Role overview

Scale builds AI systems for critical government decisions. As a Forward Deployed Software Engineer on the Public Sector Engineering team, you will work directly with U.S. government customers including the Army, Air Force, Joint commands, and the Intelligence Community to build and deploy AI applications that support their most important missions. This is a hybrid, customer-facing role where you own delivery from prototype through production deployment.

Key responsibilities

Embed with government customers to understand their missions, scope problems, and develop working software solutions.
Own end-to-end delivery of solutions at customer sites, including design, build, deployment, and maintenance from prototype to stable production.
Build robust backend systems and data integrations that connect customer environments to Scale’s platform.
Serve as the primary technical contact for customer stakeholders, supporting adoption and maximizing mission impact.
Feed field insights back to the product and engineering teams so patterns you build can become reusable capabilities across the organization.

Requirements

At least five years of software engineering experience, preferably in customer-facing, forward-deployed, or government contexts.
Strong production coding skills in Python and TypeScript or comparable modern programming languages.
Proficiency across the full technology stack including cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), containers, Linux, and networking fundamentals.
Ability to work independently in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and make sound technical trade-offs under pressure.
An active TS/SCI security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

What makes this role worth considering

You will work on problems that directly impact national security and government operations, with your code deployed in real-world field environments. The role combines technical depth with meaningful customer relationships, allowing you to see your work adopted and relied upon by the people you build for. You’ll operate across multiple locations including Austin, Colorado Springs, Honolulu, Omaha, St. Louis, and Washington DC, with the flexibility to work hybrid or relocate depending on customer needs.