Forward Deployed Engineer

Architect and ship production-grade AI systems directly with customers.A founding-team role at one of the fastest-moving AI infrastructure companies in the market — replacing legacy systems like ServiceNow with an AI-native platform that’s already automating 50%+ of IT operations for customers like Perplexity, Notion, and Verkada. $200K – $325K + Equity On-Site SF · 5d/wk $127M Raised 5 Openings No Visa Sponsorship Our client is a fast-growing AI infrastructure company headquartered in San Francisco, building the next generation of enterprise automation. Founded in 2024 and backed by over $100M from top-tier venture investors, they are trusted by a portfolio of high-profile technology companies to automate mission-critical operations. Their customers — a roster of leading technology companies — are automating more than 50% of their IT operations with this platform. The company operates with a lean team of 25 builders, a flat structure, and a strong in-person culture in San Francisco. “This is one of the most exciting AI infrastructure companies in the market — and they’re hiring engineers who want to build, not babysit tickets.” Opportunity This is not a typical implementation role. As a founding member of the Agent Deployment team, you will architect and ship production-grade systems directly with the company’s most strategic customers — while contributing to the core platform. You will help define how this function operates and have direct influence on the product roadmap. What You’ll Do Architect and build production-grade systems for strategic pilots, translating complex customer requirements into scalable, durable implementations Design, implement, and maintain backend services, APIs, and integrations that expand the capabilities of the AI agent platform Build secure, high-performance integrations with external systems — reliability, observability, and maintainability first Turn real customer pain points and edge cases into reusable product capabilities that improve the platform for future deployments Own the full technical lifecycle of key deployments — from initial architecture through launch, scaling, and ongoing optimization Partner directly with customers, sales, and internal engineering to move fast from idea to production Help shape a new function from the ground up with clear visibility, ownership, and influence across the business What We’re Looking For Must-Have — Non-Negotiable Experience shipping backend-heavy production systems and building external integrations (APIs, third-party systems, enterprise tools) Background at a company known for a high engineering bar and real-world impact Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, or Physics from a top-tier program (Top 20 school or equivalent signal) Strong backend engineering fundamentals — coding and system design — sufficient to pass a high-bar SWE interview Must work on-site in San Francisco five days per week Required 1+ years of experience in software engineering, ideally in a product-focused or customer-facing role Experience building scalable systems, integrations, or workflow automation tools Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and business stakeholders Comfort operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments with high ownership Nice to Have Early engineer experience at a fast-moving startup (Series D or earlier) or 0-to-1 product building Direct experience working with enterprise customers — pilots, implementations, or customer-facing engineering Exposure to AI/LLM systems, agent-based architectures, or automation platforms Interest in founding or building a company in the future Deal Breakers Automatic Disqualifiers Cannot or will not work on-site in San Francisco five days per week Prefers highly structured, slow-paced corporate environments Requires significant hand-holding, detailed instructions, or close supervision to execute Background primarily in data science, product management, or roles with minimal hands-on software engineering No CS / Engineering / Math / Physics degree or equivalent rigorous technical foundation Interview Process 30-minute intro — background, logistics, and culture fit High-bar SWE-style coding assessment Live coding collaboration and architecture deep-dive Sessions with Sales team and key stakeholders Final conversation with company leadership #J-18808-Ljbffr