Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

What you’ll do

• Deploy forward with our aircraft and ground systems to test ranges, airfields, and customer environments, and own getting them set up and operational.
• Provide end-to-end field support: system setup, software and hardware configuration, integration with site infrastructure, and pre-deployment checkout.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, and networking issues in real time, in unstructured environments, and drive them to resolution.
• Own flight test campaigns, demonstrations, and exercises in the field, with high autonomy and minimal support.
• Train and guide operators and customers on how to run our systems and get the most out of them.
• Be the link between the field and engineering: capture flight data, ground truth, and operator feedback, run incident reviews, and feed clear, specific recommendations back into the product.
• Build and grow the forward-deployed function: the people, procedures, runbooks, and standards that keep our aircraft flying for weeks at a time in support of our customers.
• Work closely with mechanical, GNC, RF, and software teams.

What we’re looking for

• 2+ years supporting, deploying, or operating real hardware systems in the field (aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomy, or hardware startups).
• Strong hands-on troubleshooting across hardware, software, and networking. Comfortable with tools, cables, configs, and the command line.
• Practical technical range over deep specialization: comfortable with networking fundamentals and software/hardware setup and configuration.
• A track record of operating independently in ambiguous, high-pressure environments, and of bringing structure where there was none.
• Strong communication skills. Able to work with engineers, operators, and customers, and translate between them.
• Willingness to travel frequently and operate out of test ranges, airfields, and remote locations for extended periods.
• This is a hands-on hardware and field role, not a desk software job.
• Military operations experience is a plus, especially in aviation or aviation-adjacent communities with "air sense" (JTAC, JFO, CCT, ATC, aviation operations).

Why Icarus

• Meaningful equity
• Top market salary and bonuses
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Factory in El Segundo
• Real ownership, real hardware, real flight
• Small team, massive responsibility
• High signal (engineering) to noise (management) culture
• Dream desk setup
• Daily lunch
• Unlimited celsius

US salary range: $120,000 - $220,000 USD (base salary only; highly competitive equity grants are part of total compensation)