Forward Deployed Engineer
Raydar
Forward Deployed Engineer
Raydar
AI-powered recruiting agency for tech roles
Raydar · Norfolk, United States · Full-time · Posted 2026-10-23
Salary: USD 180,000–220,000
Workplace: on_site
About the company
Our client is a defense technology company.
The role
Raydar is recruiting for this role on behalf of our client. Own the technical side of software rollouts inside secure government environments, working closely with end users to shape their needs into dependable production solutions. The work runs from early pilots through full deployment and long-term support, with substantial hands-on backend development.
What you'll do
- Deploy and sustain production software within secure government IT environments, owning delivery from requirements through fielding.
- Act as the main technical contact for mission owners, operators and analysts, turning loosely defined needs into working software.
- Scope and build small pilots before a contract is signed, then run full technical deployments afterward.
- Write backend code, preferably in Python, to support customer use cases involving large volumes of varied data.
- Work through government IT compliance and infrastructure requirements while partnering with colleagues across product, design and platform teams.
What we're looking for
- Active U.S. TS clearance with SCI eligibility; clearance-eligible U.S. citizens willing to obtain one may be considered if technically exceptional.
- At least 4 years of software engineering experience across front end and back end, with a solid grounding in backend development, algorithms and coding.
- Background in a defense technology company, cleared contractor or government-adjacent role, either as a pre-sales engineer who scoped pilots and proofs of concept, or as a customer-facing software engineer who deployed production software in government IT environments.
- Experience working directly with operators, analysts or government program offices to scope requirements and conduct user testing.
- Track record of independently driving projects from start to finish while embedded with customers.
- U.S. citizenship, with willingness to travel regularly to customer and operational sites, roughly a quarter of the time.
Bonus points
- Familiarity with the DoD Risk Management Framework and government IT systems such as identity management, security monitoring and cross-domain solutions.
- Python proficiency and familiarity with a common full-stack toolset such as React and Postgres.
Compensation and benefits
- Base salary: USD 180,000 to 220,000 per year
- Equity
- Health, dental and vision coverage
- Unlimited paid time off
- Paid parental leave
- Wellness and lifestyle stipends
Location and work model
- Norfolk / Virginia Beach, VA, United States
- On-site, with 20-30% travel to customer sites
- Full-time
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Raydar is an AI-powered talent acquisition firm that serves tech-focused organizations on a contingency basis, charging client companies only after a successful hire. It uses proprietary AI to identify a large pool of candidates and conducts a short 15-minute AI-driven interview (recorded and transcribed) before human recruiters review materials, provide interview prep, and assist with offers and negotiations. What sets it apart is the blend of automated sourcing and screening with hands-on human oversight and tailored client support. Its goal is to help organizations hire more efficiently by speeding up sourcing while maintaining thorough evaluation and negotiation assistance.
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