Forward Deployed Engineer

About Rivet
Rivet is an American company building integrated task systems — fusing hardened hardware with software, sensors, AI, and networking — for industrial workforces and defense personnel. We create capabilities that multiply the effectiveness of every individual and withstand the world’s toughest environments.
We serve the people who build, operate, maintain, and defend our way of life. From technicians and engineers to first responders and service members, they embody the hard work, ingenuity, and meritocratic values that drive Western prosperity. Yet too often they are forced to rely on outdated tools that fail under modern pressures. Rivet exists to reset that priority.
At Rivet, you’ll join a mission-driven team that fuses disciplines to deliver decisive outcomes where they matter most. Whether shaping our technology, strengthening our partnerships, or building our culture, every role here contributes to equipping the front lines with the modern systems they deserve.
Work Authorization Requirement: Due to the nature of our business and compliance with federal regulations, all candidates must be a "U.S. Person". Upon hire, you will be required to provide documentation verifying your status as a U.S. Citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or a protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Role: Forward Deployed Engineer

Location: San Jose, CA

Compensation*: $165,000 - $220,000/year + benefits

Role Description

The Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) at Rivet leads the development and deployment of customer systems. Embedded with end users, the FDE creates value where hardware, application software, enterprise architectures, and data integrations meet. This is where functional fielded performance is made real, delivery conditions are urgent, and ambiguity requires rapid, high judgement decisions.

As an FDE, you will work directly with customers to quickly understand their most significant problems. You will design and implement high-impact, mission-critical systems for frontline operators and their organizations.

Success in this role requires a commitment to meet customer-specific benchmarks and standards while introducing breakthrough capabilities. At Rivet, you will put state-of-the-art frontline technologies in the hands of people doing the world’s toughest jobs.

Responsibilities

• Develop, debug, document, and deploy high impact solutions for frontline personnel

• Iterate with customer stakeholders to achieve outcomes shaped by today’s practical technology constraints while anticipating new roadmap innovations

• Be a trusted customer advocate and voice for Rivet’s core engineering priorities

• Drive our roadmap from the point of need – conceive new system enhancements, products, and offerings through real-world learning

Role Requirements

• 3+ years developing complex integrated technology solutions onsite in close collaboration with customers

• Experience with software development lifecycle (SDLC) and implementation, Android-based system configuration, and DevOps tooling

• Professional experience with frontline teams, assets, hardware, software, and/or operations

• Background of collaborative work in startup environments, new product development, and/or advanced projects

• We are building sophisticated, controlled systems with hardware and software; you will be embedded with the team in office or at the customer point of need; ability to travel 35-50%

• This position requires U.S. citizenship due to contract obligations; active US Security Clearance or the ability to be cleared

EOE