Manager Applied Engineering - (Forward Deployed Engineering)

WorkTrust Solutions; Rhode Island; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

WorkTrust Solutions in the United States is seeking a Manager of Applied Engineering (Forward Deployed Engineering) to lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers partnering with enterprise stakeholders to design, build, and deploy AI-enabled solutions with measurable business outcomes.

The role owns delivery of FDE engagements, aligning with enterprise priorities and accelerating value from concept to production; requires strong leadership, strategy translation, and cross-functional

Qualifications

• Experience deploying AI/ML in enterprise environments.
• Ability to translate strategic objectives into executable initiatives.
• Experience with Forward Deployed Engineering delivery models.
• Strong leadership and collaboration across business and technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage a portfolio of Forward Deployed Engineering initiatives aligned to enterprise strategy and measurable outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders to identify, prioritize, and define high-value use cases with clear KPIs.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of FDE solutions from concept to production through iterative cycles.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team of Forward Deployed Engineers.
• Collaborate with architecture, data, and security to ensure governance and compliance.

Skills

AI/ML technologies

LLMs

RAG

Azure

Containers

Infrastructure as Code

Leadership

Delivery leadership

Tools

Azure

Kubernetes

Terraform

APIs

Job description

We are currently engaged in a national search for a long-term client who is seeking a Manager of Applied Engineering (Forward Deployed Engineering) who will lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers (FDE) who will partner with enterprise business stakeholders to design, build, and deploy data-driven and AI-enabled solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes.

This role owns the delivery of FDE engagements, ensuring alignment to enterprise strategic priorities and accelerating the delivery of high-value use cases from concept to production.

In this role, the Manager of Applied Engineering will:

• Own and manage a portfolio of Forward Deployed Engineering initiatives aligned to enterprise strategy and measurable business outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders to identify, prioritize, and define high-value use cases with clear KPIs and success metrics.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of FDE solutions, ensuring rapid progression from concept to production through iterative development cycles.
• Manage team capacity and demand intake, optimizing prioritization to maximize business value and speed of execution.
• Collaborate with architecture, engineering, data, and security teams to ensure alignment with enterprise standards, governance, and compliance requirements.
• Drive development and adoption of reusable components, patterns, and accelerators to scale delivery across teams.
• Define and continuously improve the FDE engagement model, including intake, prioritization, and delivery frameworks.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Forward Deployed Engineers, fostering strong technical, business, and delivery capabilities.

The appropriate individual will have demonstrated experience in the following:

• AI/ML technologies, including large language models (LLMs), RAG, or automation frameworks.
• Cloud platforms (Azure preferred), containerization, and infrastructure as code.
• Designing and delivering enterprise-grade solutions across data, application, and integration layers.
• Agile or product-oriented delivery models.
• Working in regulated industries such as healthcare or financial services.
• Strong leadership and team development skills, with the ability to coach engineers across technical and business domains.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to translate strategic objectives into executable initiatives.
• Deep understanding of full-stack engineering, data platforms, and system integration patterns.
• Ability to oversee design and delivery of data pipelines, APIs, and scalable architectures.
• Knowledge of data governance, security standards, and compliance requirements.

Please Note: This is a full-time employee role. This role is not a contract opportunity, and it is not open to C2C. We are not working with third-party firms for this engagement. Our client is not sponsoring visas for this role.

Work Environment: This role is fully remote or can be hybrid in Rhode Island. Remote candidates must reside in one of the following states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia