Forward Deployed Engineer

Optimizely; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 103,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Optimizely is seeking a customer-focused Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to bridge AI products with enterprise clients. You will design, build, and deploy AI-driven solutions that integrate with Optimizely platforms, enabling customers to harness AI power.

3+ years in customer-facing roles, strong API and data integration skills, and experience with RAG are essential. Responsibilities include leading deployments, developing custom tools, troubleshooting, and enabling customer teams through

Qualifications

• 3+ years in a customer-facing technical role with software deployment and integration.
• Familiarity with RAG concepts and building tools for AI workflows.
• Strong understanding of API interactions and data integrations.
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with customers to design AI-enabled solutions using Optimizely AI (Opal).
• Lead technical deployments and integrate Optimizely products via public APIs.
• Develop custom tools/connectors for AI workflows and RAG use cases.
• Troubleshoot and optimize deployed AI solutions for performance.
• Provide technical training and enablement to customer teams.
• Work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Customer Success.
• Advise on AI deployment best practices and data flows.

Skills

RAG workflows

Prompting proficiency

API & system interaction

Business analysis

Problem-solving

Communication

Customer focus

Adaptability

Programming concepts

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

JavaScript

TypeScript

Python

Vector databases

Embedding services

Job description

We're not here to add to the noise. We're here to cut through it- with AI that actually works for marketers.

From AI-powered content creation to world-class CMS and the industry's most trusted experimentation platform, Optimizely is the tool modern marketers actually want to use. AI-Ready. Set. Go.

10,000+ brands including H&M, PayPal, and Zoom already get it. So do Gartner, Forrester, and IDC, who consistently recognize us as leaders in MarTech.

But here's the thing about building great products: it takes great people. Our 1,600+ Optimizers across 12 global offices are curious, collaborative, and refreshingly human. We don't do corporate speak. We do real conversations, big ideas, and genuinely care for the work we make together.

If you want to be part of a team that's shaping the future of marketing technology — and actually enjoys doing it — you're in the right place.

Find us on Instagram: @optimizely

Introduction

The customer-focused Senior Forward Deployed Engineer will be the technical bridge between Optimizely's innovative AI products and our enterprise customers. They will leverage deep technical expertise and communication skills to design, build, and deploy AI-driven solutions that seamlessly integrate with Optimizely's platforms, enabling customers to harness the power of AI.

Job Responsibilities

• Customer Consultation & Solution Design: Collaborate with customers to understand AI use cases, data needs, and integrations, assisting in translating objectives into technical plans leveraging Optimizely AI (Opal).
• Lead Technical Deployments: Participate in the configuration and deployment of Optimizely AI (Opal), interacting with Optimizely products and customer tech stacks via public APIs.
• Develop Custom Tools & Integrations: Support in the design and build of custom applications or connectors for AI workflows, especially Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), using Optimizely APIs and pre-trained AI models.
• Technical Troubleshooting & Optimization: Perform troubleshooting, debugging, and performance optimization for deployed AI solutions to ensure stability and efficiency.
• Technical Training & Enablement: Support workshops and knowledge transfer for customer teams to effectively use, manage, and extend Optimizely AI (Opal).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate effectively with Optimizely's Product, Engineering, and Customer Success teams to provide feedback and ensure alignment.
• Best Practices & Advocacy: Apply AI deployment best practices, understanding customer needs and aligning with Optimizely's product capabilities.

Knowledge And Experience

Experience: 3+ years in a customer-facing technical role (e.g., Solutions Architect, Implementation Engineer, FDE) with a focus on software deployment and integration.

• Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG): Familiarity with RAG concepts and experience with building tools/applications for RAG workflows (e.g., interacting with vector databases, embedding services, prompt engineering).
• Prompting Proficiency: Good understanding of prompting principles and best practices for optimizing AI model output.
• Programming Proficiency: Programming skills in JavaScript, TypeScript, Python for building integration layers, applications, and automation scripts via APIs.
• API & System Interaction: Proficiency in interacting with external systems via public APIs, including CRUD operations.
• Business Analysis: Experience in analyzing business requirements and translating them into technical solutions.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Customer Focus: Customer-centric mindset, with ability to build rapport and contribute to customer success.
• Adaptability: Ability to quickly adapt to new technologies, product updates, and customer environments

Preferred Skills:

• Data Integration: Proficiency in data integration, transformation (ETL), and data governance techniques for AI solution consumption.
• Optimizely Product Knowledge: Experience with Optimizely products (CMS, CMP, Web Experimentation, Feature Experimentation, ODP).
• AI Deployment Expertise: Familiarity with AI solution deployment and integration in enterprise environments, including understanding data flow and system integration.
• Consulting Experience: Exposure to customer-facing engineering, solutions consulting, or technical pre-sales roles.

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field.

Competencies

Adapting to Change

Championing Customer Needs

Communicating Effectively

Working with Ambiguity

Optimizely is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Optimizely is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.

Total Target Compensation range: $103,000-$175,000

Optimizely considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.