Forward Deployed Engineer

Thrive Creative Inc; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

AWS certification support

Learning budget

Hybrid or remote work

Job summary

Thrive Creative Inc in Calgary is seeking a senior engineer to own client engagements end-to-end, from scoping through delivery, with minimal oversight.

You'll work on modern web tech (TypeScript, React, Node) and cloud integrations (AWS), communicating progress weekly and guiding a small team when needed. Hybrid or remote with flexible hours, this role rewards ownership and hands-on problem solving.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development with production ownership.
• End-to-end delivery for a client or stakeholder without a project manager.
• Strong modern web stack and real cloud experience (AWS preferred).
• Integration experience with systems you didn't design.
• Daily use of AI coding tools.
• Comfort being the only technical person in the room, and knowing which questions to answer yourself and which need someone else.

Responsibilities

• Run the engagement from day one with minimal brief, interviewing the workstream and forming a plan within week one.
• Make calls on scope, priority and approach; escalate only above engagement level with a recommendation.
• Build it yourself using TypeScript, React, Node, AWS and real integrations.
• Own the unglamorous parts: migrations, legacy auth, critical imports.
• Manage the client directly with weekly updates, demos, estimates and scope conversations.
• Use AI tools effectively without sacrificing code quality.

Skills

5+ years exp

TypeScript

React

Node.js

AWS

Client ownership

AI coding tools

Tools

AWS

Job description

Thrive Creative Inc. | Calgary, Alberta (Hybrid or Remote)

We put you in front of the client and trust you to deliver.

This role comes with no product manager, no spec, and nobody checking in. We're hiring a senior engineer who takes a client engagement and runs it: works out what the business needs, decides what gets built first, builds it, and keeps the client informed. If you need a specialist or a second opinion, you ask. Otherwise, the engagement is yours.

HOW THRIVE WORKS

Thrive Creative is a Calgary-based engineering firm that works as our clients' on‑demand engineering department, embedded in their business. Usage-based billing, no minimums, and clients own everything we build from the moment it's written. Engagements are long‑running relationships, not fixed‑scope projects. You're the client's point person, and when the work needs more hands, you lead engineers from our senior team and 50+ specialist network.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Run the engagement from day one. Start with little or no brief, interview the people doing the work, read the codebase and the spreadsheet everyone depends on, and come back in week one with a plan you'll stand behind.

Make the calls on scope, priority and approach. Escalate only what sits above the engagement, with a recommendation attached.

Build it yourself: TypeScript, React, Node, AWS, real integrations, tested code.

Own the unglamorous parts: migrations, legacy auth, the import that has to be right.

Manage the client directly: weekly updates, demos, estimates, and the hard scope conversations.

Use AI tools well. Faster without getting sloppier.

MUST-HAVES

5+ years of software development with production ownership.

A track record of delivering for a client or stakeholder end to end without a project manager in the loop.

Strong modern web stack and real cloud experience (AWS preferred).

Integration experience with systems you didn't design.

Daily use of AI coding tools.

Comfort being the only technical person in the room, and knowing which questions to answer yourself and which need someone else.

NICE-TO-HAVES

Agency, consulting or solutions engineering experience. Infrastructure-as-code or CI/CD. A second discipline (design, product, data, security). Domain depth in logistics, healthcare, field services or manufacturing.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

Real ownership from week one across very different businesses. Competitive Western Canada senior salary with clear paths up. Hybrid or remote with flexible hours. AWS certification support and a learning budget.