Chicago, IL & DMV area (DC / Maryland / Virginia) · On-site with travel to customer sites · Full-time
Compensation: $120K–$140K + equity
Our client is a Series A startup building proprietary, enterprise-grade AI systems that their customers own outright, deployed across mission-critical industries such as manufacturing, distribution, supply chain, life sciences, and defense. Backed by leading Silicon Valley investors, they are a small, high-caliber team scaling quickly as demand for their technology grows, with early hires taking on real ownership and direct customer impact.
Founded 2023 · ~20 people · Industry: AI, Enterprise, Manufacturing, Logistics, Defense, Life Sciences
As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will work hand in hand with customers to understand their hardest operational problems and build AI-powered solutions that solve them. You will own projects end to end inside small, fast-moving teams, from first conversation through live deployment.
What you'll be doing
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Partnering directly with customers to quickly get to the root of their toughest operational challenges
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Owning high-stakes projects end to end within small, agile teams
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Traveling to customer sites to drive successful implementation and adoption
Tech stack: Python, C++, TypeScript, JavaScript, AI/ML, React
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Hands-on experience personally owning technical deployments from start to finish as a software or forward-deployed engineer
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Willingness and ability to travel regularly to customer sites
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Roughly 0 to 3 years of experience in software or forward-deployed engineering
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Solid working proficiency with Python on the backend and React on the frontend
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Direct customer- or client-facing technical experience
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A strong internship track record if you are a recent graduate
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A bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related STEM field
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Authorized to work in the US (this client is unable to offer visa sponsorship)
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Time spent at an early-stage startup, or experience as a founder
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Exposure to manufacturing, distribution, or supply chain
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Join a well-funded, fast-growing team where early hires get outsized ownership and direct customer impact
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Backed by top-tier investors, with a small team of engineers from leading programs
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Build custom, high-impact AI in mission-critical industries rather than maintaining legacy systems
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Location: Chicago, IL & DMV area (DC / Maryland / Virginia)
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Work policy: On-site with customers; travel to customer sites expected
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Compensation: $120K–$140K + equity
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Visa sponsorship: Not available, must be authorized to work in the US
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Employment type: Full-time
