Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) - Seattle
Directly builds and deploys LLM/generative-model powered systems for customers, so it's centered on AI-driven product delivery and productionizing models.
About the Role
Forward Deployed Engineers at OpenAI partner with customers to design, build, and roll out production systems powered by frontier models. The role leads end-to-end technical delivery—scoping, system design, implementation, and production adoption—working closely with customer teams and internal Product, Research, and GTM partners.
Job Description
Role
Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) at OpenAI lead complex end-to-end deployments of frontier models in production alongside strategic customers. FDEs own discovery, technical scoping, system design, implementation, and production rollout, and measure success by production adoption, measurable workflow impact, and evaluation-driven feedback.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical delivery across multiple deployments from prototype to stable production.
- Build full-stack systems that deliver customer value and inform learning loops.
- Embed with customer engineering and domain teams to guide adoption and implementation.
- Scope work, sequence delivery, remove blockers, and make trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality.
- Contribute code directly when necessary and review production-grade code across frontend and backend.
- Codify working patterns into tools, playbooks, or reusable building blocks.
- Share field feedback to inform Research and Product about model performance and product experience.
- Keep cross-functional teams aligned and ensure follow-through.
Requirements
- 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience that includes customer-facing work.
- Experience scoping and delivering complex systems in fast-moving or ambiguous environments.
- Ability to write and review production-grade code across frontend and backend using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks.
- Experience building or deploying systems powered by LLMs or generative models and understanding how model behavior affects product experience.
- Strong communication skills with engineers, product teams, and customer stakeholders; ability to identify risks and make sound decisions under pressure.
Location & Logistics
- Based in Seattle; hybrid work model with 3 days in the office per week.
- Relocation assistance offered.
- Travel up to 50% required.
Collaboration
- Work closely with Product, Research, Partnerships, GRC, Security, and GTM teams.