Forward Deployed Engineer, Federal
C3 AI
Tysons, VA · $120k–$158k a year · Posted June 6, 2026
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Where Tysons, VA ranks
Where Tysons, VA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Mid-Atlantic4.3% · of 84
- #1Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Mid-Atlantic27% · of 62
- #1Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southeast27% · of 77
- #1Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Southeast20% · of 87
- #2Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Southeast4.3% · of 84
- #3Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Mid-Atlantic20% · of 85
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing pays about $139,000 a year. Across 103 open forward deployed engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $160,000 to $215,000 and the median is $195,000. That is 29% below the median, below the middle half of those listings.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
Forward Deployed Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for software developers: 29% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
C3 AI (NYSE: AI), is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operating enterprise AI applications, C3 AI applications, a portfolio of industry-specific SaaS enterprise AI applications that enable the digital transformation of organizations globally, and C3 Generative AI, a suite of domain-specific generative AI offerings for the enterprise. Learn more at: C3 AI
C3 AI is seeking Forward Deployed Engineers to join the Federal team. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will be engineering full-stack AI-driven web applications on the C3 AI Platform, working directly with U.S. federal customers to design, develop, and deploy production applications, demos, and proofs-of-technology. An ideal candidate possesses strategic and analytical aptitude, software development expertise, and excellent interpersonal skills.
This role requires U.S. citizenship. An active TS/SCI with CI Polygraph or greater is preferred.
Responsibilities
Develop and deploy applications. Engineer full-stack, AI-based enterprise applications on the C3 AI Platform.
Mentor junior team members. Share coding standards and design techniques with less experienced engineers.
Conduct design and code reviews. Review customer software applications for quality, architecture, and best practices.
Test and enhance customer applications. Troubleshoot, test, and improve customer software applications directly and on behalf of customers.
Deliver technical enablement. Lead technical deep-dives, product demonstrations, and customer training sessions.
Write documentation. Produce application specifications, technical documentation, and supporting artifacts.
Identify and mitigate risk. Continuously surface technical risks and gaps; devise mitigation strategies in anticipation of customer needs.
Drive product improvement. Work closely with product management and engineering to improve the overall quality of C3 AI software.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), or a comparable area of study.
2+ years of professional software development experience with object-oriented programming languages.
Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to work effectively on a cross-functional team.
Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to travel as needed.
Preferred qualifications
Current, active U.S. Government security clearance of TS/SCI with CI Polygraph or greater.
Experience with the Federal government, especially DoD.
Graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), or a comparable area of study.
Experience deploying enterprise-scale applications.
Experience working in a customer-facing role.
Software development experience with JavaScript and Python.
Experience with Git or other version control software.
Experience working with JavaScript frameworks such as React, Redux, Vue, Backbone, or Angular.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future company sponsorship.
C3 AI provides excellent benefits, a competitive compensation package and generous equity plan.
Virginia Base Pay Range $120,000 — $158,000 USD
C3 AI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected characteristics, including disabled and veteran status.