Hire forward deployed engineers who ship at the customer.
Forward deployed engineers turn an AI product into something a customer actually runs. They need real engineering depth and the judgment to work in front of clients, a rare mix. HiringEye finds people who've done both and tests for both.
What a strong forward deployed engineer does
They sit with customers, understand the messy reality of their data and systems, and build the integrations, pipelines and AI workflows that make the product work there, then feed what they learn back to the core team.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
- Full-stack engineering in Python and TypeScript
- LLM applications: RAG, agents, tool use and evaluation
- Data pipelines and enterprise integrations (APIs, SSO, data warehouses)
- Scoping ambiguous problems with customers
- Clear written and spoken communication with technical and business stakeholders
- Comfort with travel and on-site work
Great FDEs hide in solutions, consulting and founding-engineer roles.
Solutions and founding engineers
People who've built for customers at AI startups and dev-tool companies.
Integrations in the open
Open-source connectors, SDKs and example apps they've shipped.
Hackathons and demos
Builders who turn a vague brief into a working demo fast.
Warm introductions
Referrals from founders and customers who've worked with them.
AI runs Round 1. Our people make the call.
Customer scenario
A real-world deployment problem with incomplete information.
Build under ambiguity
How they scope, prioritise and ship a first version.
Communication
Explaining a technical trade-off to a non-technical stakeholder.
Hiring forward deployed engineers: questions
What is a forward deployed engineer?
A forward deployed engineer (FDE) is a software engineer who works directly with customers to deploy and adapt a product, often an AI product, to their data and systems, combining engineering depth with client-facing judgment.
What should I look for when hiring a forward deployed engineer?
Strong full-stack and LLM application skills, experience building integrations and data pipelines, the ability to scope ambiguous problems, and clear communication with both engineers and business stakeholders.
Can HiringEye hire FDEs for global teams from India?
Yes. We place India-based engineers with global teams, including roles that work across time zones and travel to customer sites.
Need FDEs who can face customers? We test for it.
Tell us your product and your customers. Pay only when your hire joins.