Mission Engineer II - Grand Rapids
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Key details
Why this role is notable
The work combines embedded public-safety customer engagement with hands-on building of AI, automation, and data solutions on a vendor's own platform, a hybrid of forward-deployed engineering and operational problem-solving that did not exist as a defined job category a few years ago.
Job Description
Join Axon and be a Force for Good.
At Axon, we’re on a mission to Protect Life. We’re explorers, pursuing society’s most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.
Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you’ll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.
Your Impact
This isn't a relationship management role. It's an ownership role. Sharp. Adaptable. Unstoppable. As a Mission Engineer II, you'll work directly alongside public safety agencies to turn real operational challenges into working technical solutions.
You'll spend time with the people doing the work, understand how the agency operates, identify problems worth solving, and use Axon tools, AI, automation, data, and the broader Axon ecosystem to build against them.
Building is the core of the role, but customer needs come first. Because you're embedded with the agency, you'll also become a go-to technical resource who understands their Axon environment and helps them navigate critical needs when they arise. You may help quarterback an upcoming deployment, coordinate a complex technical issue, or connect the right Axon teams around an agency priority.
You won't replace Support, Deployment, Product, or other teams. You'll bring technical continuity, help connect the dots, and use what you learn to identify the next opportunity to build something better. Mission Engineers don't measure success by activity. They measure it by what gets built, what gets used, and what changes because of it.
What You’ll Do
Location: On Site with travel
Reports To: Manager or Senior Manager of Mission Engineering
Discover the Mission
- Embed with assigned agencies to understand their mission, people, workflows, systems, and priorities.
- Develop broad knowledge of the Axon ecosystem and deeper expertise in the products deployed at your agency.
- Work with frontline users, technical teams, and agency leadership to uncover operational friction.
- Translate customer problems into clear technical requirements and measurable success criteria.
- Identify opportunities for AI, automation, data, and Axon capabilities to improve how the agency operates.
- Understand what the customer needs—not simply what they initially ask for.
Build With the Platform
- Build applications, dashboards, workflows, automations, and using Axon products and other approved Axon tools.
- Apply foundational software engineering concepts including APIs, data structures, scripting, testing, debugging, and version control.
- Use AI and AI-assisted development tools responsibly within Axon's approved development and security environment.
- Configure and extend capabilities across Axon's technology ecosystem.
- Understand when you can solve the problem yourself and when deeper Product or Engineering partnership is required.
- Build with Axon—not around it.
Transform Builds Into Outcomes
- Move solutions from discovery into real customer use.
- Test and iterate alongside the people who will actually use what you build.
- Drive adoption and measure results against agreed success criteria.
- Continue improving solutions until they create sustained operational value.
- Document successful solutions so they can be maintained, improved, and reused.
Be the Agency's Go-To Technical Resource
- Maintain a consistent onsite presence and deep understanding of the agency's Axon environment.
- Lean into critical customer needs when your technical context or involvement can materially improve the outcome.
- Help quarterback technical alignment around important deployments without replacing the teams responsible for deployment execution.
- Serve as a liaison when complex technical issues require coordination beyond standard Support.
- Help customers navigate capabilities across products such as Records, Fusus, AI Era, and the broader Axon ecosystem.
- Connect the right resources across Product, Engineering, Support, Deployment, Training, Mission Operations, Mission Success, and Sales.
- Continuously ask: What are we learning, what could work better, and what could we build so this is easier next time?
- Return to the highest-value build opportunities once immediate customer needs are addressed.
Learn in the Field. Improve Axon.
- Capture recurring customer needs, workflow patterns, and technical friction.
- Share successful builds and lessons across Mission Engineering.
- Bring platform limitations and customer insights back to Product and Engineering.
- Identify solutions that could be reused by other MEs and agencies.
What You Bring
Required
- Typically 3–5+ years of experience in solutions engineering, software engineering, systems, technical consulting, implementation engineering, or another hands-on technical role.
- Foundational software engineering capability and demonstrated experience building technical solutions.
- Working knowledge of APIs, scripting/ programming, data, testing, debugging, and modern development practices.
- Understanding of AI concepts and practical applications.
- Strong technical curiosity and ability to rapidly learn emerging platforms and tools.
- Ability to solve ambiguous problems rather than simply execute predefined tasks.
- Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
- Customer-facing mindset and curiosity about how organizations actually operate.
- Ability to obtain and maintain CJIS compliance and satisfy applicable agency background requirements.
- Ability to maintain the onsite presence required by the engagement.
Preferred
- Experience with Python, JavaScript, SQL, REST APIs, cloud platforms, or modern frameworks.
- Experience with AI platforms, workflow automation, low-code development, or data.
- Experience in public safety, defense, military, intelligence, government, or other mission-critical environments.
What Success Looks Like
You can take a meaningful customer problem through:
Discover → Build → Transform
Given Axon's approved toolkit, and a problem worth solving, you can turn it into a working solution and demonstrate whether it created value. And when the agency needs you elsewhere, you lean in without losing the engineering mindset—help solve the immediate need, identify what can be improved, and return to building.
Benefits that Benefit You
- Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
- Discretionary paid time off
- Paid parental leave for all
- Medical, Dental, Vision plans
- Fitness Programs
- Emotional & Mental Wellness support
- Learning & Development programs
Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work
Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long-term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you’re excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Important Notes
The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.
Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.
We collect personal information from applicants to evaluate candidates for employment. You may request access, deletion, or exercise other CCPA rights at axongreenhousesupport@axon.com or via our Axon Privacy Web Form. For more information, please see the Your California Privacy Rights section of our Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice.
Axon’s mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well-being and safety of its employees as well as Axon’s impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.
We are an equal opportunity employer that promotes justice, advances equity, values diversity and fosters inclusion. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering all of our employees so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need that requires assistance or accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please email recruitingops@axon.com. Please note that this email address is for accommodation purposes only. Axon will not respond to inquiries for other purposes.
Phishing alert: Axon will never ask you to pay for any part of the hiring process, including training, equipment, or background checks. We do not make job offers via text message, WhatsApp, or instant messaging platforms without a formal interview process. All legitimate job openings are listed on our official careers page at https://www.axon.com/careers. If you receive a suspicious offer or outreach from an email address that is not @axon.com, or if you are asked for sensitive personal information (bank details, Social Security Number) prematurely, please ignore the message and report it to recruitingops@axon.com.
