Forward Deployed Engineer

We’re recruiting on behalf of an enterprise software company helping organisations connect applications, data, APIs and AI agents across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments.

Our client is looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer to help strategic enterprise customers turn AI ambitions into deployed, reliable solutions. This is a hands-on role combining technical delivery, executive engagement and commercial impact.

The role

You will own the full deployment lifecycle for strategic accounts: discovery, architecture, technical build, executive rollout and expansion.

You’ll work directly with senior business leaders to identify valuable use cases, partner with engineering teams to build and deploy solutions, and help customers extend adoption across their organisations.

This opportunity suits a technically strong builder who thrives on open-ended challenges, can earn credibility with both executives and engineers, and wants to help shape how enterprises adopt AI agents.

Regular travel to customer sites is expected, particularly for discovery workshops and prototyping sprints.

What you’ll do

• Lead executive engagements: Run discovery and scoping sessions with VP and C-level stakeholders, translating business priorities into clear technical plans and measurable outcomes.
• Own complex deployments: Deploy solutions into customer virtual private clouds, on-premises container environments and firewalled networks. Resolve practical barriers involving SSO, OAuth, network access and outbound traffic policies.
• Build reliable AI solutions: Engineer the data connectivity, context, testing and reliability needed to move beyond demonstrations into practical enterprise use.
• Drive account expansion: Proactively identify additional use cases and business functions where the technology can deliver value, building support for wider adoption.
• Support the commercial strategy: Communicate the company’s approach to enterprise AI in customer briefings and competitive discussions, turning successful deployments into repeatable approaches for the wider team.
• Influence product development: Bring customer feedback and deployment lessons directly to product and engineering teams, helping prioritise what enterprises need next.

What we’re looking for

• Strong technical depth: At least five years of hands-on experience across server environments, containerisation, networking, major cloud platforms and enterprise authentication, including SSO and OAuth.
• Executive presence: The confidence, clarity and business understanding to engage senior enterprise leaders and respond effectively to challenging questions.
• Commercial drive: The ability to create opportunities, build momentum without an established playbook, and contribute to revenue growth and account expansion.
• Sound enterprise AI judgement: An understanding of where AI can deliver meaningful business value, including the technical and commercial trade-offs involved.
• A builder’s mindset: Comfort working with evolving requirements, testing ideas quickly and earning stakeholder support.
• Customer-facing credibility: The ability to work confidently with a customer’s most senior engineers while keeping business stakeholders aligned.

Preferred experience

• Building or deploying production systems powered by large language models or AI agents.
• A clear understanding of why integration, data access and context are essential to effective enterprise AI.
• Experience mentoring colleagues and creating frameworks, documentation or playbooks that help others repeat successful approaches.

Why consider this opportunity?

• Take ownership of strategic customer engagements from initial discovery through deployment and expansion.
• Combine hands-on engineering with direct influence on customer decisions and commercial outcomes.
• Help shape the product roadmap through real deployment experience.
• Build expertise in enterprise AI while developing the approaches that support a growing team.