NDK Cyber

Founding Forward Deployed Engineer (AI/ML engineering), Location DC, Washington, relocation paid + Equity

Join a mission-driven startup building next-generation AI systems designed to prevent real-world threats, including mass casualty events, in direct partnership with U.S. federal agencies.

As a founding Forward Deployed Engineer, you’ll work on the ground with operators, turning cutting-edge agentic AI into real-world capabilities in high-stakes environments.

You’ll harden early prototypes into production, deploy and iterate alongside users, and own delivery end-to-end — from infrastructure and CI/CD to multi-agent orchestration and real-time operations.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizen (mandatory for clearance eligibility)
• Experience in forward-deployed, customer-embedded, or mission-critical engineering roles
• Strong hands-on AI/ML engineering background (LLMs, agent frameworks, or applied ML systems)
• Proven ability to take systems from prototype to production in real environments
• Comfortable operating in regulated, government, or high-security environments

You should thrive in ambiguity, move fast with users, and want direct impact. This is a rare opportunity to shape both the product and the function as a founding team member.

Why this role is unique

• Founding engineer — shape both the product and deployment model
• Direct impact on national-security missions
• Work with real users solving real problems, not theoretical AI
• Ownership from architecture to live deployment
• Operate at the cutting edge of agentic AI systems

This role will be in the DC office 5 x per week; the company are happy to fund relocation.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $250,000.00 - $300,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• Relocation assistance

Work Location: In person