Solutions Engineer at Shift5 in Rosslyn, VA or Remote

Job description

• We are seeking a mission-aligned Solutions Engineer to join our team. This role connects customers with Engineering by turning mission needs into credible solutions, content, and demonstrations from first capture engagements and ensures a smooth transition to execution.
• This role partners with the Shift5 Architect, Sales Account Executives (SAEs), Capture & Partnerships, Programs, Systems Engineering, Mission teams, and Engineering to bring engineering reality and expertise early in the customer capture pipeline.
• We seek a systems thinker with hands-on ability, communication, and customer judgment across discovery, writing, demonstrations, and transition. The role complements, but does not replace, product development or Program execution.
• Within 90 days, establish trusted relationships and a practical operating rhythm across Growth, Programs, Systems Engineering, Mission teams, and Engineering.
• Own solution and demo work with visible status, limitations, risks, dependencies, and recovery paths.
• Produce credible, reusable technical content that improves customer discussions and reduces downstream rework.
• Give Program and Engineering owners clear context on customer technical direction and intent as handing off from proposal team 🡪 Execution team.

Responsibilities

• Initial discovery. Participate in early customer discussions to define mission problems, operational threads, desired data-driven outcomes, and key constraints.
• Preliminary solution framing. Develop system context and preliminary architecture; identify interfaces, data flows, and top-level capability needs; and begin documenting assumptions, constraints, government-furnished equipment (GFE), risks, and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) considerations. As opportunities mature, transition this context and supporting artifacts to the responsible Program and Engineering teams.
• Proposal Support. Create accurate proposal sections, capability statements, white papers, diagrams, customer follow-up materials, and preliminary estimates of technical scope and tasking.
• Technology Demonstrations. Design, configure, sustain, document, and troubleshoot reusable physical and virtual demonstration environments.
• Customer and event support. Deliver technical demonstrations and support customer meetings, workshops, site visits, partner engagements, trade shows, and booth coverage. Capture open technical questions and coordinate follow-up with the Account Executives.
• Technical validation and transition. For qualified opportunities, work with Engineering and Programs to validate feasibility, manage technical commitments, and enable a clean transition into execution. Remain engaged through the planning stage and consult thereafter as needed to preserve customer and mission context.
• Reusable solution assets. Own and maintain modular proposal content, demonstration environments, customer win vignettes, and briefing packages for rapid reuse across the Account Executive team.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in solutions, systems, integration, field, mission, or customer-facing engineering in a complex hardware/software environment.
• Ability to translate ambiguous mission needs into system context, preliminary architecture, interfaces, assumptions, risks, and actionable technical questions.
• Strong technical writing, visual communication, and presentation skills tailored to customers, operators, executives, evaluators, and engineers.
• Hands-on aptitude with integrated systems and disciplined troubleshooting; Linux, networking, APIs, embedded systems, operational technology, data flows, or platform-interface experience is preferred.
• Sound customer judgment: distinguish validated capability from assumptions, protect commitment boundaries, and escalate uncertainty early.
• Ability to manage dynamic priorities, collaborate without formal authority, travel for customer and event needs.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, a related field, or equivalent experience. Defense, aerospace, rail, mission operations, proposal, systems engineering
• Active Secret clearance.
• Expected travel: 20–35%.

Skills

Required

• Communication
• Customer judgment
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Linux
• Networking
• APIs
• Embedded systems
• Operational technology
• Data flows
• Platform-interface

Benefits

• Base Salary: $135,000 - $170,000
• Bonus program and equity in a fast-growing startup
• Competitive salary and stock options in a fast-growing startup
• Employer-paid medical, dental and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions
• Life Insurance
• Uncapped paid time off policy
• Flexible work & remote work policy
• Tax-deferred public transit benefits with Metro SmartBenefits (DC/MD/VA)