Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Continuum Resource Network · Chicago · $200,000–$250,000 (stated in the posting)

We're helping a venture-backed technology company find a Founding Forward Deployed Engineer to help scale its Applied AI business from the ground up. The company works with a growing portfolio of eight or more mission-critical vertical SaaS businesses, helping them unlock the value of AI through customized software solutions and enterprise deployments.

This is a founding opportunity for a technically versatile, customer-focused engineer who wants to work directly with company leadership, own end-to-end AI deployments, and help shape how AI is implemented across entire industries. You'll have significant ownership from day one and play a foundational role in building the Forward Deployed Engineering function.

About the role

We are seeking a Founding Forward Deployed Engineer with approximately 4–6 years of experience in forward deployed engineering or technical customer-facing roles to build and deploy AI-powered solutions for enterprise B2B clients.

In this role, you'll bridge business strategy and engineering, working directly with customers to understand complex operational challenges and turn them into production-ready AI workflows and software solutions. You'll own the entire deployment lifecycle, from initial discovery and solution design through implementation, customer adoption, and ongoing maintenance.

You'll also help develop shared data models, ontologies, and workflows that transform individual customer deployments into reusable, productized solutions across industry verticals.

Working closely with the co-founders and Head of AI, you'll help define the company's Applied AI strategy and establish the practices that will shape its growing engineering team.

Responsibilities

Lead customer discovery: Work directly with enterprise customers and senior stakeholders to understand business challenges, identify opportunities for AI adoption, and translate requirements into technical specifications.
Build AI-powered solutions: Design, develop, and deploy AI workflows and software applications from scratch, using the right combination of LLMs, data pipelines, system architecture, and full-stack engineering.
Own end-to-end deployments: Manage the full implementation lifecycle, from initial discovery and zero-to-one development through production deployment, customer adoption, and ongoing maintenance.
Work closely with customers: Spend time on-site with customers, including engaging with C-level executives and operational teams to ensure solutions address real business needs.
Develop reusable AI infrastructure: Build shared ontologies, common data models, and workflows that connect customer deployments and enable repeatable, productized solutions across vertical SaaS businesses.
Shape AI strategy: Partner directly with the co-founders and Head of AI to define priorities, evaluate opportunities, and execute the company's Applied AI strategy.
Drive measurable impact: Ensure deployed solutions deliver meaningful business value, improve operational workflows, and achieve sustained customer adoption.
Help build the FDE function: Establish deployment methodologies, technical standards, and customer engagement practices while helping grow the Forward Deployed Engineering team.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

Approximately 4–6 years of experience in forward deployed engineering, solutions engineering, or other technical customer-facing roles involving the development and deployment of software or AI solutions for enterprise B2B clients.
Experience working at a company with a strong Forward Deployed Engineering model, such as Palantir, Scale AI, or a comparable organization.
Demonstrated ownership of a full technical deployment, from initial zero-to-one development through customer adoption and post-deployment maintenance.
Strong technical versatility across the full stack, including system architecture, data pipelines, application development, and LLM application patterns.
Hands-on experience building and deploying AI-powered applications or complex software solutions for enterprise customers.
Ability to translate ambiguous business problems into clear technical requirements, system designs, and working solutions.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work directly with senior executives and technical teams.
A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent technical expertise.
Based in or willing to relocate to New York City or Chicago, with the ability to work on-site five days per week.
Willingness to travel approximately 50% of the time and spend extended periods at customer locations when needed.
Work authorization: Must already be authorized to work in the United States without requiring visa sponsorship or transfer.

Bonus Qualifications

Experience at a top-tier Forward Deployed Engineering organization, such as Palantir, Scale AI, Ode, Brain Co., or a relevant Palantir spinout such as NorthSlope, Distyl AI, or Poetic.
Experience as a founder or early employee at a startup, particularly a venture-backed or Y Combinator-backed company.
Experience building shared data models, ontologies, or reusable software platforms across multiple enterprise customers.
Experience implementing LLM-based applications, AI agents, and production-grade AI workflows.
Familiarity with vertical SaaS business models and industry-specific software platforms.
Experience working directly with C-level executives to identify business opportunities and drive technical implementation.
Experience developing repeatable deployment frameworks that turn bespoke customer solutions into scalable products.

Benefits

Base Salary: $200,000–$250,000 per year.
Equity: Competitive equity opportunity.
Founding-Level Ownership: Play a foundational role in establishing and scaling the Forward Deployed Engineering function.
Direct Leadership Access: Work closely with the co-founders and Head of AI to shape the company's technical and business strategy.
High-Impact Projects: Deploy AI solutions across a growing portfolio of enterprise software businesses and their customers.
Technical and Product Influence: Help shape reusable AI infrastructure, deployment frameworks, and productized solutions across industries.
Career Growth: Take on broad technical, customer-facing, and strategic responsibilities in a rapidly growing Applied AI business.

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