Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Clera

San Francisco, CA

On-site

Who this role is best for

Best suited to candidates with startup experience and a background in government or law enforcement, working in a hybrid role with significant travel.

Best fit for

Candidates with startup experience and a background in government or law enforcement workflows
— “Experience in government, law enforcement, criminal justice, defense, intelligence, or another regulated or sensitive domain is useful.”
Individuals who can operate independently and deliver tailored solutions quickly
— “Ability to work across the stack and deliver tailored solutions, even when they are not designed to scale broadly.”
Engineers who have a track record of translating user needs into technical implementations
— “Translate customer feedback into implemented features, pull requests, and clear technical specifications.”

Things to consider

Significant travel commitment required, with 25 to 75% of time spent on customer sites
— “Travel 25 to 75% of the time to work in person with customers and learn their workflows.”
The role involves working in a fast-moving environment with shifting priorities
— “Identify and solve problems independently in a fast-moving environment where priorities may shift.”

How to stand out

Highlight experience with regulated domains and direct user collaboration in your resume and interviews
— “Experience building software that addresses real user needs and working directly with end users to turn their challenges into technical solutions.”
Emphasize your experience in early-stage startups and delivering production systems
— “At least 3 years of software engineering experience building and delivering production systems, including experience at an early-stage startup.”
Showcase your ownership mindset and ability to work autonomously in ambiguous environments
— “Strong ownership, sound judgment, and comfort operating with autonomy in an ambiguous environment.”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

successful implementation of customer-specific solutions
positive feedback from end users

Typical background

software engineering experienceearly-stage startup experience

Skills & requirements

Required

Software EngineeringCustom IntegrationsOne-off AnalysesCustomer Feedback ImplementationAutonomous Problem-solving

Preferred

Public SafetyGovernment TechnologyLaw Enforcement Workflows

Stack & domain

Software EngineeringCustom IntegrationsOne-off AnalysesCustomer Feedback TranslationProblem SolvingAutonomous OperationPublic SafetyGovernment TechnologyLaw Enforcement WorkflowsRegulated DomainsOwnershipSound JudgmentAutonomyAmbiguity HandlingPriority SettingCommunicationCollaborationLaw EnforcementCriminal JusticeDefenseIntelligence

About the role

Original posting from Clera via Ashby

ABOUT THE ROLE
Join an early-stage government technology team building software to help law enforcement and prosecutors manage and analyze evidence. As a founding Forward Deployed Engineer, you will work closely with end users, solve immediate operational challenges, and bring frontline insights back into product development.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Work directly with law enforcement and prosecutors to understand evidence management challenges and user needs.
Build practical solutions for specific problems, including custom integrations and one-off analyses.
Travel 25 to 75% of the time to work in person with customers and learn their workflows.
Translate customer feedback into implemented features, pull requests, and clear technical specifications.
Identify and solve problems independently in a fast-moving environment where priorities may shift.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
At least 3 years of software engineering experience building and delivering production systems, including experience at an early-stage startup.
Experience building software that addresses real user needs and working directly with end users to turn their challenges into technical solutions.
Ability to work across the stack and deliver tailored solutions, even when they are not designed to scale broadly.
Strong ownership, sound judgment, and comfort operating with autonomy in an ambiguous environment.
Interest in public safety and willingness to engage with law enforcement workflows, including supporting background checks and CJIS clearance processes as needed.
Experience in government, law enforcement, criminal justice, defense, intelligence, or another regulated or sensitive domain is useful.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The salary range is $130,000 to $215,000 annually. Compensation also includes a founding-level equity stake and performance-based bonuses. Visa sponsorship is available.
LOCATION
This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, California, with regular customer travel.

Source: Clera careers (Ashby)