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# Forward Deployed Engineer

- **Company:** Prevail Recruiting LLC
- **Location:** Long Beach, CA, United States (Remote available)
- **Salary:** $95,000.0 - $130,000.0
- **Contract:** Internship / Graduate position
- **Skills:** Computer-Aided Design, Abaqus, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Spreadsheets, Femap, Python (Programming Language), Software Engineering, Test Data, TypeScript, Agentic-AI, Build Tools, Virtual Agents, Ansys, Docker
- **Published:** October 27, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.thejobnetwork.com/job/7d9431ca-83d0-4fb9-b283-ca2516713f0c/forward-deployed-engineer

## About the Role

* A strong hardware engineer. A master's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, with new graduates welcome, or a bachelor's degree plus a few years of experience in a demanding hardware environment.
 * Strong engineering fundamentals. Knowledge of structures and dynamics, hands-on FEA experience using Ansys, Abaqus, NX/Simcenter, Femap, or similar tools, and a practical approach grounded in first principles.
 * Hands-on experience. A record of successfully building hardware through professional work, laboratory projects, or competition teams such as rocketry, CubeSat, or Formula SAE. Aerospace or defense internships are a significant plus.
 * Comfort with software development. Regular use of software-driven approaches in hardware workflows, such as Python, TypeScript, Docker, or similar technologies. Familiarity with APIs for mechanical engineering tools.
 * Active interest in AI. Already using AI agents in your work and following advances in agent-enabled engineering and development.
 * Independent ownership. Able to turn incomplete direction into progress, take initiative, and work effectively amid ambiguity and changing priorities.
 * U.S. citizenship required.

## Description

You will be the company's founding mechanical engineer, working directly with the founder., We are looking for a hardware engineer who wants to solve challenging aerospace and defense problems while collaborating with our software team to build tools that improve how engineering gets done. This role combines hands-on hardware work with direct influence over an emerging engineering software platform.

 * Real hardware from the start. Perform structural and dynamics work on flight hardware for paying customers during your first months.
 * Shape the product. Translate the workflows you execute into requirements for the platform's next automation capabilities.
 * Learn directly from the founder. Work side by side on customer programs before independently taking ownership of customer accounts.
 * Grow with the company. Develop from executing engineering work to leading delivery across customers and engineers as the platform grows. Equity is part of the opportunity.

What you'll work on

 * Solve complex mechanical hardware challenges across aerospace and defense, including structures, dynamics, loads, and mechanisms.
 * Develop load cases; create, process, and interpret finite element models; establish engineering margin policies; and resolve critical flight hardware issues for customers.
 * Conduct design reviews, trade studies, and test planning for structures and mechanisms.
 * Turn fragmented inputs-including CAD, finite element analysis results, test data, spreadsheets, and technical conversations-into clear engineering conclusions and automated workflows.
 * Develop scripts and AI agent workflows that automate engineering checks otherwise performed manually.
 * Partner with the software team to translate engineering workflows into platform features and validate them against real engineering work.
 * Manage customer calls, deliverables, and project scope once fully ramped., * Hybrid: remote work combined with regular in-person collaboration with the founder in the Los Angeles area and onsite work at customer facilities, primarily in California.
 * Daily meetings with the founder during the first 30 days, tapering to weekly meetings as you ramp.
 * Full-time employee position.