Forward Deployed Engineer - P2P Networking

The posting, as webAI wrote it

Special Notice

This position is NOT contingent upon awarding of a project or needing a funding source. This is full-time employment with webAI.

About Us

At webAI we firmly believe that the future of AI lies in distributed processing at the edge, bringing computation closer to the source of data generation. Our mission is to build a future where local and private is the default, servers and data centers are optional. Where valuable data and intellectual property remain entirely private, enabling the deployment of large-scale AI models directly on standard consumer hardware without compromising the information embedded within those models. We are developing an end-to-end platform that is secure, scalable, and fully under the control of our users, empowering enterprises with AI that understands their unique business.

About The Role

We are looking for Forward Deployed Engineers of various levels (Engineer, Senior, Staff, etc.) to support webAI Public Sector’s initiatives focused on secure, distributed, and resilient AI infrastructure.

Here’s where it’s tricky. We know decentralized systems and distributed systems have a lot of overlap, but they aren’t exactly the same thing. In our opinion decentralized systems have a connotation of trustless environments, and that’s the knowledge we are looking for in this role. Taking it a step further of what would be great to have in this role, is experience developing tech that looks more like IPFS, torrents, etc. than blockchain, but we also know a lot of those concepts overlap too.

Responsibilities

• Work in backend systems languages to design and implement advanced synchronization and networking systems that enable reliable AI operations across heterogeneous environments, from edge devices to cloud isolated government systems, while upholding the highest standards of performance, reliability, and data privacy.
• Architect robust data synchronization frameworks using content addressable storage, Merkle trees, CRDTs
• Lead performance tuning, debugging, and optimization of distributed software under resource constrained and intermittent connectivity conditions.
• Ensure security first design through threat modeling, secure key management, and integration of cryptographic primitives and protocols.
• Collaborate with MLOps, Infrastructure, and Security teams to deploy and integrate AI components in restricted or air gapped systems.
• Contribute to cross functional architectural design discussions and documentation for internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain rigorous testing, observability, and validation practices to ensure system reliability and compliance readiness.
• Other areas touched on may include distributed hash tables, content identifiers, gossip protocols, DAGs, overlay networks, and NAT traversal
• 25-50% travel to other webAI office locations, along with government field and test sites across the country
• Please note: Development will be done in Rus

[…]
d? Certainly, but we know the only way to accomplish that is to not worry so much about the company’s accomplishments or status, but instead put all of that importance on building a world class team and treating them as such. We believe that’s the ultimate formula for success

Benefits

We strive to provide competitive benefits to all employees. The benefits listed in this posting generally apply to U.S.-based employees. For employees hired outside the United States, benefits may vary based on local law, country-specific requirements, and the employment platform or entity through which the employee is hired.

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits package
• Including a high-deductible HSA option with company contribution
• 401k match (US-based only)
• Flexible PTO Policy
• Parental leave for eligible employees
• Continuing education support
• Basic, company-paid life insurance
• Supplemental life insurance
• Company-paid short and long term disability
• Free parking for in-office employees

webAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline. In addition, it is the policy of webAI to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees who have protected disabilities to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances where a particular employee works.