Forward Deployed Autonomy Engineer

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION REQUIRES U.S. CITIZENSHIP. About Defense Unicorns Defense Unicorns is veteran-founded and mission-driven. The company’s vision is to advance freedom and independence globally by transforming how the U.S. Department of War builds, buys, delivers, and sustains software. We deliver secure, scalable software and AI solutions that function in cloud, on-prem, and tactical edge / air-gapped environments — making software a strategic deterrent for warfighters. In this role you will join a team building the backbone of modern defense software delivery — helping ensure warfighters can deploy the latest capabilities rapidly, securely, and reliably. Role Description: We are seeking a skilled and adaptable Forward-Deployed Autonomy Engineer to provide direct technical support to our Peat and UDS teams operating in dynamic, field-based environments. In this role, you will be embedded alongside mission heroes during integration events, exercises, and operational demonstrations, working shoulder-to-shoulder with other engineers to ensure success. This role requires a strong software engineering background paired with hands-on experience in autonomous systems, distributed architectures, and tactical communications. You will be a critical technical resource in the field — diagnosing issues under pressure, integrating systems across platforms, and enabling the effective deployment of robotics and drone technologies in complex, real-world environments. You will work closely with customer engineering teams, program leads, and cross-functional internal stakeholders to ensure our autonomy solutions perform reliably and meet mission objectives. Responsibilities: Provide on-site technical support at customer sites, integration events, field exercises, and demonstrations involving autonomous systems (robots and drones) Develop, integrate, and troubleshoot software components across distributed systems and autonomy platforms Support the design, configuration, and maintenance of communications infrastructure used in field deployments Assist in the integration and operation of command and control (C2) systems in tactical and semi-tactical environments Diagnose and resolve complex software, hardware, and system-level issues in time-sensitive field conditions Collaborate with customer engineering teams and internal engineers to achieve integration milestones and exercise objectives Document field findings, issues, and resolutions to support continuous improvement of product reliability and deployment readiness Provide feedback to internal product and engineering teams based on field observations to drive improvements Support pre-deployment testing and validation activities to ensure systems are field-ready Serve as a trusted technical representative of the company in customer-facing settings, maintaining professional relationships with defense stakeholders Participate in after-action reviews and contribute to lessons-learned processes following integration events and exercises Adapt quickly to evolving mission requirements and operational constraints in the field Travel Expectations/Requirements: Travel: Up to 25-50%, including domestic and international travel to customer sites, test ranges, and exercise locations. Preferred Experience and Qualifications: 4+ years of software engineering experience, with demonstrated experience in distributed systems and/or autonomous platforms Hands-on experience with robotics and/or unmanned systems (ground robots, drones/UAS) Experience working with communications infrastructure in field or tactical environments (mesh networks, RF communications, data links, etc.) Familiarity with command and control (C2) systems and integration patterns Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across the full stack — software, interfaces, and system-level interactions Experience working in fast-paced, field-based environments where adaptabil ... (truncated, view full listing at source)