As a Forward-Deployed Engineer at Govini, your daily activities will span technical execution, strategic consulting, and team collaboration. You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end lifecycle of data science and machine learning applications designed specifically for national security challenges.

On any given day, you will lead and mentor teams of data scientists and AI engineers, guiding them from initial project ideation to production-grade deployment. You will organize complex AI/ML workstreams across diverse scientific domains, including Large Language Models, decision science, capability simulation, and forecasting models. This requires establishing and enforcing coding, testing, and deployment standards to ensure the highest level of software excellence.

Collaboration is central to this role. You will work directly with client stakeholders to translate high-level business and mission requirements into detailed technical specifications. Internally, you will partner with Govini's product, core engineering, and sales teams to ensure that bespoke solutions built for specific clients are generalized and successfully integrated back into the core Ark platform. Because of this close client contact, you must be prepared for up to 50% travel to client sites, primarily in defense hubs like Arlington, VA.

To be competitive for the Forward-Deployed Engineer position, candidates must meet strict technical and compliance standards due to the nature of Govini's work with the federal government.

• Must-have skills:

  • U.S. Citizenship (strictly required for federal contracting compliance).
  • Advanced software engineering skills in Python.
  • Practical experience building, developing, and productionizing machine learning systems or LLM-powered applications.
  • Hands-on experience with AWS and cloud infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with Git source control and collaborative software development workflows.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with minimal supervision.

• Nice-to-have skills:

  • Current possession of an active U.S. security clearance, or the ability to obtain one through Govini's sponsorship.
  • Advanced degree (Master's or Doctorate) in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related quantitative field.
  • Experience navigating the fast-paced, ambiguous environment of a startup or entrepreneurial technology company.
  • Experience with advanced generative AI tools and AI-assisted coding practices.

Q: How difficult is the interview process at Govini? A: The process is rated as average to difficult. While the behavioral rounds focus heavily on cultural fit, the technical take-home assessment and the five-round onsite superday require significant preparation, technical depth, and the ability to communicate under pressure.

Q: What is the travel expectation for this role? A: Because this is a forward-deployed position requiring close collaboration with defense clients, you should expect up to 50% travel, primarily to client offices and military installations.

Q: How important is the take-home technical assessment? A: Extremely important. The hiring team uses this assessment to evaluate your practical execution skills. Ensure your submission is fully complete, well-documented, and demonstrates both analytical rigor and clean coding practices.

Q: What does Govini look for during the CTO interview? A: The CTO round is designed to evaluate your system-level thinking, architectural decision-making, and alignment with the company's long-term technical vision. Be prepared to discuss complex technical trade-offs and your passion for national security technology.

To maximize your chances of success during the Govini interview process, keep these practical, insider tips in mind:

• Over-Deliver on the Take-Home: Do not treat the technical assessment as a quick exercise. Focus on producing a complete, production-grade deliverable. Clearly document your assumptions, address data quality issues explicitly, and provide a structured explanation of your model choices.
• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the basics of defense acquisition, military logistics, and supply chain challenges. Showing that you understand the unique constraints of the national security sector will set you apart from other candidates.
• Embrace Ambiguity: Throughout your interviews, especially during the system design and case study rounds, you will be given vague prompts. Do not rush to answer. Ask clarifying questions, establish boundaries, and walk the interviewer through your structured problem-solving framework.
• Prepare Thoughtful Questions: Govini interviewers place a high value on curiosity. Dedicate time to preparing deep, insightful questions about their product architecture, client deployment challenges, and the future of AI in the defense sector.

The Forward-Deployed Engineer role at Govini offers a rare opportunity to apply cutting-edge data science and machine learning directly to some of the nation's most critical security challenges. By joining the team, you will help shape the future of defense acquisition and supply chain resilience, delivering software-driven strategic advantages directly to the United States military.

To succeed in this competitive interview process, focus your preparation on mastering Python and cloud systems, practicing structured frameworks for ambiguous problem solving, and refining your ability to communicate complex ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences. Approach every stage of the process—from the recruiter screen to the final CTO round—with the same level of professionalism, rigor, and mission-driven enthusiasm that Govini delivers to its clients.

The salary data reflects the broad range of opportunities at Govini, spanning from mid-level software and data roles to senior leadership positions. Because the Forward-Deployed Engineer role requires a highly specialized blend of software engineering, data science, and client-facing consulting skills, compensation is highly competitive and scales rapidly with seniority and experience level. For more detailed insights, salary comparisons, and candidate interview reviews, explore the comprehensive resources available on Dataford.