Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed Engineer

Lenovo Solutions & Services Group is running a company-wide AI transformation program, embedding engineering talent directly inside business functions. Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) are the builders at the center of that model.

As an FDE, you will be assigned to a specific business function and work alongside its leaders and teams to identify where AI creates real leverage, then build and deploy practical solutions that fit how work actually gets done. This is not a research or advisory role — you move from discovery to working prototype to deployed solution within sprint cycles, in close partnership with a Domain Leader who provides business direction and context.

The right candidate is energized by driving meaningful change in a business — not just shipping code but making sure what gets built is genuinely adopted and used. You are comfortable working with typical tech stacks such as Microsoft and ServiceNow as well as building custom AI agents/ solutions on other internal platforms.

Discover and Define

• Embed in a business function and work with the Domain Leader and subject matter experts to map workflows, surface pain points, and identify high-value AI opportunities.

• Translate business problems into scoped, deliverable use cases — balancing ambition with what is practical to build and adopt.

Build and Deploy

• Design and build AI solutions using the right tools for the problem: Microsoft AI and productivity platforms (Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI, M365), RAG pipelines, agent workflows, automation tooling, and custom development where needed.

• Prototype quickly, test with real users, and iterate within short sprint cycles.

• Deliver solutions that integrate into existing workflows — not standalone demos.

Drive Adoption and Impact

• Own adoption as well as technical delivery — work alongside change resources to help teams actually use what gets built.

• Gather feedback post-deployment to improve performance and increase business value over time.

• Contribute to patterns and practices that can scale across squads and functions.

Communicate and Collaborate

• Bridge business stakeholders, data teams, and platform partners — translating clearly in both directions.

• Provide concise, honest updates on progress, risks, and tradeoffs to technical and senior non-technical audiences alike.

What We're Looking For

Required

• 5+ years in software engineering, solutions engineering, applied AI, or a closely related technical role.

• Hands-on experience building and deploying AI, automation, or intelligent workflow solutions in real business settings.

• Strong working knowledge of LLMs, prompt design, retrieval-based architectures, orchestration, and agent-based systems.

• Comfortable integrating with enterprise APIs, data sources, and workflow platforms.

• A genuine drive to see change land — you understand that building the solution is only half the job.

• Clear communicator; able to explain technical decisions in plain language to business and leadership audiences.

Preferred

• Experience with Microsoft AI platforms: Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI, M365, Power Platform.

• Custom development skills (Python, JavaScript, or similar) for problems that off-the-shelf tooling cannot solve.

• Background in technical consulting, solutions architecture, or customer-facing engineering.

• Experience with change enablement, user adoption, or process redesign alongside technical delivery.

What Success Looks Like

• Working solutions in users' hands at the end of each sprint — not decks or proofs of concept.

• Measurable business outcomes: time saved, processes improved, decisions made faster.

• A team that has adopted the tools and can articulate the impact.

• A function that can operate and evolve its AI solutions after the engagement ends.

We offer flexibility in where you work! This role is eligible for remote work. If you live within commuting distance of our Chicago, IL or Raleigh, NC offices, you'll enjoy a hybrid schedule with three days in the office and two days working from home each week. If you're located outside of these areas, you'll have the opportunity to work remotely, based on business needs.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any federal, state, or local protected class.