> 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. # Forward Deployed Engineer Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/80f77599c6e31ea9 Code Metal posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in Boston, MA, at $160,000–$200,000 base, level with the not stated FDE median of $180,000 across 62 postings with pay. Forward Deploy Engineers own the last mile of deploying validated compute-heavy solutions into customer environments, integrating and optimizing workloads across GPUs, FPGAs, and edge systems. Read from the employer’s posting on November 6, 2026. - [Code Metal](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/code-metal) Posted Aug 24, 2026 by Code Metal · open on Ashby as of Nov 6, 2026 **$160,000–$200,000** + equity Boston, MA Hybrid Full-time Forward Deploy Engineers own the last mile of deploying validated compute-heavy solutions into customer environments, integrating and optimizing workloads across GPUs, FPGAs, and edge systems. - [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F80f77599c6e31ea9&placement=top) - [View posting at Code Metal](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/code-metal/0ec68c93-f625-4d6f-b489-c483550c0158/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 $160K–$200K Level with the median Midpoint $180K · median $180K This job $160K to $200K. Not stated FDE postings, 62 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $153K to $210K, median $180K. ### 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 Travel **Up to 75%** - **Coding**: Writes production code - **Builds for**: External customers - **Role**: Technical lead ### What they ask for Experience - **5+ years** Senior-level track - **7+ years** Staff-level track - **10+ years** Principal-level track ### Do you meet what the posting states? The posting asks for 5+ years. How many do you have? The job is in Boston, MA. 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**: Boston, MA - **Work arrangement**: Hybrid - **Employment type**: Full-time - **Travel**: Up to 75% - **Pay**: ## More like this [BCG](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/bcg) ### [Forward Deployed AI Scientist, Internship, Campus, United States - BCG X](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/ce82c8d85fc04836) Boston, MA · New York, NY · +2 more On-site 3w ago $155,000–$200,000 [Zus Health](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/zus-health) ### [Staff Integrations Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/f395eb966bbbdb02) Boston, MA Remote 2mo ago $160,000–$200,000 [Amazon (incl AWS)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/amazon-incl-aws) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer, AWS Forward Deployed Engineering](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/68680c17f0761c20) Boston, MA · Seattle, WA · +2 more 3w ago $143,700–$213,800 - [Other jobs at Code Metal (4)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/code-metal) ## The job description from Code Metal Posted by Code Metal on Aug 24, 2026 ### About Code Metal Code Metal is the leader in automated software engineering you can trust. As AI writes more of the world's code, the bottleneck in software has shifted from writing code to verifying it works, and AI cannot verify its own work with certainty. Code Metal takes a fundamentally different approach: constrain AI to what it does reliably, verify every step independently of the model using formal methods, and keep engineers in the loop on the decisions that matter. The result isn't code that probably works — it's code that is provably correct, with auditable proof. Customers including the U.S. Air Force, L3Harris, RTX, and Toshiba use Code Metal to modernize legacy code, optimize performance on real hardware, and move prototypes to production, fast. Founded in 2023 with offices in Boston and San Francisco, Code Metal isfunded byAccel, Salesforce Ventures, B Capital, Smith Point Capital, J2 Ventures, Shield Capital, Overmatch, RTX, and others. Learn more at codemetal.ai. Code Metal operates at the intersection of advanced algorithms and specialized hardware, where successful deployment requires deep technical execution close to the customer. We’re looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer who owns the last mile from validated solution to reliable fielded capability: integrating, optimizing, debugging, and operating customer workloads on GPUs, FPGAs, and edge systems. This is not a purely internal engineering role. You will work directly with customer teams - often in high-stakes, mission-critical environments - to integrate into real systems, resolve deployment blockers, and ensure successful production delivery. You will operate with high autonomy and remain accountable until the capability works reliably in the customer environment. ### Requirements: - Own end-to-end deployment of validated customer solutions. From implementation and integration through production acceptance, you are accountable for delivering reliable working systems on target hardware. - Work directly with customer engineers and operators to integrate into their environment, understand operational constraints, and close gaps between a validated solution and production use. - Productionize and optimize implementations. Take validated DSP, RF, communications, or other compute-heavy pipelines and make them reliable, performant, testable, and deployable on GPUs, FPGAs, and other accelerators using Code Metal's platform. - Optimize performance under real-world constraints. Profile, debug, and tune systems for latency, throughput, memory, and power across heterogeneous compute environments. - Debug across the full stack. Identify and resolve issues spanning algorithms, software, hardware, and toolchains in complex deployment environments. - Collaborate cross-functionally. Partner with Solutions Engineers, Solutions Architects, product, and core engineering to resolve field issues, harden reusable capabilities, and feed deployment learnings into the platform. - Operate with a high-ownership mindset. Navigate ambiguity, unblock critical issues, and do what is required to move deployments forward in high-stakes environments. - Build reusable deployment patterns and playbooks. Capture integration, test, observability, and operational learnings so future deployments become more repeatable and supportable. - Support on-site deployments. Travel as needed (30-75% depending on the customer) to integrate, test, and validate systems in real-world environments. - Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance; some assignments may require an active Top Secret clearance. ### Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in software engineering, systems engineering, or applied algorithm development - Strong programming ability in at least one of: Python, C++, CUDA, Matlab, VHDL, Verilog, or Rust - Hands-on experience with one or more of the following: GPU programming, FPGA development, embedded systems, or edge compute environments - Experience working with compute-intensive workloads (DSP, RF, communications, computer vision, etc.) - Demonstrated ability to optimize and deploy software on specialized or constrained hardware - Ability to debug complex systems across software and hardware boundaries - Strong problem-solving skills and ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving environments - Comfort working directly with customers and communicating technical concepts clearly - Comfort spending significant time embedded with customer teams when deployment needs require it. - Experience delivering software or systems in defense, aerospace, industrial, or other mission-critical environments. ### Level Expectations by Track: *This role is open at Senior, Staff, or Principal level. The expectations below describe how scope, ownership, and technical leadership differ by level; candidates are evaluated against the level they are hired into.* ### Senior - Years of Experience: 5+ - Engineering Craft & Code Quality: Writes clean, idiomatic, well-tested code/output and follows best practices; drives debugging of the team's hardest issues; ensures AI-assisted work is correct, modular, and fully tested. - Architecture & Technical Knowledge: Designs and implements changes to single systems, collaborates on larger designs, and drives architecture reviews for multi-developer projects. - Delivery, Scoping & De-risking: Works with Product to scope and de-risk work; provides reliable estimates for medium-sized projects with clear risk communication. - Technical Leadership & Mentorship: A go-to technical reviewer for the team's codebase; mentors and onboards teammates; contributes to interviews and candidate experience. ### Staff - Years of Experience: 7+ - Engineering Craft & Code Quality: Defines and enforces the team's testing strategy, standards, and quality bar; ensures AI-generated output is tightly integrated into existing paradigms and robustly tested. - Architecture & Technical Knowledge: Designs cross-cutting changes across the stack; provides architectural guidance across the team; owns design docs for major multi-service or multi-surface projects. - Delivery, Scoping & De-risking: Owns technical scoping and execution strategy for complex, multi-sprint initiatives; audits requirements for technical risk and hidden dependencies before development begins. - Technical Leadership & Mentorship: The primary technical gatekeeper for the team's codebase; reviews most high-impact work; leads technical grooming, design spikes, and RFCs; coordinates across pods when changes cross domain boundaries. ### Principal - Years of Experience: 10+ - Engineering Craft & Code Quality: Sets the quality and correctness bar across the department; their work is the example others learn from; improves the automated systems and practices that ensure quality department-wide. - Architecture & Technical Knowledge: Provides architectural guidance across the department and invents paradigms that solve CodeMetal-specific domain problems (e.g., translation, optimization, deployment across target environments); a key resource on every major system. - Delivery, Scoping & De-risking: A consistent contributor to the company's technical roadmap; gives reliable estimates for large cross-team initiatives; ensures pragmatic scoping toward the most valuable outcomes. - Technical Leadership & Mentorship: An active driver of company-wide architectural reviews and proposals; mentors mid-level and senior staff at scale; influences others across departments toward the best technical outcome. ### Benefits - Pay depends on experience, but we strive to be at the upper end of the salary range - Health care plan with 100% premium coverage, including medical, dental, and vision - 401k with 5% matching - Paid Time Off (uncapped vacation, plus sick and public holidays) - Flexible hybrid or remote work arrangement - Relocation assistance for qualifying employees *Wage Transparency - The salary range for this role is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as the final offer amount may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, individual proficiency, skills, experience, and location.* *We are an equal opportunity employer. US Citizenship may be required for certain project assignments involving security clearance.* *Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.* [View posting at Code Metal](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/code-metal/0ec68c93-f625-4d6f-b489-c483550c0158/application) ## Similar jobs [Anduril](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/anduril) ### [Mission Software Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/cc4b231a5945a37b) Waltham, MA New · 4d ago $132,000–$175,000 [TetraScience](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/tetrascience) ### [Scientific Data Architect - Biologics Manufacturing & Quality Control](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/5463716d514779ef) Boston, MA 10d ago $140,000–$240,000 [First Resonance](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/first-resonance) ### [Forward Deployed Software Engineer (New England Area)](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/473c461a80ccbf80) Providence, RI · Boston, MA · +1 more Hybrid 2mo ago $145,000–$175,000 [Layer Health](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/layer-health) ### [Forward Deployed Data Scientist](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/c536d4e22f6f3560) Boston, MA · New York, NY Hybrid 2mo ago $150,000–$180,000 [Generalist AI](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/generalist-ai) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/dfe338dad6dac3cb) Somerville, MA On-site New · 3d ago $150,000–$200,000 - [Compare US FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary) - [Similar jobs in Boston area](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?region=greater-boston) - [Similar jobs that build what the customer runs](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?role=builds-for-customers) Hiring at Code Metal and want this page changed or removed? 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