Forward-Deployed Solution Engineer

About the role

This position is situated in Kuwait with a primary home office in Austin, Texas, and it demands a high degree of operational autonomy. The hired individual will own the complete deployment and technical lifecycle of the URZA platform within active defense and military environments on behalf of NODA. You will function as the senior engineering authority on-site, orchestrating complex integrations between heterogeneous fleets and external data sources during live exercises. A critical portion of your responsibilities will involve representing the company in customer technical reviews and owning the creation of essential operational artifacts. You will configure the platform to meet specific mission requirements while coordinating directly with Mission Leads and Field Operations teams. The role requires significant travel, potentially reaching approximately 75% Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) for rotations as mission demands dictate. Furthermore, this position requires an Active Secret security clearance as a non-negotiable condition of employment.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead end-to-end URZA deployments within Department of War and military operating environments, ensuring operational readiness.
• Configure the URZA platform to align precisely with each customer's unique mission parameters and Concept of Operations (ConOps).
• Integrate URZA with third-party Command and Control (C2) systems, sensors, software APIs, and external data feeds such as weather and intelligence.
• Conduct rigorous customer technical reviews and deliver operator training sessions in coordination with Mission Leads and field personnel.
• Serve as the senior technical presence on-site, providing leadership and guidance to partner organizations during critical engagements.
• Develop and maintain reusable engagement scaffolding, including runbooks, deployment guides, and Concept of Operations documents.
• Diagnose and resolve complex technical issues in field conditions, operating effectively under live exercise time constraints and degraded environments.
• Mentor mid-level Solution Engineers by providing technical guidance and helping them grow their capabilities on active programs.
• Document all deployment procedures and after-action reviews to ensure knowledge retention and process improvement.
• Establish integration patterns and templates that promote scalability and reuse across multiple concurrent customer engagements.
• Liaise directly with customer stakeholders to translate high-level requirements into concrete technical execution plans.
• Ensure all deployed systems adhere to strict security protocols and compliance standards required for defense environments.
• Collaborate with product teams to provide field-derived feedback that influences the URZA roadmap and platform capabilities.
• Maintain readiness to travel extensively, potentially up to 75% Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) for extended rotations.
• Act as a subject matter expert in autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, and tactical data link technologies during customer engagements.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of full-stack engineering experience, with substantial background in customer-facing or forward-deployed roles.
• Strong proficiency in Python, C++, or Rust, combined with advanced Linux fluency for deployment and debugging tasks.
• Deep networking knowledge covering TCP/IP, UDP, multicast, and routing, with field debugging experience across multiple system layers.
• Documented experience deploying solutions in DoD, military, or comparable operational environments with strict compliance requirements.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance, such as an Active Secret, necessary for mission execution.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in high-stakes, ambiguous, and time-sensitive contexts without direct supervision.
• Capability to manage multiple priorities and deliver reliable results while operating in austere or deployed conditions.
• Commitment to maintaining detailed documentation and disciplined engineering practices in all operational scenarios.
• Willingness to adhere to ITAR and CMMC compliance standards while working on defense technology programs.
• Physical and mental readiness to endure extensive travel and prolonged periods outside standard office environments.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts with precision to both technical and non-technical stakeholders without overstating or underselling capabilities.

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with autonomous systems or unmanned vehicles (UAS, UGV, USV, UUV) in operational settings.
• Familiarity with tactical C2 systems such as TAK, Cursor-on-Target, or Link 16, or pub-sub middleware like Zenoh or DDS.
• Experience integrating sensors, third-party APIs, and external data feeds (e.g., weather, reconnaissance, intelligence) into operational pictures.
• Prior experience at defense, autonomy, or robotics companies, including exposure to ITAR and CMMC environments.
• Possession of an active security clearance that matches mission requirements to reduce onboarding time.

Practical notes

Travel expectations may reach approximately 75% Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) for rotations. This role requires an Active Secret security clearance. The position offers comprehensive benefits, including a $20,000 sign-on bonus, alongside a base salary of $190,000.