Forward Deployed Engineer – AI Systems (Backend Software Engineering Focus)

Forward Deployed Engineer – AI Systems (Backend Software Engineering Focus)Location: San Francisco, CA (On-site – North Beach)Compensation: $180,000 – $220,000 Base Salary + Equity + Relocation Support(Backend Software Engineering Focus)About the OpportunityWe are partnering with a fast-growing, Series A ($15M raised) AI systems company headquartered in San Francisco. Unlike traditional SaaS vendors selling copilots, this company builds and deploys custom, fully managed digital workforces—teams of AI agents designed to execute complex, high-stakes enterprise operations.They are seeking a high-caliber Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to bridge heavy backend software engineering with client-facing solution architecture. Reporting directly to the CTO in a flat, high-ownership engineering org, you will own zero-to-one customer deployments—building production-grade Python agentic pipelines and deploying them directly into enterprise client systems.The RoleBackend Systems Engineering (~70%): Write clean, production-grade Python code to design, test, and deploy AI agent systems using internal homegrown frameworks and observability platforms.Technical Client Engagement (~30%): Partner directly with enterprise engineering teams to scope, design, and execute custom integrations into complex legacy and modern environments.Product Engine Bridge: Feed real-world deployment challenges back into the core platform to ensure company-wide scalability.System Reliability: Maintain, monitor, and optimize running agent workflows to ensure strict enterprise accuracy and uptime standards.What We’re Looking For3+ Years of SWE Experience: Solid foundation in backend software engineering, API architecture, and system design.Python Mastery: Hands-on experience writing scalable, production-ready Python code.Application-Level AI/LLM Experience: Proven track record of shipping production AI applications using LLMs, RAG, tool-calling agents, and modern framework ecosystems.Technical Client Polish: Strong verbal communication skills with previous experience presenting to or collaborating directly with client engineering teams.Enterprise Rigor: Understanding of security, compliance (SOC 2), and scalability requirements typical of large enterprise systems.Nice-to-HavesBackground combining large tech/enterprise software rigor with fast-paced startup execution.Prior experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer, Solutions Engineer, or Customer-Facing Backend Software Engineer.Exposure to financial software, ERP systems, or complex back-office data pipelines.