Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)
Role Description
Forward Deployed Engineer
When you join SBI as a Senior Full Stack Developer (Forward Deployed Engineering), you are joining a firm that is redefining how go-to-market consulting is delivered through data, analytics, and AI.
In this role, you will work directly with clients to identify their highest-impact problems, translate them into structured approaches, and design and deploy scalable, AI-powered solutions. You will operate side-by-side with clients building in real time, iterating quickly, and demonstrating value throughout the engagement.
You are not handed well-defined problems. You are expected to define them, solve them, and ensure solutions are adopted. This role requires a unique combination of technical depth, business acumen, and the ability to operate effectively with stakeholders in high-stakes environments.
Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have 5+ years of experience across software engineering, data engineering, data science, or applied AI. Specifically, the ideal candidate will have experience in:
- Building and deploying data-driven or AI-powered systems in production using Next.js, React, and PostgreSQL
- Developing workflows, automation, or agent-based systems with modern LLM/AI APIs
- Working with APIs, integrations, and scalable system design on cloud platforms (Vercel, AWS, GCP)
- Partnering directly with clients or stakeholders to define and solve ambiguous problems
- Communicating technical concepts effectively to non-technical audiences
- Operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments where speed and quality are both expected
- *Experience in consulting, revenue operations, or go-to-market strategy is a strong plus.*
CCPA Notice for California applicants:
https://sbigrowth.com/ccpa-and-cpra
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.
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