Forward Deployed Engineer

We are looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer with 3–5 years of experience to embed directly with commercial and defense customers, solving complex real-world problems at the intersection of hardware, software, and mission-critical operations. This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-moving, early-stage defense tech company where you'll be the face of Rivet on the front line — writing production-quality code in the field, shaping the product roadmap from the point of need, and working on technology that genuinely matters.

What will you be doing?

- Deploy onsite with customers (industrial, defense, and government) to develop, debug, and ship high-impact software solutions in the field — often in air-gapped, austere, or disconnected environments

- Cycle between customer sites and the office: gather real-world feedback, bring it back to the core engineering team, and iterate fast to improve the product

- Diagnose and solve a wide range of technical problems on the fly — from networking issues to code bugs — using whatever tool is right for the job (Linux, Android, C, Rust, Python, etc.)

- Act as Rivet's ambassador on site: represent the company credibly with customer stakeholders, translate field learnings into product priorities, and identify new use cases

- Collaborate with Rivet's core engineering team (including PhDs and domain specialists) to escalate, communicate, and resolve complex technical challenges discovered in the field

Key Requirements

- U.S. citizen with an active Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain one — non-negotiable due to contract obligations

- 3–5 years of hands-on software engineering experience with a strong foundation in Linux, networking fundamentals, and low-level programming (C, Rust, or similar); comfort across multiple languages and abstraction levels

- Demonstrated experience deploying and debugging integrated technology solutions onsite with customers — not just building in an office

- Background in environments where software meets the physical world: embedded systems, defense tech, robotics, aerospace, IoT, factory automation, or similar "bits and atoms" domains

- Scrappy, curious, and self-directed — thrives in ambiguity, willing to travel 35–70%, and genuinely excited to work in austere field environments (not just an air-conditioned office)