- Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) role focused on deploying AI systems for government and enterprise clients
- Must be a US citizen (FedRAMP compliance requirement)
- In-person in Austin, TX with heavy travel (up to 5 days/week) to customer sites
- Demonstrated software engineering ability; must actively ship code to core platform
- Charisma, extreme work ethic (996+), and high integrity required
Vulcan's growth is constrained by headcount—there are more customer deployments and jurisdictions to cover than the current team can handle, limiting the pace of revenue and user growth.
This role is a forward deployed engineer (FDE) responsible for deploying Vulcan's AI platform into government agencies and enterprise clients. The primary spike is the ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders (often government officials), drive adoption, and ship valuable code in high-stakes, high-autonomy environments with heavy travel.
What You'll Own
- Deploy and integrate Vulcan's AI platform at government agencies and enterprise clients across the US
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (e.g., government officials, legal teams)
- Actively ship code to the core platform and respond to user feedback
- Drive user activation and revenue growth through direct customer engagement
- Own your own travel, customer relationships, and deal strategy with high autonomy
Technical Requirements
- Demonstrated software engineering ability; must be able to ship code to the core platform
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS/Aurora) and SQL databases
- Experience with AI/ML tooling or LLM-based systems is a strong plus
Execution and Ownership
- Operate with high autonomy—plan and execute your own travel and deployments
- Daily 8:30 AM standups, 7 days a week; expectation of extreme work intensity (996+)
- Directly accountable for driving daily active users and revenue through your deployments
Background
- Founder-type profile strongly preferred (e.g., former YC founder, early YC company employee, or equivalent high-agency background)
- CS degree from a top school with startup/hackathon experience is a strong signal
- Experience as a forward deployed engineer at an AI lab or model provider is valued
- Charisma and extroversion are required for success in this customer-facing role
Location and Visa
- Role is based in Austin, TX; in-person when not traveling
- Heavy travel (up to 5 days/week) to customer sites across the US
- US citizenship is required (FedRAMP compliance); no visa sponsorship available
Nice to Have
- Experience deploying AI/ML systems in government or highly regulated environments
- Prior work at a model provider (e.g., Google DeepMind, Anthropic, Gemini at the Pentagon)
Who Will Thrive Here Candidates who thrive here are highly charismatic, extremely hardworking (willing to sustain 996+ hours), and operate with high integrity and autonomy. Success requires building relationships with government officials, shipping valuable code, and embracing a high-travel, high-intensity environment.