Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer

Location: San Diego, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: 170-220  equity depending on experience.

Position Overview

We are building advanced sensing infrastructure designed to close critical intelligence gaps across the world’s oceans.

Our technology transforms maritime vessels into a distributed sensing network using edge compute systems deployed in some of the most remote and challenging environments on Earth. These systems process large volumes of data directly at the edge to deliver real-time maritime domain awareness.

We are seeking a Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer to take ownership of our distributed sensor fleet as soon as it is installed on vessels. While technicians handle physical installation, this role is responsible for the remote setup, orchestration, and continuous operation of complex edge systems deployed across a global fleet.

You will build the infrastructure that allows newly installed, offline systems to automatically connect via satellite communications, configure onboard sensors, and integrate into a larger intelligence network. This role goes beyond traditional cloud infrastructure — you will debug remote hardware interfaces, optimize data flows across satellite networks, and build automation that keeps edge systems reliable even when connectivity, weather, and power conditions are unpredictable.

Key Responsibilities

Remote Provisioning & Orchestration

• Build and manage automated provisioning pipelines that remotely configure edge nodes immediately after physical installation

• Enable systems to activate satellite connectivity, configure sensors, and integrate into the broader network with minimal manual intervention

• Develop zero-touch or low-touch deployment workflows for distributed edge infrastructure

Edge-to-Cloud Infrastructure

• Design and maintain the infrastructure that connects distributed maritime edge systems with cloud backends (AWS or GCP)

• Ensure reliable telemetry, monitoring, and system management across globally distributed nodes

Satellite Network Optimization

• Architect networking solutions capable of handling variable satellite connectivity

• Implement technologies such as VPNs, SD-WAN, and tools like Tailscale or WireGuard to reliably transport telemetry, video streams, and RF data

Over-the-Air System Management

• Develop secure and resilient deployment systems to push software updates, AI models, and configuration changes to remote nodes

• Ensure OTA updates can occur without disrupting system stability or rendering devices inoperable

Remote Troubleshooting & System Reliability

• Serve as the escalation point for diagnosing issues affecting remote edge nodes

• Debug Linux systems, container failures, networking issues, and hardware/software integration problems from remote environments

• Build systems designed to remain operational despite unreliable connectivity or power disruptions

Required Qualifications

Linux & Systems Expertise

• Deep hands-on experience with Linux systems administration

• Strong proficiency with bash scripting and systemd

• Experience managing headless Linux systems in production environments

Programming

• Strong experience using Python 3 for automation, tooling, and infrastructure management

Networking Fundamentals

• Solid understanding of TCP/IP, routing, NAT traversal, and VPN technologies

• Experience working with constrained or unusual networking environments such as satellite networks or CGNAT

Containerization

• Experience working with containerized environments such as Docker

Resilience Engineering Mindset

• Ability to design infrastructure assuming unreliable networks, intermittent power, and unpredictable hardware behavior

Preferred Qualifications

Video & Streaming Systems

• Experience working with video pipelines or streaming technologies such as RTSP, WebRTC, GStreamer, or FFmpeg

Edge Hardware & Sensors

• Experience working with edge devices such as Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, or similar platforms

• Familiarity with sensors including GPS, IMU, radar, or telemetry systems

Robotics Infrastructure

• Familiarity with Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) and bi-directional data architectures

RF & Signal Processing

• Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), GNU Radio, or RF telemetry processing

Maritime Data Systems

• Familiarity with maritime protocols such as AIS (Automatic Identification System) or NMEA data

Why Join

• Mission-driven work supporting maritime intelligence and global security

• Unique technical challenges involving edge computing, satellite networks, RF systems, and distributed sensing

• High-autonomy startup environment with the opportunity to shape core infrastructure

• Competitive salary, equity, and benefits