Location: Arlington, VA (Hybrid) OR Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco
Compensation: $170-220k + equity
About Our Client
Our client is a rapidly growing defense technology startup building advanced sensing infrastructure to improve maritime awareness and security.
The company develops distributed edge compute systems deployed globally on vessels and remote platforms, transforming maritime fleets into persistent sensing networks capable of collecting and processing large volumes of real-world data.
Backed by top-tier investors and industry leaders, the company has already achieved tens of millions in revenue and is scaling quickly as its technology is deployed across increasingly complex operational environments.
Their systems operate in some of the most remote and challenging environments on earth, requiring engineers who can design infrastructure that continues operating even when connectivity, power, and hardware conditions are unreliable.
Why This Opportunity
This role offers the chance to build the infrastructure behind real-world sensing platforms deployed across global maritime environments.
You will work on systems combining edge compute, satellite networking, robotics sensors, and distributed cloud infrastructure to deliver mission-critical intelligence capabilities.
Engineers in this role solve problems that rarely exist in traditional software environments, including:
• Operating distributed hardware fleets across remote environments
• Moving high-volume sensor and video data over satellite networks
• Maintaining autonomous systems where downtime is not acceptable
It is an opportunity to work at the intersection of defense technology, robotics infrastructure, and global-scale edge systems.
Role Overview
Our client is seeking a Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer responsible for the remote provisioning, orchestration, and reliability of distributed sensing systems once they are deployed in the field.
While technicians perform the physical installation, this role owns the software infrastructure and operational lifecycle of each deployed node.
You will design and maintain the systems that allow newly installed hardware to connect to satellite networks, configure sensors, join distributed infrastructure, and operate reliably across remote environments.
This role goes beyond traditional cloud infrastructure. You will regularly work with:
• Edge compute nodes running Linux
• Satellite connectivity (including Starlink maritime deployments)
• Sensor platforms and video systems
• Automated deployment pipelines for remote devices
• Distributed fleets of hardware operating across global environments
Your work ensures these systems remain operational even when network connectivity is intermittent, power cycles occur, or hardware behaves unpredictably.
What You Will Do
Remote Provisioning & Orchestration
• Build automation pipelines that allow newly installed edge nodes to automatically configure themselves and join distributed infrastructure networks
• Enable remote setup and calibration of sensors, connectivity systems, and compute hardware
Edge-to-Cloud Infrastructure
• Design and maintain infrastructure bridging cloud platforms (AWS/GCP) with a distributed fleet of edge compute systems
Satellite Network Optimization
• Architect networking solutions using tools such as VPNs, SD-WAN, WireGuard, or Tailscale to reliably transmit telemetry, video streams, and RF data over satellite connections
Over-The-Air Deployment Systems
• Build secure systems to push software updates, AI models, and configuration changes to remote systems without service disruption
Remote Troubleshooting
• Diagnose and resolve Linux system issues, container failures, and hardware-software integration problems across globally distributed deployments
Operational Reliability
• Develop systems that assume unreliable network conditions, power cycling, and hardware faults, ensuring continued operation of deployed nodes
What Our Client Is Looking For
• Strong hands-on expertise with Linux systems administration, bash scripting, and system-level troubleshooting
• Experience developing automation and infrastructure using Python
• Deep understanding of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, VPNs, routing, and NAT traversal
• Experience working with satellite or constrained network environments
• Familiarity with containerized applications (Docker or similar)
• Experience operating or maintaining distributed infrastructure systems
The ideal candidate is comfortable debugging systems that are thousands of miles away and operating in unpredictable environments.
Nice to Have
• Experience with video streaming pipelines (RTSP, WebRTC, GStreamer, ffmpeg)
• Familiarity with edge hardware platforms such as Jetson, Raspberry Pi, or similar systems
• Experience integrating sensors such as GPS, IMU, radar, or cameras
• Exposure to ROS2 (Robot Operating System) environments
• Experience working with software defined radios (SDR) or RF telemetry
• Knowledge of maritime data systems such as AIS or NMEA
Work Environment
• Hybrid work model (3 days onsite / 2 days remote)
DO NOT SUBMIT A COVER LETTER. DESCRIBE YOUR LINUX EXPERIENCE (at a very high level) IN UNDER A PARAGRAPH.