Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

NextBigWhat; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

NextBigWhat is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to deploy multimodal, agentic AI systems in production for the insurance sector. You will own client deployments end-to-end, from scoping to go-live, serving as the primary contact for senior stakeholders.

The role requires strong Python skills, hands-on software deployment experience, and excellent communication to build trusted client relationships. On-site in San Francisco, five days a week, with competitive equity and strong compensation.

Qualifications

• 1–5 years of experience in a technical role using Python.
• Experience building and shipping production code in one of: a VC-backed startup, founder/engineer, or fast-paced tech company.
• A STEM undergraduate degree from a reputable university.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, system design).
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with LLMs and prompt engineering.
• Excellent communication and client-relations abilities.
• Willingness to work on-site five days per week in San Francisco.

Responsibilities

• Individually deploy multimodal, agentic AI systems into production with major business impact.
• Build and manage client relationships and align priorities with executives.
• Design, build, and evolve AI agents supporting claims outcomes and rapid prototyping.
• Work with applied AI daily, scoping and developing new features for scaling customers.
• Integrate products into client environments via APIs and technical teams.
• Coordinate with the core platform team to ensure smooth delivery and collect customer insights.
• Capture and share best practices in internal playbooks for scaling Forward Deployed Engineering.

Skills

Python

Communication

Client facing

System design

Education

STEM undergraduate degree

Tools

APIs

LLMs

Prompt engineering

Job description

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

Location: San Francisco, CA (On-site, Monday–Friday)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: 165,000–250,000
Equity: Competitive equity

Visa Sponsorship: Open to visa transfers, including OPT and H-1B transfers.

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a highly agentic and client-facing engineer to help deploy multimodal AI systems into production for the insurance industry.

This opportunity combines hands‑on software engineering, applied AI, and direct customer engagement. You'll work closely with clients to understand their challenges, build and deploy technical solutions, and own projects end‑to‑end.

The ideal candidate has a strong technical foundation, excellent communication skills, and a track record of building and shipping production software, preferably at an early‑stage, VC‑backed startup.

What You'll Do

• Individually deploy multimodal, agentic AI systems into production with major business impact. Own client deployments end‑to‑end, from scoping through go‑live, acting as the primary point of contact for senior client stakeholders.

• Build and manage client relationships, understand challenges, align priorities, and become a trusted partner executives rely on to scale their AI adoption.

• Design, build, and evolve AI agents that deliver optimal claims outcomes, including prompt engineering, model integration, and rapid prototyping using AI‑assisted coding tools.

• Work with applied AI daily, scoping and developing new features that help customers scale while consistently improving claims results.

• Integrate products into client environments, working hands‑on with their technical teams on APIs and systems.

• Coordinate with the core platform team to ensure smooth delivery and improve the product through actionable customer insights.

• Capture and share best practices in internal playbooks to help scale Forward Deployed Engineering.

Required Qualifications

• 1–5 years of experience in a technical role using Python, ideally with client‑facing responsibilities.

• Experience building and shipping production code in at least one of the following environments:

  • A VC‑backed startup.

  • As a founder or founding engineer.

  • A fast‑paced public technology company with a strong engineering environment.

• A STEM undergraduate degree from a reputable university in the US, Canada, or Europe. Candidates with undergraduate degrees outside these regions must have qualifying experience at an exceptional, well‑funded VC‑backed startup or top‑tier technology company.

• Strong software engineering fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, and system design.

• Proficiency in Python.

• Familiarity with large language models (LLMs), prompt engineering, and agentic AI concepts.

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts clearly and build trusted client relationships.

• Demonstrated ability to build and deploy technical solutions and take ownership of projects end‑to‑end.

• Willingness to work on‑site five days per week in San Francisco.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an early‑stage or high‑growth, VC‑backed startup.

• Previous experience in a client‑facing engineering, solutions architecture, or other technical, customer‑centric role.

• Graduation from a top‑20 university for your academic program.

• Experience working directly with customers to sc