Forward Deployed Data Engineer (Groton, CT
Job description
About the role
Spear AI is seeking a Forward Deployed Data Engineer to construct the next-generation platform for maritime domain awareness and artificial intelligence. This position is a defense contracting role focused on delivering solutions that support national security objectives. The successful candidate will work directly with customers, writing code and integrating systems to solve complex problems in operational environments. A current or active U.S. Secret clearance is required for this position.
We are a growing defense contractor committed to innovation and mission-critical work. Our culture is built on a flat organizational structure that empowers every team member to make a direct impact, collaborate with leadership, and contribute to meaningful projects. You will join one of our divisions - Hardware, Software, or Services - and work alongside talented professionals dedicated to excellence and advancing national security capabilities.
Our work involves building sonobuoy sensors that collect edge data and collaborating with the U.S. Navy to process SONAR data. You will engage in real-world projects that directly enhance warfighter capabilities and mission success.
What you'll do
The team operates as a small, cross-functional unit where individuals wear many hats. Your responsibilities will be diverse and critical to the platform's success. You will implement real-time data pipelines using MQTT and Redpanda for stream processing. You will also implement offline data pipelines using Dagster for batch processing.
You will be responsible for parsing and processing binary message formats from a wide variety of data sources. Building data warehouses using Postgres, Apache Iceberg, Parquet, and S3 will be a core function. You will design data models that enable high-performance queries and validate and normalize data sources to ensure integrity. Improving local development and CI/CD using modern tooling and GitHub Actions will help accelerate delivery.
Requirements
We seek a software engineer who is fanatical about polish. Every detail matters, and you will ensure your code is linted, formatted, fully typed, and has comprehensive test coverage. You care deeply about correctness, understanding that downstream consumers rely on the libraries and services you build.
You obsess over performance, thinking constantly about Lighthouse scores and query speed. Diving deep is essential; you will build prototypes and set up experiments to fully understand how systems work. You stay on the bleeding edge of platform features and eagerly await new nightly releases.
Teaching is also a key strength. You know how to break down concepts for specific audiences and make them click, generating excitement and understanding.
Why Work With Us
Our team ships results quickly; we do not engage in 18-month projects that lack relevance. The work we do has direct impact, powering products deployed on U.S. submarines and integrated with the sonobuoys we manufacture. We are growing responsibly, bringing on many new team members who share our values.
Work is remote, allowing you to work from anywhere. We collaborate in real time on Slack and asynchronously via GitHub. The organization is profitable, with investors committed to our long-term success. We care deeply about doing great work and allow you the freedom to perfect every detail. We maintain a professional atmosphere while building products that make the world safer.
Essential Skills
- Expertise in time-series data processing, including windowing, resampling, and interpolation.
- Proficiency in Python and Rust for data engineering workflows.
- Experience with binary message parsing from diverse hardware.
- Familiarity with both row-based and columnar data formats in OLTP and OLAP systems.
- Knowledge of distributed systems, streaming architectures, and batch processing patterns.
- Hands-on experience with a batch orchestrator such as Dagster or Airflow.
- Hands-on experience with a streaming platform such as Redpanda or Kafka.
- Hands-on experience with binary formats like Protobuf.
Preferred Experience
Experience with IoT devices, sensors, and digital signal processing methods is valuable. Geospatial analysis and GIS experience for maritime mapping can be an advantage. Familiarity with monorepos serving defense workloads is also beneficial.
Compensation and Benefits
The role offers comprehensive health and benefits coverage, including medical, dental, and vision plans. You will receive dedicated sick time to prioritize your well-being. Unlimited PTO ensures you can recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
About Spear Ai
Spear AI focuses on maritime operations. The company works with advanced maritime AI and edge data solutions. Sensor data becomes signals. Signals support decision processes. From detection to choice, tools serve maritime needs. Career roles involve these systems. Work connects data flow with operational decisions.岗位 appear for people who handle data, sensors, and signal processing. Teams build tools that turn detection into clear operational direction for sea related work.