Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Enterprise Systems (onsite: NYC or SF)

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

Job summary

NextBigWhat is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to lead enterprise customer deployments from kickoff to production. You will partner with operators and executives to translate workflows into scalable backend systems and AI-enabled tools, owning technical decisions and timelines.

The role requires strong backend, data, and integration skills, with hands-on Python/TypeScript and SQL, plus cloud/ERP experience. Onsite in SF or NYC with travel.

Qualifications

• 4–10 years of software engineering or Forward Deployed Engineering experience, including production software.
• Experience at a VC-backed early-stage startup or a high-signal frontier technology company.
• Strong depth in backend engineering, data systems, infrastructure, or applied AI, with architecture decision experience.
• Hands-on production Python or TypeScript, plus SQL.
• Experience integrating enterprise systems or data platforms (AWS/Azure/Snowflake/Databricks/PostgreSQL/ERP).
• Ability to own complex problems and translate ambiguous requirements into working software.
• Strong communication and collaboration with enterprise operators, executives, and tech stakeholders.
• Willingness to work onsite in SF or NYC and travel for deployments.

Responsibilities

• Own enterprise engagements from kickoff to deployment and ongoing improvement.
• Understand workflows with operators/executives and translate requirements into production software.
• Make architectural decisions and manage project timelines and communications.
• Design and build backend systems, data pipelines, enterprise integrations, AI agents, and apps.
• Connect enterprise systems and data into unified knowledge and context (knowledge graphs/ontologies).
• Integrate with existing enterprise infra (ERP, cloud platforms, data systems).
• Test deployments, troubleshoot, and implement checks with human review.
• Create reusable integrations from recurring customer requirements.
• Collaborate with CTO, founding engineers, and stakeholders to deliver production-ready solutions.

Skills

Startup experience

Backend engineering

Python/TypeScript

SQL

Data systems

Enterprise integrations

Communication with stakeholders

Tools

Python

TypeScript

SQL

AWS

Azure

Snowflake

Databricks

PostgreSQL

ERP systems

Job description

Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Enterprise Systems (onsite: NYC or SF)

Location: San Francisco Bay Area or New York City Metropolitan Area (Onsite)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Compensation: 150,000–210,000 Base Salary + Competitive Equity

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with an early-stage AI company building technology for the built world, helping major real estate developers, investment firms, and asset managers modernize complex operational workflows.

The company develops AI-powered systems that connect scattered documents, databases, and enterprise knowledge into unified platforms that enable people and AI agents to automate work, reduce errors, and improve decision‑making.

This is an opportunity to join a small, highly technical founding team and take ownership of enterprise customer deployments from beginning to end. You'll work directly with operators and executives, solve complex engineering challenges, and help shape the architecture and infrastructure of a growing AI platform.

What You'll Do

• Own enterprise customer engagements from kickoff through deployment, launch, and ongoing improvement.
• Work directly with operators and executives to understand workflows, identify operational challenges, and translate ambiguous requirements into production software.
• Take responsibility for technical decisions, project timelines, customer communication, and executive updates.
• Design and build backend systems, data pipelines, enterprise integrations, AI agents, and applications.
• Connect complex enterprise systems and fragmented data into unified knowledge and context systems, including knowledge graphs and ontologies.
• Build solutions that integrate with existing enterprise infrastructure, including ERPs, cloud platforms, and data systems.
• Test deployments against real‑world scenarios, troubleshoot failures, and implement appropriate checks and human review.
• Transform recurring customer requirements into reusable integrations and infrastructure.
• Collaborate closely with the CTO, founding engineers, and customer stakeholders to deliver production‑ready solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 4–10 years of software engineering or Forward Deployed Engineering experience, including building and operating production software.
• Experience at a VC‑backed early‑stage startup (Seed–Series C) OR a high‑signal frontier technology company.
• Strong technical depth in backend engineering, data systems, infrastructure, or applied AI, including experience making architecture decisions.
• Hands‑on experience writing production Python or TypeScript, plus SQL.
• Experience integrating enterprise systems or data platforms, such as AWS, Azure, Snowflake, Databricks, PostgreSQL, or ERP systems.
• Ability to take ownership of complex technical problems and turn ambiguous requirements into working software.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate directly with enterprise operators, executives, and technical stakeholders.
• Comfort working in a fast‑moving startup environment with significant ownership and ambiguity.
• Willingness to work onsite in San Francisco or New York City and travel to customer locations for deployments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer or Deployment Strategist at a technology company focused on enterprise deployments.
• Experience as a technical founder or founding engineer.
• Experience leading customer‑facing technical deployments from discovery through production.
• Experience with AI systems, enterprise data infrastructure, knowledge graphs, or agent‑based applications.

Direct Forward Deployed Engineering experience is preferred but not mandatory. Candidates with exceptional technical depth and strong communication skills may be considered even without a formal FDE title.

Location & Travel Requirements

This is an onsite position in the San Francisco Bay Area or New York City Metropolitan Area. The company is evaluating its long‑term office strategy and may consolidate operations in San Francisco.

The role requires regular travel to customer locations. Engineers typically spend the first few weeks of each new engagement working onsite with the customer, followed by periodic visits approximately every other month.

Relocation assistance is not provided.

Compensation & Work Authorization

• Base Salary: 150,000–210,000
• Equity: Competitive
• Employment: Full-Time
• Work Authorization: Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer visa sponsorship, now or in the future. The company is not considering candidates requiring visa sponsorship.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

You'll join a small founding team building AI infrastructure for one of the world's largest and least‑modernized industries.

The company is already working with major institutional real estate organizations and has a significant enterprise pipeline. Engineers have meaningful ownership over customer deployments, direct access to technical leadership and the opportunity to influence both product architecture and the company's long‑term engineering direction.

This role is particularly well suited for engineers who enjoy building production software, solving difficult customer problems, and taking responsibility for outcomes rather than working exclusively on isolated engineering tasks.