Forward Deployed Engineer - Clearance Required

Overview

Build technology where the mission happens.

We are seeking a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to embed directly with mission users and own the technical solution from mission need through production deployment. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who enjoys solving hard, ambiguous problems-and wants to see the technology they build make a difference in the real world.

You will work alongside mission users to understand what is actually happening on the ground, identify opportunities where technology can make a meaningful difference, and turn those insights into working solutions. You’ll integrate advanced technologies-including modern AI/LLM capabilities-into operational workflows, build and deploy new software capabilities, and iterate directly with users until the solution delivers measurable mission impact.

This is not a role where you simply receive requirements and hand off code. You will be close to the problem, close to the user, and accountable for the outcome. You’ll have the autonomy to experiment, make technical decisions, prototype ideas, and take the solutions that work all the way into production.

This position requires an active Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

Solve real problems. Build what matters. See the impact.

Forward Deployed Engineers sit at the intersection of engineering, users, and mission. You’ll have the opportunity to work with emerging technologies, operate in environments where the answer isn’t always obvious, and move ideas from whiteboard to working capability quickly.

The ideal candidate is curious enough to ask “What if?”, technical enough to figure out “How?”, and mission-focused enough to know “Why does this matter?”

If you enjoy having a problem in front of you rather than a rigid set of instructions, this is an opportunity to do some of your most meaningful engineering work.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with mission users and stakeholders to understand operational requirements and translate them into technical solutions across the product, data, and integration stack.
• Own architecture and implementation of new capabilities, integrations, and production improvements to ensure applications align with real-world mission objectives and user feedback.
• Own key architecture decisions across application, data, integration, and AI-enabled workflows.
• Design for reliability, observability, security, and constrained operating environments.
• Test, deploy, and maintain new functionality and features, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems and processes.
• Integrate software solutions with existing business processes, including effective use of and interaction with APIs.
• Diagnose production issues directly with users and turn recurring problems into durable engineering solutions, both on-site and remotely.
• Work directly with mission users to identify high-value problems and validate solutions in real operational settings.
• Take capabilities from prototype to production and measure whether they improve mission outcomes.
• Conduct training and mentoring sessions to empower users and junior engineers to maximize adoption and understanding of deployed capabilities.
• Partner with other engineers and stakeholders to streamline development workflows and establish best practices for efficiency and scalability.
• Evaluate new technologies when they provide a clear advantage in capability, reliability, cost, or delivery speed.
• Prepare and present documentation, demonstrations, and reports to stakeholders, including senior executives from government and industry, showcasing progress and application performance.
• Operate autonomously across ambiguous, high-priority problems and make sound technical tradeoffs.
• Travel 30%+ (CONUS) to provide localized technical support at mission sites as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Needed

• Active Secret clearance.
• Strong full-stack engineering experience with modern TypeScript-based applications.
• Experience with modern frontend frameworks; React experience is a plus.
• Experience designing and operating production backend services and APIs (e.g., Node.js or equivalent).
• Experience designing integrations across APIs, external data sources, and existing enterprise systems.
• Experience shipping containerized software through modern CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience deploying secure production systems in cloud environments; AWS GovCloud or DoD environments are a plus.
• Expertise in the software development lifecycle and security principles.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with multiple stakeholders, including senior executives from government and industry.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and prioritize effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with significant autonomy in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Willingness and availability for travel to client sites.
• Our current environment includes Python, TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Docker, GitLab CI/CD, and AWS GovCloud. We evaluate for strong engineering fundamentals, not a checklist of specific tools, so experience with every individual technology listed below is not required.

Desired Skills

• Experience building AI-enabled production systems, such as tool-using agents, retrieval workflows, model evaluation, or human-in-the-loop systems.
• Proven ability to work quickly and independently as part of a small team of engineers to deliver high-quality, tailored solutions.
• Experience in sales engineering within the federal government sector, with a deep understanding of federal customers’ unique challenges and requirements.
• Ability to build trust with mission users and translate operational feedback into product and engineering decisions.
• Ability to explain technical decisions, tradeoffs, and outcomes to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to provide strategic input on product enhancements and development based on market trends and customer feedback.
• Familiarity with DoD cybersecurity requirements and vulnerability management concepts.
• Experience with CI/CD and automated software delivery.
• Familiarity with container orchestration engines such as Kubernetes (e.g., EKS, AKS, GKE, Kops, OpenShift).
• Experience with modern agent/tool integration patterns, including MCP, is a plus.
• Strong background in Unix/Linux operating systems.
• High energy, enthusiasm, and the ability to effectively interact with senior executives from both government and industry.
• Experience with leadership, management, and providing issue resolution and expert guidance to teams.
• Knowledge of AWS products and capabilities, with specific experience in GovCloud environments.
• Prior experience mentoring junior engineers or leading small technical teams.
• Security certifications such as Security+ (or willingness to obtain within six months of hire).

Applicants must meet eligibility requirements for a U.S. Government security clearance. Only US Citizens are eligible for a security clearance. For this position, LMI will only consider applicants with security clearances, due to the nature of the work.

LMI is a new breed of digital solutions provider dedicated to accelerating government impact with innovation and speed. Investing in technology and prototypes ahead of need, LMI brings commercial-grade platforms and mission-ready AI to federal agencies at commercial speed.

Leveraging our mission-ready technology and solutions, proven expertise in federal deployment, and strategic relationships, we enhance outcomes for the government, efficiently and effectively. With a focus on agility and collaboration, LMI serves the defense, space, healthcare, and energy sectors-helping agencies navigate complexity and outpace change. Headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, LMI is committed to delivering impactful results that strengthen missions and drive lasting value.

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