Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

Senior Forward Deployed Engineer – Munich – Salary Up To €140,000 + Equity

(Customer Visits Will Be Required)

About the Role

We are working with an ambitious, early-stage technology start-up developing AI solutions that solve complex, real-world challenges in industrial environments.

The company is building technology that connects operational data, business systems and technical knowledge to enable intelligent AI-driven workflows. Working directly with customers, the team turns complex operational problems into practical, production-ready solutions that deliver measurable business value.

As a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer , you will take ownership of technical delivery from initial discovery through to deployment and ongoing optimisation. You will work closely with customers to understand their challenges, design and build tailored solutions, integrate data and systems, and translate real-world feedback into improvements to the core product.

This is an opportunity to join at an early stage, work closely with the founding team, and play a significant role in shaping both the technology and the company's approach to customer delivery.

What You'll Do

• Work directly with customers to understand their technical environments, operational workflows and most pressing challenges.
• Lead technical discovery sessions, workshops and use-case definition with engineering, operations, data and IT stakeholders.
• Translate complex business and technical problems into practical AI-powered solutions with clear success criteria.
• Design, build and deploy production-ready applications, integrations, data pipelines and AI-driven workflows.
• Connect disparate data sources, databases, APIs and enterprise systems to create reliable, usable data foundations.
• Develop and deploy solutions using Python and modern software engineering tools, working across the full lifecycle from prototype to production.
• Troubleshoot complex technical challenges in live customer environments and continuously improve system performance, reliability and usability.
• Work closely with the product and engineering teams to turn customer feedback into reusable capabilities and product improvements.
• Establish repeatable deployment processes, technical standards and best practices as the customer base grows.
• Take ownership of customer outcomes, balancing technical quality with speed, pragmatism and measurable impact.
• Help shape the company's Forward Deployed Engineering function, with the opportunity to influence its structure, processes and future growth.

What We're Looking For

• Strong software engineering skills, ideally with experience building production applications and integrating complex systems.
• Hands-on experience with Python, APIs, databases, data pipelines or distributed systems.
• Experience delivering technical solutions directly to customers, from discovery and solution design through to implementation and deployment.
• The ability to operate independently, take ownership of ambiguous problems and deliver results in fast-moving environments.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical teams, business stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
• A product-minded approach, with an interest in turning individual customer challenges into scalable, repeatable solutions.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and a genuine desire to help build an early-stage start-up.
• Willingness and ability to work onsite in the Munich office five days per week .
• Professional fluency in English.

Strong Advantages

The following experience is highly desirable, but none of these is a strict requirement:

• Data Science or Machine Learning: Experience working with data science, applied AI, machine learning models, statistical analysis or AI-driven applications.
• Manufacturing or Industrial Technology: Experience working with manufacturers, industrial data, production systems, industrial automation or complex operational environments.
• Building an FDE Function: Previous experience establishing, scaling or leading a Forward Deployed Engineering team or function. This is a particularly significant advantage for someone who wants to help shape how a growing technical delivery organisation operates.
• AI Agents and LLM Applications: Experience developing AI agents, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), LLM-powered workflows or other applied AI solutions.
• Enterprise Data Integration: Familiarity with complex data environments, legacy systems, industrial protocols or enterprise software integrations.
• Early-Stage Start-ups: Previous experience in a start-up or scale-up where you have worked with significant autonomy and helped build products, processes or teams from the ground up.

Why Join?

• Build from the ground up: Join an early-stage company where your contribution will have a direct impact on its direction and success.
• Work on real-world challenges: Build and deploy technology that solves complex operational problems rather than remaining at the proof-of-concept stage.
• Own the outcome: Take responsibility for technical delivery, customer impact and the evolution of the product.
• Influence the engineering function: Help establish the standards, processes and delivery practices that will support future growth.
• Work closely with the founders: Have a meaningful voice in technical decisions, product development and company strategy.
• Grow with the business: Take on increasing responsibility as the company and its customer base expand.