What does a Forward Deployed Engineer do at David Joseph & Company?

Forward Deployed Engineers at David Joseph & Company are embedded directly with enterprise customers to implement and customize the platform, build integrations, and solve technical problems in real-world client environments. They combine software engineering skills with direct customer interaction, writing production code while also serving as the primary technical point of contact.

What skills are required for this Forward Deployed Strategist — Varick Agents role?

The Forward Deployed Strategist — Varick Agents role at David Joseph & Company typically requires strong software engineering skills (Python, TypeScript, SQL), experience with APIs and system integration, comfort with cloud platforms, and the ability to communicate complex technical topics to non-technical stakeholders. Most FDE roles require 3-7 years of engineering experience.

Is this Forward Deployed Engineer position at David Joseph & Company remote?

Remote availability varies by David Joseph & Company FDE role. Some positions are fully remote, others require travel to customer sites, and some are hybrid. Check the full job description above for the specific location requirements for this posting.

David Joseph & Company

Forward Deployed Strategist — Varick Agents

$140K - $240K San Francisco, CA, US Mid Posted June 01, 2026

Apply on Indeed All FDE Jobs

Role Description

Forward Deployed Strategist — Varick Agents -----------------------------------------------

Location: San Francisco, CA (Onsite, 5+ days/week)

Compensation: $140,000 – $240,000 base + equity

Experience Level: 1–5 years

Employment Type: Full-Time

About Varick Agents

Varick Agents builds custom AI agents for billion-dollar enterprises — working with Fortune 500 and NASDAQ-listed businesses to deploy AI systems that automate complex operational workflows. Contracts routinely reach seven- and eight-figure ARR levels. The team includes leaders from Meta, AWS Bedrock, Citadel Securities, McKinsey, and Stanford, with a reported 100% production deployment success rate.

About the Role

This is a client-facing strategy and deployment role sitting at the intersection of enterprise consulting and AI implementation. You will run enterprise client interviews end to end, map business processes, build AI agent specifications for engineering teams, and manage stakeholder relationships across complex deployments. This is not a playbook-driven role — it requires exceptional communication, executive presence, and the ability to lead unscripted conversations with senior stakeholders.

What You'll Own

Run enterprise client interviews end to end
Meet with controllers, finance leaders, analysts, managers, and operational stakeholders
Map business processes and identify workflow bottlenecks
Build process maps and operational analyses
Quantify ROI opportunities
Create AI agent specifications for engineering teams
Build executive-facing presentations
Manage stakeholder relationships
Drive requirements gathering across engagements
Own one or more workstreams during deployments

Requirements

1–5 years of professional experience at a high-bar environment
Exceptional communication skills with ability to lead unscripted conversations
Strong listening and analytical abilities
Executive presence and ownership mindset
AI literacy — experience using Claude, Cursor, terminal workflows, or similar tools
Comfortable operating without extensive onboarding
Willingness to work onsite in San Francisco

Target Backgrounds

Strong signals include McKinsey BA/Associate, Bain Associate Consultant, BCG Associate, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Evercore, Lazard, Private Equity, Chief of Staff, Business Operations, startup operator, or technical IC with exceptional communication skills. Ideal roles: MBB Consultant, Investment Banking Analyst, PE Associate, Chief of Staff, Strategy & Operations, Business Operations, Startup Operator, Technical Product Generalist, or Enterprise Transformation Consultant.

This Role Is NOT For

Candidates who require a playbook to operate
Framework-driven thinkers without adaptability
Those who miss key conversational signals
Weak communicators with low ownership or no AI fluency

Interview Process

Initial screen
First round
Second round
Third round
Onsite
Offer

Logistics

Role is fully onsite in San Francisco — 5+ days/week — please only apply if you can commit to this

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by David Joseph & Co., the recruiting partner managing this search on behalf of Varick Agents.

About Forward Deployed Engineering

Forward Deployed Engineers are embedded directly with customers to build custom solutions, integrate products into existing infrastructure, and bridge the gap between product engineering and customer success. The role combines deep technical skills with the ability to operate in client environments and translate business requirements into working software.

Originally pioneered by Palantir, the FDE model has spread across AI, enterprise SaaS, and cloud infrastructure companies. FDEs write production code, architect integrations, train customer teams, and feed product insights back to the core engineering organization. At companies like OpenAI, Salesforce, and Databricks, FDE teams are treated as elite engineering units that can ship custom solutions in days rather than quarters.

Typical FDE stack: Python, TypeScript, SQL, REST/GraphQL APIs, cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure), and increasingly LLM APIs and AI orchestration frameworks. Strong communication and the ability to context-switch between technical and business conversations are as important as coding ability.