Forward Deployed Engineer
At a glance
Mid-level Software Engineering role at Istari Digital. Dayton · full-time · $143,000–$165,000 base.
techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Join customer engineering teams to map their workflows, data setup and technical limits
- Build integrations between Istari’s platform and engineering toolchains such as CAD, CFD and FEM
- Write, test and maintain reusable software for customer workflows, using sound engineering practices
- Turn deployment experience into product feedback and contribute to architecture reviews and roadmap planning
- Share technical approaches for prospective customer work and create internal tools and documentation
What you bring
- You write production-ready software and can explain the architectural choices behind it
- You have hands-on experience with CAD, CFD, FEM or comparable simulation and modeling environments
- You can work through uncertainty and shifting problems with limited direction
- You are a U.S. citizen and eligible for a security clearance
Who this fits
This suits a hands-on engineer who wants to build and integrate software directly with customer teams while keeping a technical focus. The role is based onsite in Dayton and involves working in U.S. aerospace or defense customer settings. Active clearance is a strong advantage.
From the employer
The Role
Istari's software doesn't just get handed off, it gets deployed into some of the most complex engineering environments in aerospace and defense. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you'll be embedded directly inside our customer organizations, operating as part of their team while remaining tightly connected to Istari's product and engineering core.
This is not a support role. You are a builder. You'll write real code, architect integrations, and solve hard problems that emerge at the intersection of digital engineering workflows and mission-critical operations. The challenges you'll tackle require the instincts of a strong software engineer and the adaptability of someone who thrives in unstructured environments. Challenges like connecting CAD, CFD, FEM pipelines to Istari's platform; unlocking cross-discipline and cross-clearance collaboration; enabling organizations to actually use the tools in which they've invested.
You'll work alongside Istari Program Managers who are embedded in the same customer environments. They carry the program context and stakeholder relationships while you own the technical execution. Together, you operate as a unit capable of handling almost anything a customer throws at you. The best Forward Deployed Engineers make our product smarter, not just our customers happier.
What You'll Do
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Embed with customer engineering teams to understand their workflows, data environments, and technical constraints
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Architect and build software solutions that integrate Istari's platform into existing digital engineering ecosystems (CAD, CFD, FEM, simulation pipelines, and related toolchains)
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Serve as the primary technical interface for the customer – not just answering questions, but proactively identifying where our software can drive more value
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Develop, test, and maintain integrations and workflow solutions following modern software engineering practices
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Write clean, maintainable code that can be productized or reused across customer deployments
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Contribute to internal tooling and documentation that scales your knowledge across the team
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Translate field experience into actionable product insights — you are one of Istari's clearest signals on what customers actually need
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Participate in internal engineering reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning
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Help develop proposals and technical approaches for new customer opportunities
Onsite Technical Delivery
Software Development
Feedback Loop to Product
Qualifications
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Strong software engineering fundamentals — you write production-quality code and can defend your architectural decisions
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Hands-on experience with digital engineering toolchains: CAD, CFD, FEM, or related simulation and modeling environments
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Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments without a lot of hand-holding
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Ability to work on-site with customers in a U.S. defense or aerospace context (clearance eligibility required; active clearance a strong plus)
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U.S. citizenship required
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Experience integrating engineering software into larger data or workflow platforms
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Background in aerospace, defense, or other systems-engineering-heavy industries
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Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) or digital thread / digital twin concepts
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Exposure to or direct experience with advanced CAD, CFD, or FEM tools
Required
Preferred
Why This Role
The engineers who do this job well become some of the most technically well-rounded people in the industry. You'll see how large, complex organizations actually work — not just the happy path. You'll build things that get used immediately. And because you're reporting into Istari's Customer Success org (not a sales or account team), your career trajectory stays technical. You'll also have the Istari team behind you: regular syncs, access to internal engineering resources, and a clear path to influence the product you're deploying.
About Istari Digital
Istari is a digital engineering software company building open, scalable infrastructure for engineering data. Our platform lets customers simply and securely integrate engineering models across disciplines, organizations, and security levels — whether they're designing prototypes, performing virtual testing, or training AI and autonomy for complex systems.
Focus is rewarded. Finish is remembered.
Facts are friendly. Even when they are not fun.
Fellowship is fundamental. Make others successful.
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