Forward Deployed Engineer

Benmore Technologies | AI Transformation and Software Development Services; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Downtown Chicago office

Benefits included

Job summary

Benmore Technologies is a software development and AI transformation firm based in downtown Chicago. We hire engineers who own real client work and deliver modern software alongside AI components.

The role of Forward-Deployed Engineer sits between client and build teams, driving discovery, architecture decisions, and hands-on coding on critical paths. We value strong communication, fast delivery, and ownership in a dynamic, growth-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Shipping production web or mobile software on modern stacks.
• Strong full-stack capability with Django and PostgreSQL.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure and CI/CD fundamentals.
• Proven zero-to-one execution: MVP or v1 live delivered.

Responsibilities

• Run technical discovery with clients to turn problems into crisp statements and MVP scope.
• Own architecture decisions: choose stacks, design data models, plan deployment with scale in mind.
• Direct a small team of engineers to deliver against the architecture and keep delivery aligned.
• Write code on the critical path and review PRs.

Skills

Full-stack development

Django

PostgreSQL

Cloud infrastructure

CI/CD

Payments integration

Client-facing communication

Fast-paced delivery

Job description

Benmore Technologies is a software development and AI transformation firm based in downtown Chicago. We build custom software, AI systems, and internal automation platforms for growing mid-market companies across the United States. Our clients hire us to modernize operations, eliminate manual work, and build software that gives them a real competitive advantage. We are profitable, growing quickly, and hiring engineers who want ownership over real client work.

The Role

As a Forward-Deployed Engineer, you are the technical owner on client engagements from kickoff through delivery. You sit between the client and the build team: you run discovery, turn fuzzy requirements into a clear scope, make the architecture calls, and ship working software. Some weeks that means whiteboarding with an operations VP. Other weeks it means writing the critical-path code yourself.

What you'll do

• Run technical discovery with clients: turn business problems into crisp problem statements, user flows, and a prioritized MVP scope.
• Own architecture decisions: pick pragmatic stacks, design data models and integration plans, and plan deployment with cost and scale in mind.
• Direct a small team of senior engineers who build what you design, and keep delivery matched to the intended architecture.
• Write code on the critical path (frontend, backend, integrations) and review PRs.
• Run weekly client checkpoints: demo working software, explain tradeoffs, and keep scope and timelines honest.
• De-risk delivery: identify unknowns early, run spikes and POCs, define acceptance criteria, and hold scope boundaries.
• Document as you go: lightweight architecture notes and API maps so the next iteration starts fast.

What we're looking for

• A track record of shipping production web or mobile software on modern stacks.
• Strong full-stack capability. We work heavily in Django and PostgreSQL; other stacks are fine if you ramp fast.
• Comfortable with cloud infrastructure (AWS, DigitalOcean, or Azure) and CI/CD fundamentals.
• Experience integrating common services: auth, payments (Stripe), email/SMS, file storage, maps.
• Proven zero-to-one execution: you have taken an MVP or v1 live as a founder, first engineer, or the person actually responsible for it.
• Clear client-facing communication: you can run a structured technical meeting, write a spec, and explain a tradeoff to a non-technical founder.
• Works well under pace: multiple engagements, real deadlines, direct feedback.

Nice to have

• Hands-on AI/LLM work: prompting, retrieval, embeddings, model selection, vendor integrations.
• Mobile experience (React Native or Flutter).
• Prior consulting or services experience.

Compensation and benefits

• On-target total compensation of $120,000 to $150,000 (base salary plus performance comp), depending on experience and qualifications.
• Benefits included.
• Downtown Chicago office with the founding team.