Staff Forward Deployed Engineer, AQNav

About SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors.

We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders.

At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact.

The Opportunity

SandboxAQ's AQNav (Quantum Navigation) team builds global, GPS-independent, navigation solutions from military and commercial aircraft to autonomous submersible platforms. We are the bridge between cutting-edge quantum sensing research and real-world operations, working directly alongside the defense customers and platform integrators at the highest levels to prove that magnetic navigation works where it matters most.

The AQNav team is looking for a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to join our team. This role is central to our efforts to own the technical reality of how AQNav performs in the field and to serve as the primary bridge between operational users and our product, engineering, and research teams.

This role goes well beyond pre-sales support or basic integration. This person will:

• Deploy and validate AQNav on operational platforms, analyzing and translating complex multi-sensor data captured by you in real-world test environments into narratives that prove our performance to expert stakeholders at the most senior levels in the DOD based on tooling and visualizations you crafted
• Drive success in-situ, by using their hands-on software and hardware skills to ensure success in critical test events and demonstrations
• Set the tone for how we communicate with our most important customers, serving as the primary technical partner in business development efforts, presentations, and conferences

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical side of strategic pursuits. Own the technical workstream for high-impact customer pilots and presentations. Design and run experiments that compare AQNav against legacy and alt-PNT solutions. Deliver clear, quantitative customer analyses.
• Build and own field analysis tooling. Develop and maintain Python-based pipelines to ingest, clean, and analyze heterogeneous sensor and navigation logs (including binary formats). Extend internal simulation and replay tools to match real mission profiles. Create repeatable visualization and reporting templates that turn raw data into decisions.
• Translate performance data into stakeholder narratives. Convert logs, bias drifts, error growth, and RMSE metrics into concise, accurate stories for operators, engineers, and senior executives. Contribute materially to technical content for customer briefings, program reviews, and business development presentations.
• Bridge operations and R&D. Turn field observations into well-structured, testable requirements. Partner with product, research, and engineering teams to prioritize issues, design follow-on experiments, and push for clarity around performance metrics, success criteria, and tradeoffs so that teams are aligned on what "right looks like."
• Lead field integration and represent AQNav externally. Guide integration of AQNav with mission computers, flight controllers, and onboard sensors, working closely with platform integrators and OEMs. Travel for on-site tests, integrations, customer meetings, and conferences, representing AQNav as a trusted, authoritative partner.

Essential Skills & Experience

• PNT and navigation fundamentals. Strong understanding of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) principles and modern Alt-PNT approaches. You know how an IMU works, where GNSS can break down, and can explain concepts like drift and latency to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Hands-on aerospace or autonomy experience. 3+ years in aerospace, defense, or autonomous systems with direct hands-on experience integrating and developing hybrid (software and hardware) products and solutions for the DOD.
• Python and data analysis. Strong proficiency in Python for data analysis, signal processing, and visualization. Comfortable parsing binary logs, building quick-turn scripts, and standing up dashboards or notebooks from a laptop in the field.
• Customer-facing communication. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to engineers, program managers, and senior leaders, both internally and externally. Able to build trust quickly by being technical, communicative, transparent, and responsive to customer needs.
• Education and availability. B.S. in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a closely related field (or equivalent practical experience). Willing and able to travel up to 30%, typically scheduled several weeks in advance, for tests, integrations, customer engagements, and conferences.

Highly Desired Skills & Experience

• Advanced degree and deep industry tenure. M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant field specializing in guidance and navigation controls, with 5+ years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry. Strong background in defense or dual-use programs, including working with performance requirements, test plans, and verification approaches, and an ability to communicate comfortably with senior military members and their advisors.
• Advanced Python applied to demanding domains. Significant, current, hands-on experience using Python for scientific or large-scale data analysis and visualization, inspecting time-series and signal processing pipelines, and automated generation of reports and KPIs for technical stakeholders.
• Sensor fusion, estimation, and simulation. Exposure to Kalman filtering or related estimation techniques, with an understanding of how sensors like magnetometers, visual odometry, LiDAR, and barometric altimeters contribute to a navigation stack and how their failures manifest. Experience with simulation or digital twin environments used to validate missions virtually before flight or deployment, with a realistic sense of when simulation is and is not predictive.
• DoD platform integration experience. Experience integrating hardware and software onto DoD or comparable platforms (manned or unmanned aircraft, UxVs, or surface vessels). Familiarity with DoD requirements and standards relevant to SW, navigation, or autonomy (for example, experience in acquisition, test, or certification environments).
• Field credibility and clearance eligibility. Track record of serving as the "go-to" engineer in the field, someone who can debug, analyze, and explain under pressure while keeping cross-functional teams aligned. Already hold, or are eligible to obtain, a U.S. security clearance.

Why Join Us?

We offer competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and opportunities for professional growth.

• Compensation: Competitive base salary, performance-based incentives or bonuses (where applicable), and equity participation.
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents with generous employer premium contributions, retirement savings with company matching, paid parental leave, and inclusive family-building benefits.
• Work-Life Balance: Fully remote, Flexible paid time off, company-wide seasonal breaks, and support for flexible work arrangements that enable sustainable performance.
• Career Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and growth through on-the-job development, cross-functional collaboration, and access to internal learning and development programs.

SandboxAQ Welcomes All

We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and respect, where diverse perspectives are actively sought and valued. Our multidisciplinary environment provides ample opportunity for continuous growth - working alongside humble, empowered, and ambitious colleagues ready to tackle epic challenges.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.

Accommodations: We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles. If you need such an accommodation, please let a member of our Recruiting team know.

Read: Guidance for candidates on using AI Tools in interviews

Compensation Range: $118.4K - $222K

Key skills/competency

• PNT and Navigation
• Aerospace or Autonomy Experience
• Python and Data Analysis
• Customer-facing Communication
• Sensor Fusion and Estimation
• DoD Platform Integration
• Problem-solving under pressure
• Requirement Translation
• Technical Content Creation
• Field Integration