Forward Deployed Engineer

About the role

Forward Deployed Engineers bridge the gap between Sift’s cutting-edge telemetry platform and our customers’ complex engineering challenges. In this role, you’ll work directly with customer teams to adapt Sift’s capabilities to their needs, build custom solutions, and foster deep partnerships. You’ll collaborate with product and engineering teams to translate customer requirements into actionable insights, ensuring our platform evolves to meet real-world demands.

Responsibilities

• Partner with customers to understand their technical challenges and adapt Sift’s platform to meet their specific needs.
• Develop custom solutions and integrations using Sift APIs to solve customer problems.
• Translate customer requirements into actionable feedback for product and engineering teams.
• Create and maintain integrations with common engineering tools to enhance customer workflows.
• Prepare materials and assist in technical onboarding and training sessions for customer teams.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with customers, acting as a technical partner and advocate.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in software engineering or data engineering.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with REST APIs.
• Basic understanding of data analysis and visualization techniques.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Passion for aerospace, autonomous systems, or advanced engineering applications.
• Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, math, physics, or a STEM discipline.
• Bonus points for experience in aerospace systems, satellite operations, or autonomous vehicle development.
• Bonus points for experience with data streaming technologies or time-series databases (e.g., Kafka, InfluxDB).
• Bonus points for experience with SQL and database concepts.
• Bonus points for experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Bonus points for experience with software integration challenges in complex systems.
• Bonus points for experience with machine learning or AI applications in engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply new technologies.

Qualifications

• Passionate about solving real-world engineering problems in the field.
• Thrives in ambiguity and can adapt quickly to evolving customer needs.
• A collaborative team player who can work effectively with customers, engineers, and go-to-market teams to drive impact.

Skills

• Customer-first mindset.
• Technical expertise in software engineering or data engineering.
• Problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Effective communication skills.
• Passion for aerospace, autonomous systems, or advanced engineering applications.
• Ability to learn and adapt quickly in a startup environment.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills.

Benefits

• Variation in travel based on location and customer needs.
• Sift headquarters is located in Los Angeles (Marina del Rey), and we work in a hybrid environment.
• We collaborate in person four times a week—Monday through Thursday—and come together for a full week every quarter.
• We are open to relocating candidates to LA or working from our San Francisco office for the right candidate.

Pay

Salary range: $125,000 - $175,000 per year. Plus equity and benefits.

Schedule

Varies by location and customer needs.

Location & Travel

• Sift’s headquarters is in Marina Del Rey, CA (Next to LAX).
• We collaborate in person four times a week—Monday through Thursday—and come together for a full week every quarter.
• We are open to relocating candidates to LA or working from our San Francisco office for the right candidate.
• Ability to travel 10-15% required.

What We’re Looking For

• A customer-first mindset who’s excited to solve real-world engineering problems in the field.
• An engineer who thrives in ambiguity and can adapt quickly to evolving customer needs.
• A collaborative team player who can work effectively with customers, engineers, and go-to-market teams to drive impact.

Eligibility

US Person Required: Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card Holder due to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) / EAR (Export Administration Regulations) compliance requirements.