Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer
AI summary of the role
Senior Forward Deployed Engineer at IG Labs, an AI-native consulting role akin to Palantir/Scale AI FDEs.
What you’ll do
- Lead client conversations: run discovery, present solutions, navigate pushback, build trust
- Decompose ambiguous problems into buildable scope and ship production-quality code
- Own client workstreams end-to-end: discovery, build, deployment, adoption
- Mentor Junior FDEs through code review, pairing, and coaching
What you’ll bring
- 5+ years hands-on software engineering with production systems
- Deep expertise in ML/AI, Data Engineering, Full Stack, Analytics/BI, or DevOps
- Demonstrated client or external stakeholder work
- Experience in ambiguous environments (consulting, professional services, startups)
Technologies
ML/AI · Data Engineering · Full Stack · Analytics/BI · DevOps · AI tools · agent workflows · data pipelines · integrations
Source and classification
Implementation & delivery · Evidence for this classification:
Overview We are looking for a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer who can be dropped into a client engagement and trusted to run a workstream end-to-end with minimal oversight. You are an AI-native operator who builds, configures, and extends solutions in live customer environments. You are not a retrained consultant or a business analyst with access to AI tools. The closest analogues to this role in the industry are forward-deployed engineers at Palantir or Scale AI. As a Senior FDE, you lead with deep expertise in one specialization but operate across the full problem space. You are the person who walks into a client meeting with a vague problem and walks out with a workable scope. You decompose ambiguity, ship working solutions fast, and ensure that what you build is actually adopted — not just deployed. You are client-ready from day one. You represent IG Labs in every interaction.
More from the job description
Overview We are looking for a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer who can be dropped into a client engagement and trusted to run a workstream end-to-end with minimal oversight. You are an AI-native operator who builds, configures, and extends solutions in live customer environments. You are not a retrained consultant or a business analyst with access to AI tools. The closest analogues to this role in the industry are forward-deployed engineers at Palantir or Scale AI. As a Senior FDE, you lead with deep expertise in one specialization but operate across the full problem space. You are the person who walks into a client meeting with a vague problem and walks out with a workable scope. You decompose ambiguity, ship working solutions fast, and ensure that what you build is actually adopted — not just deployed. You are client-ready from day one. You represent IG Labs in every interaction. You mentor Junior FDEs, set the standard for what good looks like, and contribute to IP capture that makes every future engagement faster. We are hiring across specializations. Your primary depth could be in ML/AI, Data Engineering, Full Stack Development, Analytics/BI, or DevOps — we will match you to engagements based on what the client problem requires. Responsibilities At the Senior level, these are not things you can do with support — they are things you do independently, instinctively, an [... source excerpt omitted ...] run discovery sessions, present solutions, navigate pushback, and build trust through technical credibility Decompose ambiguous problems into buildable scope: you do not wait for requirements — you create them Ship production-quality code that an offshore engineer in a different timezone can pick up and extend without calling you Work across the stack without hesitation: your specialization determines where you lead, not where you stop Self-manage completely: create your own task breakdowns, set timelines, flag risks before anyone asks Document as a reflex, not a chore: architecture decisions, runbooks, and handoff notes produced as you work Contribute to IP capture actively: w [... source excerpt omitted ...] and pre-sales: join prospect conversations, shape engagement scope, provide defensible estimates Mentor Junior FDEs: elevate the team through code review, pairing, and coaching Client-Facing Delivery Own one or more workstreams within a client engagement end-to-end — from discovery through build, deployment, and adoption Build and configure agent workflows, data pipelines, integrations, and AI-powered solutions in live customer environments Operate as the technical authority on your workstream Partner with the Technical Architect on cross-cutting architectural decisions Iterate rapidly based on client feedback — ship working solutions fast, validate with real users, and
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