Forward Deployed Engineer

Akeneo; Paris; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Akeneo is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to act as the technical heartbeat of strategic customer engagements. You’ll lead workshops with C-suite stakeholders and write custom integration logic to unlock multi-million deployments.

You’ll combine software engineering depth with strategic consulting, traveling 20–30% to client sites and shaping long-term product directions while delivering real-world impact for enterprise brands.

Qualifications

• Experience in SaaS deployments, ideally in a B2B environment.
• Ability to translate complex client needs into technical designs and roadmaps.
• Proficiency in documenting architectures and integration plans.
• Willingness to travel 20–30% to client sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical workshops with C-suite stakeholders to define outcomes.
• Develop custom glue code and integration logic to unblock deployments.
• Architect bespoke integration patterns and influence product roadmaps.
• Provide hands-on leadership across multiple complex workstreams.

Skills

Technical Architecture

Solution Architecture

Rapid Prototyping

Data Modeling

Full-stack Development

Client Workshops

Leadership

Tools

PHP/Symfony

Node.js

React

Git

CI/CD

Docker

Lucidchart

Miro

Visio

Job description

Akeneo is the leading AI-powered Product Data Platform that helps brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers unify product data and pricing to power better product experiences, smarter decisions, and business growth in an AI-driven commerce world.

We're all about experience - from the best-in-class product we build to the inspiring environment we create for our employees. You'll grow in a dynamic environment where your ideas and expertise will make an impact from day one. Our flexible work model empowers you to thrive, balancing professional success with personal fulfillment. At Akeneo, you’ll be part of a supportive and collaborative team that values open communication, shared successes, and meaningful relationships.

Learn more about our culture and values via our Career page.

Job description

Bridge the gap between vision and reality.

At Akeneo, we don't just build software; we solve the most complex product data orchestration challenges for global enterprises. As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), you are the technical heartbeat of our most strategic customer engagements. You aren't tucked away behind a backlog—you are on the front lines, embedded with clients, and empowered to build the technical bridges that turn high-level strategy into high-performance reality.

This is a unique hybrid role designed for the "Product-Minded Engineer." Part software architect, part strategic consultant, and part rapid-prototyper, you thrive in the "gray area" where standard configurations end and innovation begins. You will lead technical workshops with C-suite stakeholders in the morning, and spend the afternoon writing the custom "glue code" or integration logic that unblocks a multi-million dollar deployment.

Why this role is different:

• Real-World Impact: You won't just ship code to a staging environment; you’ll see your solutions transform how global brands manage and move their data in real-time.

• Architectural Sovereignty: You have the autonomy to design bespoke integration patterns and influence the core product roadmap by acting as the "Voice of the Field" for our R&D teams.

• The Best of Both Worlds: You enjoy the deep technical challenge of a Senior Engineer with the strategic influence and variety of a High-Level Consultant.

If you are a builder who loves high-stakes problem solving, hates the phrase "that’s not possible," and wants to be the technical "North Star" for our most ambitious partners, we want to meet you.

What we look for

Technical Architecture & Integration Mastery

• API & System Interoperability: Deep understanding of RESTful APIs, webhooks, and data flows. Proven experience integrating SaaS platforms with complex client ecosystems (ERPs, PLMs, E-commerce) to ensure seamless, high-performance data synchronization.

• Solution Architecture & Scoping: Ability to perform deep-dive assessments of client environments, gather complex technical requirements, and design scalable architectures that balance business objectives with technical constraints.

• Rapid Prototyping: A "builder" mindset with the ability to rapidly develop functional proof-of-concepts or custom "glue code" to unblock clients while long-term product features are roadmapped.

• Data Architecture & Catalog Design: You don't just move data; you architect it. You will assess a client's "data mess" and design a clean, performant Akeneo catalog structure—leveraging Product Models, Families, and Association Types, etc. —that ensures long-term scalability and seamless synchronization with downstream channels.

Implementation & Consulting Excellence

• SaaS Deployment Track Record: Proven experience configuring and implementing SaaS solutions, ideally in a B2B environment. You have a history of successfully guiding enterprise clients through the full deployment lifecycle.

• Technical Documentation & Diagramming: Proficiency in creating high-quality documentation, solution blueprints, and integration plans (using tools like Lucidchart, Miro, or Visio) to communicate deployment strategies clearly to both clients and internal R&D.

• Product Training & Enablement: Skilled at leading workshops and technical training sessions. You can translate "product speak" into functional knowledge for clients and partners, ensuring they are self-sufficient post-launch.

Strategic Mindset & Leadership

• The "Translator" Ability: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to explain high-level technical logic to non-technical stakeholders (C-Suite) without losing the strategic "why."

• Entrepreneurial Ownership: A "Founder’s Mindset." You are comfortable in the "gray area," taking extreme ownership of high-stakes technical decisions when only 70% of the information is available.

• Strategic Mobility: Ready and willing to be "on the front lines," including traveling to client sites (approx. 20-30%) to lead high-intensity workshops and oversee mission-critical "go-live" moments.

What will set you up for success

• The "Frontline" Professional: Significant years of experience in Software Engineering, Solutions Architecture, or Technical Consulting—specifically within SaaS, PIM, ERP, or E-commerce ecosystems.

• Software Engineering: Proficient in fullstack development (PHP/Symfony, Node, React - or similar). Experience with Git, CI/CD, and Docker is essential.

• Project Leadership: Ability to manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, acting as the "Technical North Star" for the customer.

You don't need to tick every box. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. If you are excited about this opportunity but your experience is slightly different, we still want to hear from you!

Interview process

1. 30-minute screening call with a member of our Talent Acquisition team

2. 45-minute technical project walkthrough with the hiring manager

3. 90-minute behavioural interview with up to 3 members of the product line

4. 90-minute technical interview with two of our Staff Engineers