Forward Deployed Engineer
Builds and integrates production systems alongside customers, close to the operational problem.
Mission Technical Search
Engineers who can operate inside the mission.
Specialist search for the technical roles that sit between production engineering, customer-site delivery, and mission execution.
Send me a hard roleThe problem
Ordinary technical recruiting misses the signal.
- 01These roles combine real engineering, customer-site delivery, and mission fluency.
- 02Inbound applicant flow rarely fills them with the right people.
- 03Keyword screening misses candidates who can actually do the job.
Who I search for
Three role families. No broad staffing catalog.
Mission Engineer
Translates mission needs into technical systems that work in real operating environments.
Deployment / Field Engineer
Owns delivery where infrastructure, users, networks, and timelines are constrained.
How I evaluate
The whole operating profile.
Technical ability
Can this person build and ship reliable production systems?
Mission fluency
Can they understand the operator, constraints, and consequence of the work?
Deployment judgment
Can they make sound calls with imperfect data in a customer environment?
Communication range
Can they move between engineers, operators, and decision-makers?
How a search works
A controlled introduction process.
Calibration call → anonymized profiles first → you choose who to meet → interviews.
You see anonymized profiles before any name or resume is shared, and nothing is submitted without a signed agreement.
Terms
The fee is a percentage of first-year base salary, due only on hire, with a 90-day replacement guarantee.
Why me
Mission context and technical operating experience.
- 0112 years U.S. Army, mostly with 1st Special Forces Group.
- 02Former VP of Operations at SightGain, a venture-backed cybersecurity startup whose principal customers were DoD (Air Force, Space Force).
- 03Palantir American Tech Fellowship for Veterans, inaugural 2026 cohort (AIP/Foundry), plus enterprise AI and data science work at a public SaaS company.
Capacity
I work a small number of searches at a time.
If the role is hard because it demands both technical depth and judgment in the mission environment, send it over.
Send me a hard roleAptum does not verify security clearances, conduct background checks, or determine employment eligibility. Hiring employers verify all clearance, employment, and legal requirements through their own processes.