Forward Deployed Engineer

About Climb

Climb is a Data and AI consultancy that partners with enterprises to design, build, and operationalize modern data platforms and production AI systems. As a Databricks partner, we go deep on lakehouse architecture, machine learning, and applied AI, with a bias toward production over proof of concept. Our team brings deep technical expertise and a builder's mindset to every engagement, and we measure our work not just by what ships, but by the business impact it drives.

Role Summary

Forward Deployed Engineers build the features and components that make up Climb's client engagements. You work inside real client environments alongside a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer or Forward Deployed Architect, taking well-scoped pieces of work from design through implementation and deployment.

At Climb, this is where you learn the forward-deployed craft. You are fully autonomous on the work assigned to you: you own your components, make the implementation decisions within them, and are accountable for the quality of what you ship. The architecture of the wider system and the client relationship sit with more senior Climbers, which gives you room to go deep on the build while you develop the judgment that comes with broader scope.

Our engagements focus on building production data platforms, AI applications, intelligent agents, and modern analytics systems, most often on Databricks, but always using the technologies that best fit the client's environment and business goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the components and features you are assigned: production data pipelines, LLM applications, agents, and workflow automations that meet spec and hold up under real load.
• Own the implementation decisions within your scope and be accountable for the quality, testing, and reliability of what you ship.
• Work from a scoped brief: turn a defined requirement into working software without needing to be told how.
• Participate in architecture reviews, standups, and working sessions; ask the questions that surface constraints early.
• Raise blockers, risks, and scope changes to your Senior Engineer or Architect as soon as you see them, not after they land.
• Write documentation and runnable, maintainable code so the client can operate what you build after the engagement ends.
• Engage directly with client engineers and stakeholders in the course of your work, with support from more senior Climbers on the broader relationship.
• Build your range deliberately: pick up new tools, patterns, and parts of the stack as engagements require.

Required Qualifications

• 2+ years of software engineering, data engineering, or technical delivery experience.
• Demonstrated ability to take a scoped requirement and deliver working, production-quality software with limited supervision.
• Hands-on experience in one or more of: application or backend development, cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP), data pipeline development, or LLM application development.
• Strong fundamentals in at least one primary language (Python, Scala, Java, or equivalent) and SQL.
• Clear communicator: can explain what you built, what you decided, and where you are stuck, to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders.
• Comfort working in someone else's codebase and environment, and adapting to a client's constraints and standards.
• Genuine appetite to learn the client-facing side of the work, not just the systems and code.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to Databricks (Delta Lake, Workflows, Unity Catalog, Mosaic AI) or a comparable modern data platform.
• Experience with production AI or LLM systems: RAG pipelines, agents, or model-backed applications.
• Familiarity with CI/CD, testing discipline, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Prior consulting, systems integrator, agency, or other client-facing experience.
• Experience working with AI-assisted development and agentic tooling (e.g., Claude Code or equivalent).

Note on certification: Databricks experience is valued but not required at hire. Both Databricks and Anthropic certification are expected to be obtained post-hire.

Who Thrives Here

This role is designed for engineers who are strong builders today and are growing toward owning complete workstreams and client relationships.

• You finish what you start and hold yourself to a high bar without being chased.
• You ask early rather than guessing, and you bring a proposed answer with the question.
• You are comfortable being the most junior person in a client room and still adding value.
• You'd rather ship something maintainable than demo something clever.

Why Climb

• Ground floor, real backing. You are joining early, with founders who have built and exited firms like this before. You help write the playbook rather than inherit one.
• Outcomes, not hours. We sell and deliver against business results. Advancement is tied to delivery performance and account impact, not utilization targets.
• Senior team, no body-shop drag. Small pods of A-players, heavy internal AI leverage, and no bloated middle layers between you and the work.
• IP that compounds. Every engagement feeds reusable accelerators, patterns, and points of view back into the practice.
• Autonomy with a bench. Minimal oversight in the field, a strong senior technical bench behind you when the problem warrants it.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary with performance-based bonuses
• MacBook Pro and swag kit so you can do your best work
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous holidays, flexible PTO, and remote-first work environment
• Professional development budget including Databricks and cloud certifications
• Spot bonuses for relevant certifications
• Conference attendance and thought leadership opportunities
• Collaborative, low-ego culture with direct access to leadership
• Opportunity to shape a growing practice from the ground floor

Climb is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.