Forward-Deployed Engineer

Forward-Deployed Engineer

What We’re Looking For

Spectral is building generative foundation models that turn user input into structured, editable 3D CAD. The Forward-Deployed Engineer will know the world our models are built for. You might come from a mechanical engineering background or spent years building 3D modeling software at a company like nTop or Onshape, or owned product at a hardware or manufacturing company. You understand CAD, manufacturing, and engineering workflows from real experience. You’ll be the bridge between our research team building new generations of our model, and the customers and partners who need to see what it can actually do for them. This is a fully in-person role at our office in SF.

Responsibilities

Build and own demos, prototypes, and user-facing experiences that showcase Spectral’s model capabilities (SGS-2 and future releases). You’ll translate raw model outputs into something that an engineer or designer will immediately value.

Bring the perspective of a CAD domain expert to research and engineering decisions, whether that’s evaluating output quality against real-world CAD standards, pressure-testing a new feature against how engineers work, or advising on which workflows matter for a given customer segment.

Work directly with design partners and early users in manufacturing, mechanical engineering, and product design, while understanding their bottlenecks from firsthand experience.

Build custom demo flows and datasets tailored to specific prospects, verticals, and use cases.

Build internal tools, scripts, and workflows that improve how the team works with CAD data, model outputs, and user-facing pipelines. You’re comfortable writing code to solve applied, challenging problems.

Own the feedback loop from users back to the research and engineering teams. You’re translating feedback because you understand both what the user is asking for and what’s technically feasible.

Shape the product roadmap by bringing real-world domain expertise to prioritization decisions, and helping the team understand which capabilities matter most and in what order.

Represent Spectral’s product in front of a technical CAD audience and potential customers.

Qualifications

You’re comfortable with a high-ownership environment and adapting quickly to an ambiguous landscape.

Deep familiarity with professional CAD tools (SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, Onshape, Fusion, or similar). You understand parametric modeling, assemblies, drawings, and PDM/PLM workflows from experience.

You can write Python or C++, build tooling, script CAD workflows, and put together a compelling demo.

Strong understanding of engineering and design workflows, including their tools, bottlenecks, and decision-making process when evaluating new software.

Excellent technical and customer-facing communication skills across different audiences. You can talk to a researcher about data representations and to an engineer about tolerances on the same day.

Big Pluses

Computational design/generative design/parametric modeling background.

Experience at companies building for hardware/manufacturing at pace, including Anduril, SpaceX, Hadrian, Saronic, nTop, Onshape, and Luminary Cloud.

Formal background/degree in mechanical engineering, product design, or manufacturing engineering, and competitive GPA from a strong program.

Experience in a technical presales, solutions engineering, or technical services role at a CAD company.

Experience building demo flows and data sets that directly influenced revenue or closed deals.

Familiarity with CAD data formats (STEP, native formats) and the practical challenges of interoperability.

Experience with simulation tools and understanding the broader engineering workflow beyond just modeling.

Exposure to AI/ML products and environments. You know what it’s like to demo a product where the outputs are non-deterministic, and you know how to handle that pressure in front of a customer.

Objectively impressive achievements in any domain. Built something unusual? Won something hard? We want to hear about it.

Benefits and Perks

Competitive compensation and equity

Health insurance with 100% premium covered, and dental insurance

Competitive 401(k) with Company match

Free lunch, dinner, and snacks at the office

Company-expensed commuting to and from the office

How to Apply

Does this position sound like a good fit? Email us at [email protected]. Include this role's title in your subject line and your CV/resume as an attachment. Send along links that best showcase the relevant things you’ve built and done.