Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

Location: Seattle, WA

Work Arrangement: Hybrid, minimum 3 days onsite per week when not traveling. Client travel varies by engagement.

Work Authorization: U.S Citizen or Green Card Holder

Our client is a global technology and management consulting organization that helps large enterprises modernize their operations through data, analytics, software engineering, and artificial intelligence. Working across industries including financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, and consumer goods, the organization combines business strategy with hands-on technical implementation. With significant investment in Generative AI, Agentic AI, and enterprise data transformation, the company is expanding its engineering capabilities to meet growing demand for production-ready technology solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes.

About the Role

We are seeking Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) to join a growing Data and AI Transformation practice. This position combines hands-on engineering with technical consulting, working directly with enterprise clients to understand complex business challenges, design practical solutions, and deliver technology into production.

Unlike traditional engineering roles where requirements are already defined, Forward Deployed Engineers work closely with business stakeholders to understand the underlying problem, determine the right technical approach, and take ownership of implementation.

The role is approximately 60–70% technical and 30–40% consultative , with an emphasis on building scalable, production-ready solutions rather than simply delivering recommendations or proof-of-concepts.

Projects may involve data engineering, enterprise software integration, AI-powered workflows, Generative AI, and modern data platforms. Success is measured not only by technical delivery but also by client adoption, business impact, and the ability to independently own technical workstreams.

What You'll Do

• Partner directly with enterprise clients, business stakeholders, and engineering teams to identify business challenges and translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Design, build, and deploy production-ready applications, data pipelines, integrations, and automated workflows.
• Develop solutions using Python, SQL, APIs, and modern data engineering technologies.
• Support the implementation of AI, Generative AI, and data-driven solutions within enterprise environments.
• Own technical workstreams from requirements gathering and solution design through development, deployment, and production support.
• Work across different enterprise platforms and technology environments, selecting practical solutions based on client needs.
• Collaborate with product teams, engineers, business analysts, and client stakeholders throughout the implementation lifecycle.
• Challenge initial requirements when necessary to identify underlying business problems and develop more effective solutions.
• Support solution adoption, user enablement, and ongoing improvements to ensure delivered technology creates measurable business value.
• Contribute to technical best practices, reusable solutions, and the continued development of the Forward Deployed Engineering capability.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and consultants when appropriate.

What We're Looking For

• Approximately 5–8+ years of relevant experience across software engineering, data engineering, enterprise technology implementation, or technical consulting.
• Strong hands-on engineering capabilities, particularly with Python and SQL , including experience building applications, data pipelines, integrations, or automated workflows.
• Experience delivering enterprise technology solutions through the full development lifecycle, from requirements gathering and technical design through production deployment.
• Demonstrated ability to work directly with business stakeholders, understand requirements, and translate business challenges into practical technical solutions.
• Strong understanding of software engineering principles, data integration, and enterprise application architecture.
• Experience taking ownership of technical solutions or workstreams, including development, troubleshooting, and delivery.
• Ability to approach ambiguous problems methodically, evaluate different technical approaches, and make sound implementation decisions.
• Comfort operating in a client-facing environment, communicating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Adaptability across technologies, platforms, and industries, with a willingness to learn new tools and approaches based on project requirements.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Palantir Foundry, Databricks, Snowflake , or similar enterprise data platforms.
• Hands-on experience implementing Generative AI, LLM-powered applications, Agentic AI, or AI-driven workflows.
• Background in technology consulting, digital transformation, or enterprise software implementation.
• Experience delivering solutions within financial services, manufacturing, supply chain, consumer goods, healthcare, or life sciences.
• Experience modernizing enterprise data platforms or integrating AI into existing business processes.
• Functional knowledge of business areas such as finance, operations, or supply chain.
• Experience leading technical delivery teams or mentoring junior engineers and consultants.

Why This Role?

• Hands-on technical ownership: Work directly on enterprise solutions from initial discovery through production deployment, rather than being limited to advisory work or isolated development tasks.
• Investment in AI and emerging technologies: Join an organization actively expanding its Generative AI, Agentic AI, and data transformation capabilities.
• Direct client impact: Collaborate with enterprise stakeholders and see how the technology you build improves real business processes.
• Variety of technical challenges: Gain exposure to different industries, enterprise environments, technology platforms, and business problems.
• Opportunity to shape a growing capability: Contribute to the development of a growing Forward Deployed Engineering function, including reusable solutions, delivery practices, and technical standards.
• Technical and consulting career development: Build experience across hands-on engineering, solution architecture, stakeholder engagement, and technical leadership.

Travel requirements depend on the specific client engagement. Some projects may involve regular weekly travel, while others may require little to no travel.