Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

IBM Computing; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Consulting is seeking a seasoned Forward Deployed Engineer specializing in Artificial Intelligence in San Francisco. You will leverage data analysis and business insight to deliver cognitive computing solutions, focusing on foundation models and large language models using tools like OpenAI API.

You’ll work across full project lifecycles from research to production on cloud platforms. You will design and deploy AI systems, optimize performance, and collaborate with teams to solve complex

Qualifications

• Expert Python programming and proficiency with AI frameworks.
• Experience integrating OpenAI API, Codex or equivalent in production.
• Strong NLP/ML background with foundation models and LLMs.
• Ability to design end-to-end AI solutions across data processing pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Architect AI solutions focusing on foundation models and LLMs.
• Develop cognitive computing systems for structured and unstructured data.
• Lead AI projects from research to production deployment on cloud platforms.
• Drive AI innovation and optimize AI systems using modern libraries.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure scalable, reliable implementations.

Skills

Python

OpenAI API

LLMs

NLP

AI frameworks

Cloud platforms

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Keras

Scikit-Learn

Pandas

Job description

Introduction

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long-term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You’ll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you’ll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You’ll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long-term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

Your role and responsibilities

As a seasoned Forward Deployed Engineer specializing in Artificial Intelligence, you will leverage your expertise in combining data analysis and business acumen to tackle complex cognitive computing challenges. Your strong foundation in AI, NLP, and ML will enable you to deliver comprehensive cognitive solutions that effectively process and analyze both structured and unstructured data.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Architect AI Solutions: Design and deliver AI solutions using cutting-edge technologies, with a strong focus on foundation models and large language models, utilizing tools like Github Copilot and Amazon Code Whisperer.
• Develop Cognitive Computing Systems: Create comprehensive cognitive solutions that effectively process and analyze both structured and unstructured data, leveraging expertise in NLP, ML, and AI frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Keras.
• Collaborate on AI Projects: Work on full AI project lifecycle, from research and prototyping to deployment in production environments, utilizing cloud platforms, relational and NoSQL databases, and modern UI frameworks.
• Drive AI Innovation: Pioneer innovative AI solutions, leveraging strong programming skills in Python and experience with AI frameworks, to solve complex business problems and drive cognitive computing advancements.
• Optimize AI Systems: Guide the optimization of AI systems, ensuring effective usage of libraries such as SciKit Learn, Pandas, and Matplotlib, and familiarity with cloud platforms and related services.

Required technical and professional expertise

• Demonstrated leadership of production agent deployments: orchestration architecture (multi-agent coordination, tool routing, state, retries, HITL), reliability, and scale
• MCP architecture: designing MCP servers and tools as the integration backbone for agents
• Output-evaluation frameworks owned at a leadership level: eval strategy, golden datasets, LLM-as-judge, regression/CI evals, guardrails, and production monitoring of agent quality
• Expert Python; OpenAI API + Codex (or equivalent) / OpenAI Agents SDK; event-driven systems; workflow automation; observability/tracing
• Integration architecture into enterprise systems of record

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Experience defining org-wide standards for how agents are built and orchestrated
• Track record taking agents from prototype to proven production operation

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.