Forward deployed engineer jobs in the USA
United States
Most forward deployed engineer jobs in the USA sit in a handful of metros, plus a long list of remote roles. Here is who hires in each metro, how remote US roles work, and where the cleared work is.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
The coasts, then the rest
San Francisco and New York lead, other metros follow
A forward deployed engineer is an engineer who works inside a customer's team until the software is live. In the postings we read, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York have the most FDE employers.
Seattle, Boston, Washington, DC and Austin come next. Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu and Denver have smaller sets. Each metro has its own page, linked below.
The industry changes with the city. New York roles lean on finance, legal and healthcare. Washington, DC, San Diego and Honolulu lean on defence and government. The Bay Area mixes AI labs, infrastructure and robotics.
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 the USA, metro by metro
One posting from each metro page, so you can compare like for like.
| Company | Role | Listed location | Work pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | Forward Deployed Software Engineer | San Francisco | Hybrid |
| Harvey | Forward Deployed Finance Engineer, Private Credit | New York | Hybrid |
| OpenAI | Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Seattle | Seattle | Hybrid |
| Databricks | Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), Manufacturing | Boston | Not stated |
| OpenAI | Forward Deployed Security Engineer | Washington, DC | Hybrid |
| Databricks | Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer | Austin | Not stated |
| Fin (Intercom) | Forward Deployed Engineer | Chicago or San Francisco | Hybrid |
| Anduril | Senior Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Strategic Defense | Costa Mesa or Washington, DC | Not stated |
| Shield AI | Forward Deployed Engineer, Operations & Sustainment | San Diego or Washington, DC | Hybrid, with travel |
| Vannevar Labs | Forward Deployed Engineer, Oahu (TS/SCI Clearance Required) | Honolulu | Hybrid, Honolulu office |
| Databricks | Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), Retail | Denver | Not stated |
Taken from each company's own careers page. Postings close, so check the posting before you apply.
Patterns
What holds across US FDE jobs
- Remote across the country ElevenLabs says its US FDE role can be done from anywhere in the United States. GitLab says all of its roles are remote.
- One posting, many metros Commure lists a long set of metros on its remote FDE role, from Mountain View and Phoenix to Boston and New York City.
- Clearance for government work Scale AI asks for TS/SCI or eligibility on its public sector role. Anduril asks Air Defense FDEs to be eligible for a US clearance.
US FDE roles are listed by metro, and remote ones by country
If you live somewhere without its own page, the remote page lists FDE roles open across the whole US.
For engineers across the US
US engineers can work with teams in any US time zone, so overlap is rarely the problem. If you do forward deployed work, apply to us once with your CV. Talent never pays.
US companies can hire through us too. Send your requirement. It is free. We read it ourselves and send a shortlist of people who fit, each with a CV and a short note.
For engineers and leaders
Apply to join.
Apply once with your CV. We look at every application ourselves. Talent never pays.
Other FDE locations, roles and jobs
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San Francisco Bay Area -
New York -
Seattle - Boston
- Washington, DC
- Austin
-
Chicago - Los Angeles and Orange County
- San Diego
- Honolulu
- Denver and Colorado
- Remote
- OpenAI FDE roles
- Databricks FDE roles
- Harvey FDE roles
- FDE jobs board
- FDE salary guide
-
Apply as a forward deployed engineer -
Send your requirement - All locations
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 United States
Where are most forward deployed engineer jobs in the USA?
In the postings we read, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York have the most employers. Seattle, Boston, Washington, DC and Austin come next. Each metro has its own page.
How do I find forward deployed engineer jobs near me in the US?
Open the page for the nearest metro below. If none is close, the remote page lists FDE roles open across the US, such as ElevenLabs and GitLab.
Do US FDE jobs need a security clearance?
Only some government and defence roles. Scale AI asks for TS/SCI or eligibility on its public sector role. Anduril asks Air Defense FDEs to be eligible for a US clearance. The commercial roles we read did not ask for one.
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
What is fractional