This listing pays about $135,000 a year. Across 123 open forward deployed engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $165,000 to $238,000 and the median is $200,000. That is 32% below the median, below the middle half of those listings.

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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.

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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 early professional Forward Deployed Engineers to join the Federal team. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will design, develop, and deploy AI-based enterprise applications at scale on the C3 Agentic AI Platform, working directly with U.S. federal customers through hands-on engagements, including demonstrations, proofs-of-technology, trials, and production applications. This is a full-stack software engineering role with direct customer exposure.

This role is open to candidates graduating in December 2026 or Summer/Fall 2027.

This role requires U.S. citizenship. Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance is required; an active clearance is preferred.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain performant and scalable applications on the C3 Agentic AI Platform.

Build and improve tools that help users understand and analyze large-scale data.

Perform debugging, troubleshooting, modifications, and unit testing of customer applications and solutions.

Assess technical risks and formulate mitigation strategies.

Develop specifications, technical documentation, and user support guides.

Support technical demonstrations, proofs-of-technology, and customer training sessions alongside senior engineers.

Qualifications

Pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Experience with Python, JavaScript, Java, or other object-oriented programming languages.

Hands-on experience with data structures, algorithms, cloud computing, relational or NoSQL databases, and profiling & optimization.

Familiarity with agentic AI architectures, prompt engineering, or the fundamentals of LLM tool calling and function execution.

Analytical and problem-solving mindset, with a passion for solving complex engineering problems in collaboration with a team.

Ability to operate with high autonomy in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Strong verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively and scale your impact across teams.

Thrives in a fun, friendly, and intellectually stimulating team culture.

Ability to travel as needed.

Preferred qualifications

Current, active U.S. Government security clearance (TS/SCI with CI Polygraph or greater).

Experience with the Federal government, especially DoD.

Experience with JavaScript frameworks such as React, Redux, Vue, Backbone, or Angular.

Experience with Git or other version control software.

Prior internship or project experience deploying applications at scale.

Experience using modern developer AI workflows (e.g., Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code) and understanding how they interact with underlying execution environments.

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 — $150,000 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.