), MEMS sensors, and Kalman filtering principles.
• Proven capability to evaluate intricate customer specifications, design high-reliability Proof of Concept architectures, and establish objective success criteria.
• Superior executive-level communication, whiteboard delivery, and negotiation skills to build credibility with senior engineering leaders.
• Exceptional collaborative skills to drive alignment between Sales, Product Engineering, Marketing, and Customer Support teams.
• Strong self-management skills with the ability to lead multiple complex pre-sales engagements simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Must be able to frequently communicate verbally and in writing with customers, vendors, and internal teams; must be able to deliver technical presentations and engage in whiteboard discussions.
• Regularly operates computer systems, office equipment, and diagnostic units.
• Required to sit, stand, or move about facilities and outdoor field test sites during client presentations and technical demonstrations.
• Must be able to occasionally lift, transport, and set up field testing equipment, demo units, or loaner hardware weighing up to 35–50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Prior experience supporting tier-1 accounts in defense, aerospace, subsea/maritime, autonomous vehicles, or robotics market segments.
• Hands-on experience with MATLAB, Python, C/C++, or ROS for data processing and simulation; experience working with SDKs, APIs, GUIs, and Command Line Interfaces (CLIs).
• Advanced proficiency with integrated sales and engineering tools, such as Salesforce CRM, JIRA, and CAD viewers.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-level technical consultations with strategic enterprise prospects and key defense clients to evaluate complex geospatial navigation, positioning, and timing requirements.
• Architect and design sophisticated, multi-sensor hardware and software solution proposals utilizing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOG).
• Deliver authoritative technical presentations, executive briefings, and live product demonstrations that showcase complex system capabilities to senior engineering leaders and C-suite decision-makers.
• Spearhead the technical design, scoping, field execution, and validation of high-priority Proof of Concept (PoC) projects in demanding real-world environments.
• Serve as a primary technical liaison between strategic clients, Product Management, and R&D engineering teams to translate market feedback into prioritized product roadmap enhancements.
• Partner with senior sales account executives to develop winning deal strategies, address complex technical objections, and accelerate enterprise sales cycles.
• Evaluate emerging industry trends, competitor architectures, and evolving trade regulations to maintain competitive positioning across defense, aerospace, robotics, and maritime sectors.
• Provide technical mentorship, domain training, and solution guidance to sales account executives and junior pre-sales team members.
• Travel as required (up to 7525–30%) to strategic client facilities, field testing sites, integration trials, or industry expos for in-person presentations and integration leadership.
• Ensure strict adherence to corporate Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards during all field trials and customer demonstrations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options to support you and your family's well-being.
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a competitive company matching contribution up to 7%.
• Professional development allowance and budget allocations to support continuous security certifications, licensing, and education.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), sick leave, and paid company holidays to ensure you rest and recharge.

What This Job Offers

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