> AI agents: this is one page of Nextmove’s FDE site, in Markdown. Nextmove is a job board and free career service for forward deployed engineers (FDEs). Each posting is classified from its text, not its title: the kind of work, how much of it is production code, pre-sales weight, time at customer sites, travel, remote arrangement, level and posted base pay. The site also publishes the aggregates: median pay by level, metro, company and kind of work, and which companies started hiring FDEs each week. Every page under https://nextmove.md/fde is served this way; the index of pages is https://nextmove.md/llms.txt. # Application Software Engineer Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/14809e80210a38c9 Sift posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in San Francisco, CA and 1 more, at $125,000–$175,000 base, level with the mid-level FDE median of $149,000 across 106 postings with pay. Application Software Engineer serving as the technical bridge between Sift’s telemetry platform and customers building aerospace, autonomous, renewable-energy, and other advanced engineering systems. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026. - [Sift](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/sift) Posted Jul 29, 2026 by Sift · open on Ashby as of Nov 8, 2026 **$125,000–$175,000** + equity San Francisco, CA +1 Hybrid Full-time Application Software Engineer serving as the technical bridge between Sift’s telemetry platform and customers building aerospace, autonomous, renewable-energy, and other advanced engineering systems. - [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F14809e80210a38c9&placement=top) - [View posting at Sift](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/siftstack/be082df3-225c-4269-a159-bdb362b21c8e/application) Free. Upload your resume once, see why each FDE role fits, and get introduced only when you say so. ## At a glance ### Posted base pay $125K–$175K Level with the median Midpoint $150K · median $149K This job $125K to $175K. Mid-level FDE postings, 106 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $123K to $162K, median $149K. ### The work Builds what the customer runs Balance **Mostly building** Project stages 1. Pre-sales (not covered) 2. Proof of concept (not covered) 3. Implementation 4. Operations Travel **Up to 15%** - **Coding**: Writes production code - **Builds for**: External customers - **Level**: Mid - **Role**: Individual contributor ### What they ask for Experience - **2+ years** software engineering or data engineering Background - **Software engineering** - **Implementation and data engineering** ### Do you meet what the posting states? The posting asks for 2+ years. How many do you have? The posting reads as a mid-level role. What level are you at now? The job is in San Francisco, CA · Los Angeles, CA. Could you work in one of these? Which of these have you used in production? Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent. [What postings ask for, by background →](https://nextmove.md/fde/paths) ## Conditions - **Location**: San Francisco, CA · Los Angeles, CA - **Work arrangement**: Hybrid - **Employment type**: Full-time - **Travel**: Up to 15% - **Pay**: ## More like this [Sift](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/sift) ### [Application Software Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/5c5e0dbb4cb61e39) Marina Del Rey, CA · San Francisco, CA Hybrid 7mo ago $125,000–$175,000 [Giga](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/giga) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer I/II](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/a8c1bc68a76e5ecc) San Francisco, CA On-site 4mo ago $100,000–$190,000 [Palantir](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/palantir) ### [Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer, Internship - US Government](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/5cd7717124410282) Palo Alto, CA On-site 4mo ago $120,000 - [Other jobs at Sift (3)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/sift) ## The job description from Sift Posted by Sift on Jul 29, 2026 ### About Sift Sift is the data infrastructure platform for hardware engineering teams. Sift turns high-frequency telemetry into engineering insights for mission-critical systems. Teams use Sift to build and operate rockets, satellites, autonomous vehicles, energy systems, defense platforms, and more. Founded by former SpaceX engineers who built the tools behind Dragon and Starlink, Sift is building the data infrastructure to herald the AI era for physical systems. ### About the Role Application Software Engineers bridge the gap between Sift’s cutting-edge telemetry platform and our customers’ complex engineering challenges. In this role, you’ll work directly with customer teams to adapt Sift’s capabilities to their needs, build custom solutions, and foster deep partnerships. You’ll collaborate with product and engineering teams to translate customer requirements into actionable insights, ensuring our platform evolves to meet real-world demands. We’re looking for an engineer who thrives in dynamic, customer-facing environments and is passionate about industries like aerospace, autonomous systems, and renewable energy. This is a rare opportunity to join an early-stage startup and directly impact the success of next-generation machines. You will report to the team's Lead and play a critical role in delivering value to our customers. ### In This Role, You’ll - Partner with customers to understand their technical challenges and adapt Sift’s platform to meet their specific needs. - Develop custom solutions and integrations using Sift APIs to solve customer problems. - Translate customer requirements into actionable feedback for product and engineering teams. - Create and maintain integrations with common engineering tools to enhance customer workflows. - Prepare materials and assist in technical onboarding and training sessions for customer teams. - Build strong, trust-based relationships with customers, acting as a technical partner and advocate. ### The Skillset You’ll Bring - 2+ years of experience in software engineering or data engineering. - Proficiency in Python and familiarity with REST APIs. - Basic understanding of data analysis and visualization techniques. - Strong problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail. - Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences. - Passion for aerospace, autonomous systems, or advanced engineering applications. - Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced startup environment. - Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, math, physics, or a STEM discipline. ### Bonus Points - Experience in any of the following: - Aerospace systems, satellite operations, or autonomous vehicle development. - Data streaming technologies or time-series databases (e.g., Kafka, InfluxDB). - SQL and database concepts. - Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure). - Software integration challenges in complex systems. - Machine learning or AI applications in engineering. - Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply new technologies. ### What We’re Looking For - Someone with a customer-first mindset who’s excited to solve real-world engineering problems in the field. - An engineer who thrives in ambiguity and can adapt quickly to evolving customer needs. - A collaborative team player who can work effectively with customers, engineers, and go-to-market teams to drive impact. ### Location & Travel - This role is located in **San Francisco, CA**. We collaborate **in person** four times a week—**Monday through Thursday**—and come together for a full week every quarter at our HQ in LA. We are open to **relocating candidates to LA** orour ** San Francisco** office. - Ability to travel 10-15% required. Varies by location and customer needs. Sift headquarters is located in Los Angeles (Marina del Rey), and we work in a hybrid environment. We work closely with hardware companies building everything from autonomous vehicles to spacecraft, and it's essential to be nearby for site visits and collaboration. Salary range: $125,000 - $175,000 per year. Plus equity and benefits. ### Eligibility **US Person Required**: Must be a **U.S. Citizen or Green Card Holder** due to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) / EAR (Export Administration Regulations) compliance requirements. [View posting at Sift](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/siftstack/be082df3-225c-4269-a159-bdb362b21c8e/application) ## About Sift Real-time observability platform that ingests, stores, and visualizes high-frequency hardware telemetry for aerospace, defense, robotics, and energy engineering teams. Series B · 50–100 people ## Similar jobs [Blue Matter](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/blue-matter) ### [AI Engineer / Senior AI Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/3b3fb597face2eac) South San Francisco, CA 2w ago $120,000–$170,000 [First Resonance](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/first-resonance) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer, Data](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/87a14bba45a0bd5d) Los Angeles, CA On-site 5w ago $150,000–$190,000 [Deepgram](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/deepgram) ### [Forward-Deployed Engineer (FDE), Strategic Accounts](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/15bda554e4bf3180) San Francisco, CA · New York, NY On-site 2mo ago $155,000–$193,000 [PhysicsX](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/physicsx) ### [Machine Learning Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/57f18e0ae9d2cebe) San Francisco, CA Hybrid 5mo ago $150,000–$190,000 [11x](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/11x) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer [REMOTE - US]](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/ae299b4675bb88c5) San Francisco, CA · US remote Remote 7w ago $180,000–$200,000 - [Compare mid FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/mid-level) - [Similar jobs in SF Bay Area](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?region=sf-bay-area) - [Similar jobs that build what the customer runs](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?role=builds-for-customers) Hiring at Sift and want this page changed or removed? 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