> AI agents: this is one page of Nextmove’s FDE site, in Markdown. Nextmove is a job board and free career service for forward deployed engineers (FDEs). Each posting is classified from its text, not its title: the kind of work, how much of it is production code, pre-sales weight, time at customer sites, travel, remote arrangement, level and posted base pay. The site also publishes the aggregates: median pay by level, metro, company and kind of work, and which companies started hiring FDEs each week. Every page under https://nextmove.md/fde is served this way; the index of pages is https://nextmove.md/llms.txt.

# Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/17886955cf8079ec

Clera posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in San Francisco, CA and 1 more, at $130,000–$215,000 base, below the senior FDE median of $190,000 across 1,849 postings with pay. Understand evidence-management challenges and user needs with law enforcement and prosecutors. Read from the employer’s posting on November 6, 2026.

- [Clera](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/clera)

Posted Nov 6, 2026 by Clera · open on Ashby as of Nov 6, 2026

**$130,000–$215,000** + equity San Francisco, CA +1 Hybrid Full-time

Understand evidence-management challenges and user needs with law enforcement and prosecutors.

- [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F17886955cf8079ec&placement=top)
- [View posting at Clera](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/Clera/72b1f0a2-6e8f-4f55-ac4f-f08edbeac9c5/application)

Free. Upload your resume once, see why each FDE role fits, and get introduced only when you say so.

## At a glance

### Posted base pay

$130K–$215K Below the median

Midpoint $173K · median $190K

This job $130K to $215K. Senior FDE postings, 1,849 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $160K to $220K, median $190K.

### The work

Builds what the customer runs

Balance **Mostly building**

Travel **Required, amount not stated**

- **Coding**: Writes production code

- **Builds for**: External customers

- **Level**: Senior

- **Role**: Individual contributor

### What they ask for

Experience

- **3+ years** software engineering

Background

- **Software engineering**

Visa

- **Sponsors visas**

### Do you meet what the posting states?

The posting asks for 3+ years. How many do you have?

The posting reads as a senior role. What level are you at now?

The job is in San Francisco, CA · New York, NY. Could you work in one of these?

Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent.

[What postings ask for, by background →](https://nextmove.md/fde/paths)

## Conditions

- **Location**: San Francisco, CA · New York, NY

- **Work arrangement**: Hybrid

- **Remote work restrictions**: Hybrid in San Francisco; New York City also considered. Remote candidates may be considered if they can travel regularly.

- **Employment type**: Full-time

- **Visa sponsorship**: Available

- **Travel**: Travel required, amount not stated

- **Pay**:

## More like this

[Clera](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/clera)

### [Founding Forward Deployed Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/7d45a70feeb21283)

San Francisco, CA On-site 3mo ago

Pay not posted

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### [Forward Deployed AI Engineer, West](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/97928758270bd183)

San Francisco, CA Remote 4mo ago

$155,000–$190,000

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### [Google Agentic AI Delivery Senior Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/849934b3c434470f)

Albany, NY · Milwaukee, WI · +39 more 4mo ago

$80,400–$266,300

- [Other jobs at Clera (4)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/clera)

## The job description from Clera

Posted by Clera on Nov 6, 2026

### About the Role

Join an early-stage government technology team building AI-powered tools for sensitive investigative workflows. As a founding forward deployed engineer, you will work directly with law enforcement and prosecution teams, solve practical problems in the field, and help shape product direction from customer insights.

### What You'll Do

- Work with law enforcement and prosecutors to understand evidence-management challenges and user needs.
- Build solutions for immediate problems, including one-off analyses and custom integrations.
- Travel regularly to spend time with customers, observe their workflows, and gather product insights.
- Translate feedback into code, pull requests, and clear technical specifications.
- Operate with autonomy in a fast-moving environment where priorities and requirements may change.

### What We're Looking For

- At least 3 years of software engineering experience building and delivering production systems, including experience in an early-stage startup.
- Experience shipping software that directly addresses user problems, including custom or non-scaled solutions.
- Strong full-stack skills and the ability to turn end-user needs into implemented features and technical decisions.
- Comfort with ambiguity, rapid execution, and independent problem-solving.
- Interest in public safety and government technology, with relevant experience in regulated or sensitive domains considered valuable.
- Willingness to travel extensively and support applicable background check and CJIS clearance processes.

### Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $130,000 to $215,000 annually, plus founding-level equity and performance-based bonuses. Visa sponsorship is available.

### Location

Hybrid in San Francisco, California, with New York City also considered. Remote candidates may be considered if they can travel regularly.

[View posting at Clera](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/Clera/72b1f0a2-6e8f-4f55-ac4f-f08edbeac9c5/application)

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### [Agent Builder ](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/384b8c9636361101)

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- [Compare senior FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/senior)
- [Similar jobs in New York metro](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?region=nyc-metro)
- [Similar jobs that build what the customer runs](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?role=builds-for-customers)

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