Forward Deployed Engineer

About Ditto:

Ditto is redefining how data moves at the edge. Our mission is to make it seamless for developers to build resilient, real-time applications, regardless of network conditions. Whether you're in a stadium, airplane, or remote military base, Ditto's peer-to-peer sync engine ensures devices stay connected and data stays consistent, even without internet. With more than $145 million in funding and trusted by organizations like Chick-fil-A, Delta Airlines, and the U.S. military, Ditto powers mission-critical experiences across aviation, retail, travel, hospitality, defense, and more. As a globally distributed, fast-growing startup, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the wide range of perspectives needed to solve the world’s hardest connectivity problems.

At Ditto, we build technology that powers secure, real-time communication in the most demanding operational environments. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you’ll be on the front lines — bringing Ditto’s technology directly to military and federal users, ensuring mission success through deep technical expertise, hands-on integration, and field support.

This is a high-impact, customer-facing engineering role for someone who thrives in tactical environments and loves solving hard problems in real time.

What You’Ll Be Up To…

• Partner with Account Executives and leadership to bring deep technical expertise into strategic conversations.
• Conduct on-site demos and proof-of-concepts at military installations and operational locations.
• Lead the technical portions of customer meetings, exercises, and evaluations, clearly articulating Ditto’s value to mission stakeholders.
• Transition into a delivery role post-sale, ensuring smooth deployments and successful mission outcomes.
• Design and implement custom integrations with tactical systems to fit unique operational needs.
• Support field testing, operational evaluations, and real-world exercises to validate and optimize performance.

What Helps You Thrive…

• 8+ years of technical engineering experience within DoD and/or Federal environments.
• Hands-on expertise with tactical networking and distributed systems in operational contexts.
• Direct experience working with the ATAK/TAK ecosystem and developing or integrating plugins.
• Strong software engineering skills — must be able to write code and build solutions (this is a core requirement, not a “nice to have”).
• Familiarity with tactical radios (Silvus, Persistent Systems, L3Harris, etc.) and associated communications stacks.
• Willingness and ability to travel 60–70% for on-site customer engagements, exercises, and field support.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, tailored for military and federal audiences.
• Ability to obtain a Secret clearance at minimum.

Great-To-Haves…

• Active Secret or TS clearance.
• Prior military service or experience working for a defense contractor.
• Familiarity with mesh networking protocols or waveforms such as AODV, OLSR, or BATMAN.
• Location: Flexible within the U.S. (proximity to key DoD installations a plus)
• Clearance: Ability to obtain a Secret clearance minimum; Active Secret/TS preferred
• Citizenship: Due to federal contract requirements, U.S. citizenship is required for this role.

Base Salary Range$130,000—$210,000 USD

Pay Transparency At Ditto

Ditto uses a location-based compensation model. This means pay ranges for the same role may vary depending on where you live, based on cost of living and market data.The ranges you see on our job postings represent the full span of target compensation across all markets where we hire. Within that range, actual offers are determined by a candidate’s skills and experience. This ensures we remain competitive with local markets while also maintaining internal consistency and fairness in real spending power across locations. 

The Benefits Of Building With Us

We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We believe everyone on the team should have a stake in what we’re building. Benefits vary by region to make sure you're covered in the ways that matter most. In the US, that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, plus a 401(k) and flexible spending accounts. In the UK, we offer private healthcare through Vitality, a pension plan, and region-specific coverage. For our team members elsewhere in the world, we work with our global employer platform to offer equitable benefits and coverage. 

Regardless of where you live, everyone at Ditto can utilize flexible time off. And while we work remotely, our Atlanta and San Francisco offices are open if you ever want a place to work or meet up with teammates.

Apply Anyway

At Ditto, we know game-changers don’t always come wrapped in a “perfect” resume. Years of experience? Every single bullet point checked? Meh. That’s not what drives us.

What Does Matter?

• Grit.
• Curiosity.
• Adaptability.
• And a genuine spark for what we’re building.

So if you’re fired up about our mission but not sure you tick every box - hit that apply button anyway. Use your application to show us how you’ll make an impact here.

We’re always on the lookout for exceptional humans who want to grow, stretch, and build something meaningful with us.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ditto is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Ditto is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let us know.

Ditto Recruiting Privacy Notice