Forward Deployed Engineer
Applied Intuition is the vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017, Applied Intuition delivers the toolchain, Vehicle OS, and autonomy stacks to help customers build intelligent vehicles and shorten time to market. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers and major programs across the Department of Defense trust Applied Intuition's solutions to deliver vehicle intelligence. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture industries and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Diego, CA, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Ann Arbor, MI, London, Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Seoul, and Tokyo. Learn more at appliedintuition.com.
We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. (Note: For EpiSci job openings, fully remote work will be considered by exception.)
About Applied Intuition DefenseApplied Intuition Defense is a software and infrastructure supplier that accelerates the deployment of next-generation autonomous capabilities to the warfighter across air, land, sea, and space. A subsidiary of Applied Intuition, we deliver dual-use solutions to national security customers that build upon several years of product development and experience from commercial autonomy programs. Based in Washington, D.C., our seasoned team hails from Palantir, Anduril, SpaceX, Google, Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. Armed Services. Learn more at appliedintuitiondefense.com.
Applied Intuition Defense is a business of Applied Intuition, which delivers the definitive ADAS/AD toolchain and world-class vehicle platform trusted by 18 of the top 20 global automakers to drive the production of modern vehicles. Learn more at appliedintuition.com.
About the RoleApplied Intuition is redefining vehicle intelligence across commercial and defense sectors. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, your responsibilities will look similar to those of a startup CTO: you'll work in small teams and own end-to-end execution of high stakes projects. You'll be the technical bridge between Applied Intuition's novel vehicle intelligence platforms and our customers' real-world operational environments.
This role demands both technical depth and operational excellence. You'll primarily work with defense and government customers, integrating our tools, Vehicle OS, and autonomy stacks with DOD platforms in challenging operational environments. The unique advantage: you'll leverage our robust commercial technology and rapidly evolving product suite to deliver capabilities that would take traditional defense contractors years to develop. You'll tackle problems spanning core software engineering, system deployment, hardware integration, and everything in between to ensure mission success.
At Applied Intuition, you will- Work directly with defense and government customers to deploy, integrate, and operationalize Applied Intuition's vehicle intelligence products in military and government environments—from defense contractors to forward operating bases
- Tackle a broad range of technical challenges, including software engineering, operating system configuration, system deployment, and hardware integration
- Bridge customer-built systems and Applied’s solutions to deliver tangible value
- Design and implement scalable, consistent approaches for customer engagement and project execution
- Develop architectural solutions that improve consistency and scalability across projects
- Collaborate with internal engineering, product, and customer teams to ensure successful outcomes
- Take ownership of technical outcomes and drive projects to completion, adapting to changing requirements and priorities
- 3 + years professional software engineering experience
- Strong engineering background, preferred in fields such as Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering
- Strong coder with demonstrated proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python
- Broad technical experience across software engineering, operating systems, and some hardware
- Experience supporting integration and deployment of complex systems
- Exceptional problem-solving skills and a proven ability to thrive and innovate independently within highly ambiguous and rapidly evolving operational environments
- Excellent communication skills and focus on solving customer problems
- Prior experience working with government customers, defense contractors, or in military environments
- Familiarity with system architecture and designing scalable solutions
- Experience in defense, automotive, robotics, or adjacent industries
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
For more information about U.S. security clearances: click here.
Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.
Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.
Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $145,000 - $200,000 USD annually.
Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.
Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.