Senior Sales Engineer

Location & Eligibility

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Raft () is a leading defense technology company dedicated to empowering the U.S. military and government agencies with cutting‑edge AI/ML and data solutions. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our mission is to transform complex data into actionable insights, enabling mission‑critical decisions on Earth and beyond.

As a Senior Sales Engineer, you will serve as the bridge between our product and sales teams, translating the capabilities of Raft’s products into compelling technical narratives that resonate with defense customers. You will lead dynamic product demonstrations, conduct hands‑on technical discovery sessions, align Raft’s capabilities to customer requirements, and partner closely with engineering to ensure our solutions meet real mission needs.

• Serve as the technical lead on strategic pursuits, translating mission needs into differentiated solutions built on RDP, RAP, and AIMS
• Own the technical narrative across the full sales cycle, from first customer conversation through proof of value, down‑select, and contract award
• Rapidly build and deliver quick, focused demos that extend or build on top of our core products with mission‑specific datasets and scenarios, bringing a customer's specific problem to life in days, not months
• Actively write code across both sides of the house—some days contributing pull requests that ship into the core product, other days writing quick‑turn demo code to stand up a customer‑specific scenario on a tight timeline
• Deliver live demonstrations and proofs of concept that showcase capability in realistic mission scenarios across cloud, edge, and air‑gapped environments
• Craft compelling decks, storyboards, and technical briefings that showcase the unique features and differentiation of Raft’s products to both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Conduct technical discovery sessions tailored to customer pain points, surfacing requirements and shaping opportunities earlier in the acquisition lifecycle
• Serve as the voice of the customer back to Product and Engineering, surfacing capability gaps and emerging mission needs that inform the roadmap
• Engage directly with senior customer stakeholders including program managers and program officers, building technical credibility and long‑term trusted‑advisor relationships
• Represent Raft at industry events, customer site visits, technical exchanges, and industry days, including classified customer engagements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related STEM field
• 3+ years of experience in sales engineering, solutions engineering, software engineering, or similar hands‑on technical roles
• Proven track record of showing the attitude and drive to translate customer requirements into winning technical solutions
• Hands‑on engineering background with the ability to stand up quick demos, write code, integrate APIs, and wire up datasets without waiting on an engineering team
• Experience conducting technical demonstrations customized to customer pain points that clearly demonstrate solution value to DoD and government audiences
• Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills, with the confidence and energy to command a room, engage customers directly, and make complex technology feel tangible
• Strong understanding of data platforms, AI/ML solutions, cloud architectures, and their applications in defense contexts
• Experience collaborating with cross‑functional teams across sales, engineering, and product
• Fast learner, analytical thinker, creative, hands‑on, with a high‑energy, customer‑facing disposition and the drive to be in front of customers
• Willingness to travel up to 30% for client meetings, demos, and industry events

• Military background or experience working directly with DoD organizations
• Experience with battle management systems, data fusion platforms, or AI/ML applications in defense
• Understanding of edge computing and tactical deployment considerations
• Familiarity…