Senior Software Engineer, Networking FDE

Ditto • Tampa, FL

7h

About The Position

As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), you are the technical tip of the spear. FDEs are elite, versatile engineers who work shoulder-to-shoulder with our most critical users to solve complex challenges in real time. Your primary mission is to radically decrease the time-to-value of our software by integrating it directly into the user's operational environment.
Because you see firsthand how our technology performs in the wild, you will also act as a crucial conduit, feeding technical insights and feature requirements back to our core product engineering team. This role requires a highly adaptable problem-solver who is comfortable moving fast, navigating ambiguity, and figuring things out quickly in high-stakes environments.

Requirements

• Clearance Requirement: Must hold an active Secret clearance (Due to federal security clearance requirements, U.S. Citizenship is strictly required for this role).
• 5+ years of experience in network engineering, tactical communications, or IT infrastructure in military or high-security environments. This includes hands-on experience designing, deploying, and troubleshooting IP networks in live production or operational settings.
• 2+ years of technical experience with tactical radio systems and their IP networking capabilities, including configuring waveforms, managing MANET topologies, and troubleshooting RF-to-IP data paths.
• Strong proficiency in network fundamentals including subnetting, VLANs, static and dynamic routing (OSPF, BGP), NAT, firewall ACLs, and packet-level troubleshooting with tools like Wireshark, tcpdump, and traceroute.
• A highly adaptable, problem-solving mindset, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, move fast, and balance immediate operational fixes with long-term technical fidelity.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. As the crucial bridge between the operational edge and our core development team, you must be able to translate complex, edge-case technical realities and user workflows into clear, actionable requirements for product engineers.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with multi-bridge networking solutions (e.g., Persistent Systems MPU5 Wave Relay, TrellisWare, or similar mesh networking platforms) and cross-network gateway configurations.
• Familiarity with SATCOM and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) data transport, including optimizing data flows over high-latency, bandwidth-constrained satellite links.
• Network certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CompTIA Network+, or equivalent military networking training (e.g., 25-series MOS equivalencies).
• Experience with software-defined networking (SDN) or network automation (e.g., Ansible, Terraform for network device configuration).
• Prior experience operating at the SOF tactical edge, including planning and executing network architectures for field exercises, deployments, or operational missions.
• Previous experience working directly with SOCOM, JSOC, or Component Command customers, with an understanding of how tactical network design supports mission command workflows.
• Familiarity with HAIPE/Type-1 encryptors (e.g., KG-175, TACLANE) and their integration into tactical network architectures.

Responsibilities

• Architect Tactical Network Infrastructure: Design, deploy, and maintain the network transport layer that connects our software across SOCOM's operational environments, from garrison to the tactical edge, including configuration of routers, switches, and subnetting for segmented, multi-enclave networks.
• Integrate and Optimize Tactical Radio Networks: Configure and troubleshoot data flows across tactical radio systems (e.g., AN/PRC-117G, AN/PRC-163, MPU5), ensuring reliable IP transport over constrained, intermittent, and low-bandwidth RF links.
• Implement Multi-Bridging and Cross-Network Routing: Engineer multi-bridge configurations that enable data to traverse heterogeneous network segments — including tactical radios, local Wi-Fi, LTE, and SATCOM — with optimized routing, QoS, and payload compression for bandwidth-constrained environments.
• Solve Problems in Real-Time: Act as the first line of technical defense for network-layer issues, rapidly diagnosing and resolving connectivity failures, routing loops, radio interoperability problems, and throughput degradation as they arise.
• Bridge the Gap: Translate the unique, edge-case operational realities you observe (e.g., waveform-specific throughput limitations, MANET topology instability, multi-enclave routing conflicts) into actionable technical requirements for the core product development team.

Benefits

• We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We believe everyone on the team should have a stake in what we’re building.
• Benefits vary by region to make sure you're covered in the ways that matter most. In the US, that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, plus a 401(k) and flexible spending accounts.
• Regardless of where you live, everyone at Ditto can utilize flexible time off. And while we work remotely, our Atlanta and San Francisco offices are open if you ever want a place to work or meet up with teammates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees