Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer

SoftwareOne; North Sydney Council; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

SoftwareOne is seeking a Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer to lead production-grade AI deployments for Australian customers. You will work hands-on from problem discovery through deployment, shaping technical direction and driving innovation at scale.

You will design, build, and deploy agentic AI systems, translate complex challenges into pragmatic solutions, and mentor engineers while delivering measurable business impact in customer environments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years delivering AI systems in production, customer-facing preferred.
• Advanced Python or similar (Rust/Go).
• Hands-on with ML frameworks (PyTorch, Hugging Face).
• Solid AI/ML lifecycle knowledge (training, deployment, monitoring).

Responsibilities

• Lead customer engagements from problem discovery to deployed AI solutions.
• Translate business challenges into scalable agentic AI systems.
• Design, build, and deploy production-grade AI systems.
• Integrate models and agents into customer platforms (cloud or on-prem).
• Architect end-to-end AI systems with monitoring and iteration.
• Operate agent-based systems including tooling and external integrations.
• Communicate technical performance and business value to stakeholders.
• Turn prototypes into robust, scalable solutions with balance of speed and quality.
• Set technical direction and role-model engineering best practices.
• Mentor engineers to raise overall delivery standards.

Skills

Python

Rust/Go

ML frameworks

AI lifecycle

Software engineering

Production ops

Tools

PyTorch

Hugging Face

Job description

Are you passionate about building and deploying production-grade AI systems that solve real-world business problems?

Do you enjoy working directly with customers, turning complex challenges into scalable agentic AI solutions with measurable impact?

Ready to lead hands-on AI delivery in customer environments while shaping technical direction and driving innovation at scale?

As our new Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer, you will lead the delivery of production-grade agentic AI solutions for customers across Australia, working hands-on from problem discovery through deployment and iteration. In this customer-facing role, you will design, build, and deploy scalable AI systems in real-world environments, helping organisations solve complex business challenges and achieve measurable outcomes through innovative AI solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead customer engagements from problem discovery to deployed AI solutions, acting as the senior technical counterpart
• Translate complex business challenges into pragmatic, agentic AI systems (e.g. tool-using, multi-step AI workflows interacting with external systems) operating over text, speech, and/or video data, depending on customer use case
• Design, build, and deploy production-grade AI systems in real customer environments
• Develop and maintain high-quality production code, integrating models and agents into customer platforms (cloud or on‑premises)
• Architect, build, and operate end-to-end AI systems, including monitoring and iteration in production
• Design and operate agent-based systems, including orchestration, tool use, and interaction with external systems
• Validate and communicate both technical performance and business value to customer stakeholders
• Turn prototypes into robust, scalable solutions, balancing speed, quality, and maintainability
• Set technical direction on projects and act as a role model for engineering and AI best practices
• Mentor and support less experienced engineers, raising the overall delivery standard

Job Requirements

Your Competencies

• 5+ years of experience in relevant industry or academic environments with Strong, hands‑on experience delivering AI systems into production, ideally in customer‑facing environments
• Advanced proficiency in Python, or a comparable systems or application language (e.g. Rust, Go, or similar)
• Practical experience with modern ML and AI frameworks (e.g. PyTorch, Hugging Face, or equivalent)
• Solid understanding of AI/ML lifecycles, including training, deployment, monitoring, and iteration
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: data structures, data modelling, and system architecture
• Experience operating or supporting AI systems at scale in production

About you:

• Comfortable leading customer‑facing technical work, including difficult trade-offs and architectural discussions
• Pragmatic, delivery‑focused, and able to operate effectively with incomplete information
• Self‑directed and accountable, with strong prioritisation and execution skills
• Clear communicator who bridges technical depth and business relevance
• Curious and continuously improving, while staying grounded in real‑world delivery

Company description

SoftwareOne and Crayon have come together to form a global, AI-powered software and cloud solutions provider with a bold vision for the future. With a footprint in over 70 countries and a diverse team of 13,000+ professionals, we offer unparalleled opportunities for talent to grow, make an impact, and shape the future of technology. At the heart of our business is our people. We empower our teams to work across borders, innovate fearlessly, and continuously develop their skills through world‑class learning and development programs. Whether you’re passionate about cloud, software, data, AI, or building meaningful client relationships, you’ll find a place to thrive here. Join us and be part of a purpose‑driven culture where your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your career can go global.