Forward deployed engineer jobs in San Francisco
San Francisco Bay Area
Forward deployed engineer jobs in San Francisco come from a wide spread of employers, from AI labs to robotics and AI infrastructure companies. Several want you in the office every day.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
The densest market
Labs, AI infrastructure and robotics all hire FDEs here
OpenAI, Ramp, Baseten, Abridge and Laurel all list San Francisco FDE roles. A forward deployed engineer at these companies works inside a customer's team until the product is in real use.
Many list on-site work. Fluidstack, Standard Bots, Physical Intelligence and Composio list their SF FDE roles as on-site. OpenAI, Abridge and Laurel list theirs as hybrid.
Tell us the role and the hours. We send you a shortlist of people who fit.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
Forward deployed engineer jobs in San Francisco and the Bay Area
A cross-section of live Bay Area postings, from labs to seed-stage startups.
| Company | Role | Listed location | Work pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | Forward Deployed Software Engineer | San Francisco | Hybrid |
| Ramp | Software Engineer, Forward Deployed | San Francisco or New York | Hybrid |
| Baseten | Forward Deployed Engineer (Training) | San Francisco or New York | Hybrid |
| Abridge | Member of Product Staff, Forward Deployed | SF office or NYC office | Hybrid |
| Laurel | Senior/Staff Forward Deployed Engineer | San Francisco | Hybrid |
| Fluidstack | Forward Deployed Engineer, Infrastructure Development & Delivery | San Francisco | On-site |
| Standard Bots | Staff Forward Deployed Engineer | San Francisco | On-site |
| Handshake | Forward Deployed Engineer, Enterprise AI | San Francisco | On-site |
| Physical Intelligence | Forward Deployed Robotics Engineer | San Francisco | On-site |
| Composio | Forward Deployed Engineer (New Grad) | San Francisco | On-site |
| Databricks | Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer | San Francisco | Not stated |
| Palantir | Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Autonomous Systems Command and Control | Palo Alto | Hybrid |
Taken from each company's own careers page. Postings close, so check the posting before you apply.
Patterns
What the Bay Area postings have in common
- On-site is common Composio, Tavus, Physical Intelligence, Fluidstack and Standard Bots all list their SF FDE roles as on-site.
- New grads get a door in Composio posts a new-grad FDE role and an FDE internship in SF. Palantir posts new-grad FDE roles in Palo Alto.
- Robotics FDEs Standard Bots places its Staff FDE with a large robotics API customer. Physical Intelligence hires an FDE to support robots deployed in warehouses.
The Bay Area hires FDEs in person. You do not have to.
If you build in the Bay Area and need a system live, the engineer you hire can work remotely inside your team. You and the engineer agree any time on site.
Hiring a forward deployed engineer for a Bay Area team
Bay Area teams compete with OpenAI and Ramp for the same FDE candidates. We look further than the local market: through the senior people who have applied to us, and our own contacts.
Send your requirement. It is free and there is no deposit. We send a shortlist, with each person's CV and a short note on why they fit. You talk to whoever you like and choose.
For companies
Tell us who you need.
Send your requirement. It is free and there is no deposit. We read it ourselves and send you a shortlist of people who fit. You pay only when someone starts.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
Other FDE locations, roles and jobs
Tell us what you need.
Send your requirement. We send you a shortlist of senior leaders who fit. One agreement and one invoice, with the terms agreed in writing before anything starts.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
Send your requirement
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
Apply to join
Talent never pays to apply, be shortlisted or be placed.
FAQ
FDE questions about the San Francisco Bay Area
Are San Francisco FDE jobs on-site?
It depends on the company. OpenAI, Abridge and Laurel list hybrid. Fluidstack, Standard Bots, Physical Intelligence, Composio and Handshake list on-site.
Can I do a San Francisco FDE job remotely?
Rarely. Most SF postings we read are hybrid or on-site. Deepgram is an exception: its senior strategic accounts FDE role can be based in New York City, San Francisco or remote. The remote page lists roles open across the whole US.
Can a Bay Area startup hire an FDE through you?
Yes. Send your requirement and tell us the system you need live. We read it ourselves and send people who fit. You pay only when someone starts.
Explore more
- How it works
What happens after you send your requirement, step by step.
- Fees
No deposit. One agreement and one invoice when someone starts.
- What is fractional
Senior leaders for part of the week, and when that makes sense.
- Locations
Talent based across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
How it works
Fees
What is fractional
Locations