Forward Deployed Engineer

Fortune Careers Limited; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Deployed Engineer role at Confidential High-Growth Technology Firm in San Francisco, CA. Lead customer-facing technical implementations, translating business needs into scalable software solutions that deliver measurable value.

You will work directly with customers, understand their technical and operational needs, and develop robust integrations across APIs and data sources. This role demands strong communication and ownership in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science or related engineering field.
• Strong software engineering, systems integration, API, data and debugging capabilities.
• Experience working directly with customers and translating business needs into technical solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment with changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with customers to understand objectives, workflows, and requirements.
• Design, build, deploy, and maintain customer-specific technical solutions.
• Translate complex needs into practical engineering solutions.
• Manage technical implementations from discovery through deployment and optimization.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, sales, and customer success teams.
• Integrate the company's platform with customers' systems, APIs, data sources, and infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot issues and provide clear, timely solutions.
• Communicate technical concepts to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders.
• Gather customer feedback to influence product and roadmap.
• Build reusable tools and processes for future deployments.

Skills

Software engineering

Systems integration

API integration

Data handling

Debugging

Customer interaction

Communication skills

Ownership

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS

Tools

Python

Job description

Forward Deployed Engineer

Location: San Francisco, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Company: Confidential High-Growth Technology Firm

The Opportunity

A confidential, high-growth technology company in San Francisco is seeking an experienced Forward Deployed Engineer to lead customer-facing technical implementations and solve complex, real-world business challenges.

This position is ideal for an engineer who combines strong software engineering expertise with excellent communication, problem-solving, and customer relationship skills. You will work directly with customers, understand their technical and operational needs, and develop scalable solutions that deliver measurable value.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner directly with customers to understand their business objectives, workflows, and technical requirements.
• Design, build, deploy, and maintain customer-specific technical solutions.
• Translate complex customer needs into practical and scalable engineering solutions.
• Manage technical implementations from initial discovery through deployment and ongoing optimization.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, product, sales, and customer success teams.
• Integrate the company's platform with customers' systems, APIs, data sources, and infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot technical issues and provide clear, timely solutions.
• Communicate technical concepts effectively to both engineering and non-technical stakeholders.
• Gather customer feedback and help influence the product and engineering roadmap.
• Build reusable tools and processes that improve future customer deployments.

Required Qualifications

• At least four years of relevant professional experience in software engineering, solutions engineering, forward-deployed engineering, or a related technical role.
• At least two years of experience working in a customer-facing technical role within a top-tier technology, robotics, or healthcare IT startup.
• Previous experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer, Solutions Engineer, Implementation Engineer, Technical Solutions Engineer, or in a comparable position.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science or a closely related engineering discipline from a leading U.S. university.
• Strong software engineering, systems integration, API, data, and debugging capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work directly with customers and translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong ownership, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to succeed in a fast-paced startup environment with changing priorities.
• Must currently reside within commuting distance of San Francisco.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise or technically sophisticated customers.
• Experience deploying software into complex customer environments.
• Familiarity with Python and modern backend technologies.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, databases, APIs, and system integrations.
• Background in AI, robotics, healthcare technology, or other technically complex products.
• Experience working cross-functionally with product, engineering, sales, and customer success teams.

Important Requirements

• This position requires an onsite presence in San Francisco.
• Relocation assistance is not available.
• Employment visa sponsorship or transfer is not available.
• Candidates must already be authorized to work permanently in the United States without current or future sponsorship requirements.