Forward Deployed Engineer

Tavily; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI technology company in New York seeks a Forward Deployed Engineer to design and deploy integrations of their API into customer systems. The role involves engaging with customers, building prototypes, and influencing the product roadmap based on user feedback. Ideal candidates should have over 3 years of software engineering experience, strong interpersonal skills, and a deep understanding of AI technologies. The position is full-time and on-site in New York.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of software engineering experience, ideally in a customer-facing role.
• Deep understanding of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and LLMs.
• Strong interpersonal skills to communicate with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Understand customer use cases and build custom integrations using the API.
• Participate in pre-sales efforts and technical discovery.
• Design and implement prototypes and production-ready systems.
• Monitor API usage and recommend improvements.
• Collaborate with internal teams to influence product roadmaps.
• Build reusable technical content to scale future deployments.

Skills

Software engineering

Customer engagement

API integration

RAG and LLM understanding

Interpersonal skills

Technical problem-solving

Job description

About Tavily

We’re building the search engine for AI agents. Our API is designed from the ground up to power Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and real-time reasoning in AI systems. By connecting LLMs to high-quality, trustworthy web content, we help developers build agents that are not only intelligent — but also informed.

We work with some of the most innovative teams in AI — from small startups shaping the ecosystem to the largest enterprises deploying AI at scale. Whether it’s powering sales assistants, research copilots, or internal knowledge tools, we’re the missing link between LLMs and the real world.

Role Overview

This is a full-time, on-site role for a Forward Deployed Engineer based in our New York office.

We’re looking for a technically exceptional engineer who’s excited to work directly with our customers and partners to design, prototype, and deploy integrations of Tavily’s API into real-world agentic systems. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you’ll be embedded with strategic partners and high-value customers—playing a critical role in both pre-sales and post-deployment success. You’ll help build RAG pipelines, production-grade applications, and industry-specific GenAI use cases built on Tavily.

You’ll operate across the customer lifecycle—from early discovery and solution design to scaling usage and identifying new opportunities. You’ll bridge product, engineering, sales, partnerships, and customer success.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with customers to understand their use cases and build custom integrations using Tavily’s API.

• Participate in pre-sales efforts, including sales calls, technical discovery, and proof-of-concept scoping.

• Design and implement prototypes, proofs of concept, and production-ready systems alongside client teams.

• Monitor API usage patterns and recommend improvements to increase reliability, efficiency, and coverage.

• Collaborate with internal teams to influence roadmap priorities based on customer needs and recurring technical challenges.

• Build reusable technical content including documentation, reference architectures, internal tools, and templates to scale future deployments.

• Represent Tavily in customer conversations, architecture reviews, post-deployment tracking, and partner-facing technical engagements.

Ideal Profile

• 3+ years of software engineering experience, ideally in a customer-facing, consulting, or partner-focused role at a large company (e.g., Forward Deployed Engineer, Solutions Architect, Sales Engineer).

• Obsession with AI ecosystem - strong engineering skills and experience working with the modern agent stack.

• Deep understanding of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), LLMs, context engineering, and agent architectures.

• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort working directly with technical stakeholders at enterprises and partners.

• Fast learner, highly autonomous, and excited to work in a fast-paced startup environment.

• Based in New York City, SF, or willing to relocate.

Interview Process

1. Intro Call – An informal chat to get to know you, your background, and your interest in AI.

2. Take-Home Exercise – A short assignment similar to the work you’d do on the job.

3. System Design Interview – A live problem-solving session to understand how you problem solve (we’ll share a study guide beforehand).

4. Final Meeting – A conversation with our leadership team.