Forward Deployed Engineer (Physical AI)

Location: On-site in Normal, Illinois, United States

Company

hirify.global develops generalized physical AI and robotic systems for dexterous, adaptive work in real-world industrial environments.

What you will do

• Provision new hardware by installing and configuring Linux, deploying the software stack, and validating device health.
• Run diagnostic scripts, analyze system logs, and use command-line workflows to identify device and network issues.
• Configure and troubleshoot IP, DHCP, DNS, VLAN, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity.
• Support critical robot data collection devices and transition into robot deployment support.
• Act as the primary onsite technical contact, coordinating with HQ engineering and support to resolve issues and feed field learnings into the product roadmap.

Requirements

• Hands-on hardware and software troubleshooting experience with microcomputers, embedded devices, cameras, or similar systems.
• Linux system administration skills, including distributions, package management, systemd services, file permissions, and shell navigation.
• Working knowledge of Bash and ideally Python for diagnostic scripts and routine automation.
• Networking fundamentals covering TCP/IP, subnets, DNS, DHCP, firewall rules, and tools such as ping, traceroute, tcpdump, and ssh.
• Strong customer-facing communication skills and the ability to work independently onsite while coordinating with a remote HQ team.

Nice to have

• Field service, forward-deployed, or solutions engineering experience.
• Familiarity with Docker, Ansible, Portainer, Git, remote device management, computer vision systems, IP cameras, or industrial IoT deployments.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on work with physical AI and robotic systems in industrial environments.
• Close support from the HQ engineering team through direct escalation and collaboration.
• Opportunity to bring customer feedback and field learnings into product development.
• Full-time onsite work at a key customer location.