> 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.

# AI Engineer

Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/39bf81c2d704a47b

Blank Metal posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in Minneapolis, MN with no pay posted. An experienced AI engineer will design and implement end-to-end AI integrations, architect scalable AI-powered systems, and ship production-grade features for enterprise clients. Read from the employer’s posting on November 6, 2026.

- [Blank Metal](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/blank-metal)

Posted Mar 23, 2026 by Blank Metal · open on Ashby as of Nov 6, 2026

Pay not posted Minneapolis, MN Hybrid Full-time

An experienced AI engineer will design and implement end-to-end AI integrations, architect scalable AI-powered systems, and ship production-grade features for enterprise clients.

- [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F39bf81c2d704a47b&placement=top)
- [View posting at Blank Metal](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/blank-metal/b23c6dd3-9797-4315-b8db-78ef71fefa92/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

Not posted

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**

Project stages

1. Pre-sales (not covered)
2. Proof of concept (not covered)
3. Implementation
4. Operations (not covered)

- **Coding**: Writes production code

- **Builds for**: External customers

- **Level**: Senior

- **Role**: Individual contributor

### What they ask for

Experience

- **2+ years** professional software engineering

Background

- **Software engineering**

### Do you meet what the posting states?

The posting asks for 2+ years. How many do you have?

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

The job is in Minneapolis, MN. Could you work there?

Which of these have you used in production?

Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent.

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

## Conditions

- **Location**: Minneapolis, MN

- **Work arrangement**: Hybrid

- **Employment type**: Full-time

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## The job description from Blank Metal

Posted by Blank Metal on Mar 23, 2026

### About Blank Metal

Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands-on execution, shipping high-impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results.

We're builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists work across industries to create AI applications that actually get used and make a difference.

### The Role

You're an experienced engineer who ships production AI features with confidence. You understand how to integrate LLM APIs and AI services into robust applications, architect scalable AI-powered systems, and deliver high-impact features that clients depend on.

### What You'll Do

- Design and implement end-to-end AI integrations: from LLM API selection to production deployment
- Architect AI-powered features that work reliably at scale
- Work independently on complex projects with minimal oversight
- Leverage LLM frameworks, vector databases, and prompt engineering to solve real problems
- Integrate cloud AI services and build custom AI tooling when needed
- Ship production-grade code that balances quality and velocity
- Collaborate with designers, product managers, and other engineers
- Contribute to technical decisions and architectural discussions
- Mentor junior engineers when needed

### What We're Looking For

- **Production Expertise**: Proven ability to ship production AI features end-to-end
- **LLM Mastery**: Deep hands-on experience with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) and frameworks like LangChain
- **Full-Stack Skills**: Strong development across frontend (React/modern frameworks), backend (Python, Node.js, .NET), and infrastructure
- **System Design**: Can architect AI integrations that scale, handle errors gracefully, and provide good user experiences
- **AI Tooling**: Comfortable with vector databases, prompt engineering, embedding models, and emerging AI tools
- **Quality Focus**: You care about code quality, testing, and building systems that users can rely on
- **Initiative**: You identify problems, propose solutions, and drive projects to completion

### Required Experience

- 2-5 years of professional software engineering experience
- Demonstrated production AI experience (LLM integrations, AI-powered features)
- Advanced full-stack development skills
- Experience with modern cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
- Strong backend and infrastructure development skills applied to real production systems
- Proven ability to ship complex features independently

### Nice to Have

- Experience with RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems
- Familiarity with vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate, Chroma, etc.)
- Experience contributing to frontend features using modern frameworks when needed
- Background with API design and system integration
- Understanding of prompt engineering best practices
- Experience with deployment and DevOps practices
- Exposure to agentic AI systems

### Why You'll Love It Here

- Build AI that ships: every project ends in a live deployment, not a slide deck
- Craft meets velocity: we obsess over quality while delivering at startup speed
- Outcome-driven model: our projects align with client success, not billable hours
- AI-native culture: you'll work with peers who deeply understand modern AI's potential and limits
- Real collaboration: open conversations, shared ownership, and space to bring your voice and creativity

### What Success Looks Like

In your role, you'll:

- Ship production AI features with minimal guidance
- Own the technical direction of AI integrations on your projects
- Become the go-to expert on AI architecture and tooling
- Help raise the bar for how the team approaches AI engineering
- Build a track record of high-impact, reliable AI systems
- Grow as a leader by mentoring other engineers

### Equal Opportunity

Blank Metal is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity makes our work better and our team stronger.

[View posting at Blank Metal](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/blank-metal/b23c6dd3-9797-4315-b8db-78ef71fefa92/application)

## About Blank Metal

Blank Metal helps enterprises move AI from pilot to production through senior engineering delivery, workflow redesign, and team enablement.

Seed · 10–50 people

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- [Compare senior FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/senior)
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