Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (TC2265)

Position Title: Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

Location: Remote with up to 75% travel

Clearance Requirement: Secret

Employment type: Full Time

Research Innovations, Inc. (RII) is breaking through the big, slow status quo with transformative technology that fundamentally improves the world. We build advanced software solutions for government and military missions, applying agile development and user-centered design to solve complex, mission-critical problems.

RII is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to support global fielding of our Tactical NetOps solution. This role is ideal for a technically strong, mission-driven individual who thrives in tactical environments, operates independently, and bridges the gap between engineering and real-world deployment. You will work directly with operational users while collaborating with engineering teams to continuously improve system performance, usability, and mission impact.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

• Travel frequently (up to 75%) to military installations to support system fielding, integration, and training

• Install, configure, and validate software across distributed physical systems in austere environments

• Partner with operators and soldiers to tailor system configurations to mission needs

• Troubleshoot complex system and network issues and drive resolution to completion

• Conduct root cause analysis and document findings for continuous improvement

• Collaborate with engineering teams to identify bugs, influence design decisions, and implement enhancements

• Validate system performance against operational use cases and evolving mission requirements

• Develop and improve training materials, technical documentation, and field guides

• Deliver clear, concise briefings and reports to customers and internal stakeholders

• Support test events, exercises, and deployments, ensuring system readiness and reliability

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

• 6+ years of experience in military tactical environments with understanding of Army signal operations

• Experience in Systems Administration, DevOps, or Networking

• Strong experience with Linux-based systems and Kubernetes/containerized environments

• Hands-on experience with virtualization technologies (e.g., ESXi, vSphere)

• Solid understanding of Layer 2/Layer 3 networking (VLANs, subnetting, VPNs, DNS)

• Experience with network monitoring and management protocols (SNMP, Syslog, NETCONF)

• Proven ability to operate independently in high-tempo, mission-critical environments

• Strong troubleshooting and analytical problem-solving skills

• Experience interfacing directly with end users in operational settings

EVEN BETTER

• Experience supporting Program of Record (POR) fielding activities

• Prior experience embedded with operational units during exercises or deployments

• Familiarity with Army tactical communications infrastructure

• Experience in Agile software development environments

• Background in training development and delivery

• Prior military service

• Experience with tools and technologies such as:

• RHEL, K3s, K9s

• ESXi, vSphere

• Argo CD, Zarf packages

• Experience supporting fielded operational systems lifecycle (deployment → sustainment)

#LI-TC1
At RII, we believe that diversity in our workforce is critical to our success. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger. We work to help your intellectual passions and creativity thrive. It’s one of our core values: Let your geek flag fly.   We also offer all employees comprehensive benefits including: flexible work schedules, health insurance coverage, paid time off, 401k with a company match, paid parental leave, access to wellness programs and much more. You get this all from day one, and all paid for by RII.   It’s all part of another of our core values: Stay human. It’s why our comfortable and colorful offices such as our headquarters, include a community game room, pantry, massage chair, and an escape room, among other amenities. It’s why we have community ambassadors and regular community events.