Senior Forward Deployed Engineer - U.S. Government (Remote AI Evaluation Contract)

Welcome to Jobtacular! We connect top-tier domain practitioners directly with frontier AI labs. We are on the hunt for a sharp, detail-oriented Senior Forward Deployed Engineer - U.S. Government (Remote AI Evaluation Contract) ($300,000 - $500,000/year) to assist with benchmarking and human evaluation. If you have deep experience in Agentic AI & LLM Systems Engineering, Python & Production Software Engineering, ML Infrastructure & Model Evaluation, Technical Leadership & Forward Deployment, this flexible engagement gives you the freedom to set your own hours while earning top-market hourly rates.

The Role & What You'll Tackle

Job Title:

Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, U.S. Government

Job Type:

Full-time

Location

: Greater Washington DC area (onsite requirement 3-4x per week)

The Role

We’re hiring a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to lead the development and deployment of applied AI systems across research and production. This role spans model experimentation, infrastructure, and deployment in high-assurance, mission-critical environments, including forward-deployed work with strategic U.S. Government partners.

You’ll own complex technical initiatives, drive architectural decisions, and translate mission requirements into reliable, production-ready AI systems while providing technical leadership and ensuring mission success.

What You’ll Work On

1. Lead the design and deployment of agentic AI systems supporting high-impact U.S. Government missions, from prototype to production.
2. Architect and integrate LLM applications, including multi-agent systems, tool-using agents, RAG workflows, and human-in-the-loop autonomy.
3. Serve as a senior technical partner to government stakeholders, translating mission needs into scalable, reliable systems.
4. Lead the development of large-scale data curation and evaluation pipelines for model training and improvement.
5. Design and scale infrastructure for model inference, experimentation, evaluation, and deployment across frontier AI platforms.
6. Build AI systems that turn mission data, models, and tools into real operational autonomy.
7. Own the full technical lifecycle, including architecture, implementation, deployment, reliability, security, and iteration.
8. Drive technical decisions, resolve complex engineering challenges, and provide mentorship and guidance to other engineers.

What We're Looking For

1. Extensive professional software engineering experience, with a proven track record of owning and delivering complex, production-grade systems.
2. Advanced Python engineering skills with demonstrated end-to-end technical ownership.
3. Strong hands-on experience developing and deploying LLM applications and agentic AI systems.
4. Experience designing and scaling data pipelines, ML infrastructure, and model evaluation systems.
5. Familiarity with RL workflows, simulation environments, or model experimentation.
6. Demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives, make architectural decisions, and mentor engineers.
7. Ability to operate independently in ambiguous, partner-facing environments with strong technical and operational accountability.
8. Comfortable working in high-security, high-reliability, and mission-critical environments.

Your Background & Core Strengths

1. Active U.S. security clearance or eligibility and willingness to obtain one.
2. Experience supporting U.S. Government, defense, intelligence, or national security missions.
3. Prior experience at a startup, defense organization, Department of War, or government-focused technology company.
4. Experience leading technical initiatives and working directly with government stakeholders.
5. Background operating in fast-moving startup environments, mission-critical government settings, or both.

Compensation & Benefits Notice

The national pay range for this full-time position is base salary of $200,000 –$250,000. All employees are eligible for equity compensation, and employees may also receive performance-based bonuses, dependent on role and subject to company policies. the partner network provides a comprehensive benefits package, including up to 100% reimbursement for health-insurance premiums, paid time off, a 401(K) plan with a company match, and additional benefits designed to support a high-performing, remote-first workforce.

The hiring organization is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, reach out to support@the partner network.ai.

Our hiring process utilizes artificial intelligence tools to assist in candidate screening and assessment. Our AI tools are designed to complement, not replace, human decision-making.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this job posting, including but not limited to role responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and benefits, is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a binding offer of employment. The client reserves the right to amend, modify, or withdraw any portion of this posting at its sole discretion and without prior notice. All employment decisions are made in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Rate, Schedule & Why You'll Love It

This contract position is offered at $300,000 - $500,000/year with immediate onboarding upon approval. Work 100% remotely from the United States, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland. Candidates are evaluated on verified subject matter mastery. Select Apply Now below to access the official candidate assessment portal directly.