Get hired as a Forward Deployed Engineer at the top AI companies.
FDEnest is an invite-only network for engineers who deploy production software inside customer environments. Get vetted once, then matched with the highest-impact FDE roles at the labs and platforms defining the category.
Engineers in the network
Companies hiring FDEs
Interview stories shared
Forward Deployed Engineers operate at the intersection of product, engineering, and customer success.
It’s the rare role where you discover the problem, build the solution, ship it into production, and live with the result — all next to the customer. Here’s what defines the work.
Customer + Engineering
You sit with the customer and write the code. Half engineer, half trusted advisor — fluent in both rooms.
Production Ownership
You own what you ship, from first commit to the 2am page. Nothing gets thrown over the wall.
Fast Delivery
Working software in days, not quarters. You move at the speed the customer needs, not the release train.
High Context Switching
New customer, domain, and stack every engagement. Range and adaptability beat narrow depth.
Deployment + Problem Solving
Discover the problem the customer can’t yet name, then deploy a real solution into their environment.
Everything you need to land the role.
The best FDE opportunities never hit a job board. We surface them — and arm you with the data, practice, and network to win them.
Get discovered
Companies come to you. Your profile is surfaced to teams actively hiring forward-deployed engineers.
Interview experiences
Read real, detailed write-ups from engineers who landed FDE roles at the companies you’re targeting.
Mock interviews
Practice with people who’ve done the real thing — system design, take-homes, and customer scenarios.
Compensation insights
See real FDE comp by company, level, and city so you walk into the negotiation already knowing the bands.
Private opportunities
Access roles that never hit a job board — shared confidentially with the network before anyone else.
Peer network
Trade playbooks with engineers who deploy production software inside customer environments for a living.
From application to offer.
One evaluation. A lifetime of warm introductions to the best forward-deployed teams in the industry.
Apply
Tell us about your engineering background and what you want next. Two minutes.
Get vetted
A focused evaluation of your technical depth and ability to own ambiguous, customer-facing problems.
Get matched
We map you to forward-deployed roles that fit — by stack, domain, comp, and location — and make warm intros.
Get hired
Interview with teams that already know you clear the bar. We support you through to a signed offer.
Questions, answered.
What is a Forward Deployed Engineer?
A Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) embeds directly with customers to build, customize, and deploy production software that solves their specific problems. Pioneered at Palantir, the role has exploded across AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, where deployments — not demos — drive retention.
Who should join the network?
Engineers who like owning problems end to end, are comfortable in front of customers, and can move fluidly between code, data, and business context. Both experienced FDEs and strong software/solutions engineers looking to break into the role are welcome.
How much does it cost?
It's free for engineers. FDEnest is paid by the companies that hire from the network, so joining and getting matched never costs you anything.
Is my information confidential?
Yes. Your profile is private by default. Companies only see your details when you explicitly opt in to a specific role.
Do I have to relocate or travel?
Not necessarily. Many forward-deployed roles are now remote or regional. We match on your travel and location preferences, so you only see roles that fit how you want to work.
Ready to deploy your career?
Join the network in two minutes. Get matched with forward-deployed roles built for engineers like you.