OpenAI

Forward Deployed Engineer – Government

OpenAI

full-time

Posted on:

Origin:  • 🇺🇸 United States • District of Columbia, Washington

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Salary

💰 $198,000 - $252,000 per year

Job Level

Mid-LevelSenior

Tech Stack

AWSAzureCloudJavaScriptKubernetesPythonTerraformTypeScript

About the role

  • Own technical delivery across multiple government deployments, from first prototype to stable production
  • Deeply embed with public sector customers to design and build novel applications powered by OpenAI models
  • Enable successful deployments across customer environments by delivering observable systems spanning infrastructure through applications
  • Prototype and build full-stack systems using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks that deliver real mission impact
  • Proactively guide customers on maximizing business and operational value from their applications
  • Forge and manage relationships with customer leadership and stakeholders to ensure successful deployment and scale
  • Scope work, sequence delivery, and remove blockers early—making trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality
  • Contribute directly in the code when clarity or momentum depends on it
  • Codify working patterns into tools, playbooks, or building blocks others can use
  • Share field feedback with Research and Product to influence model and product development
  • Keep teams moving through clarity, judgment, and consistent follow-through
  • Travel up to 50% and participate in on-site customer engagements as required

Requirements

  • 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience, ideally in customer-facing or government environments
  • Active TS/SCI clearance or equivalent
  • Scoped and delivered complex systems in fast-moving or ambiguous contexts
  • Write and review production-grade code across frontend and backend, using Python, JavaScript, or similar stacks
  • Familiar with cloud deployment models (Azure, AWS), Kubernetes, Terraform, and related infrastructure
  • Experience building or deploying systems powered by LLMs or generative models, and understanding how model behavior affects product experience
  • Simplify complexity, make fast, sound decisions under pressure, and communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences
  • Spot risks early, adjust without slowing down, and model calm judgment when stakes are high
  • Humble, collaborative, and eager to help others with empathy
  • Ability to operate with high horsepower, prioritize across multiple projects, and thrive in dynamic environments
  • Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% for onboarding and on-site customer work
  • Able to work from OpenAI’s Washington, DC office three days per week