> 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.

# Lead Forward Deployed Engineer

Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/a763f86949ce779a

Vizient posts a senior FDE role to build what the customer runs in Chicago, IL and 2 more, at $117,600–$206,000 base, below the staff+ FDE median of $225,000 across 388 postings with pay. Lead the architecture and delivery of complex client-facing data, analytics, application, and AI-enabled solutions for real-world healthcare challenges. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026.

- [Vizient](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/vizient)

First seen Sep 29, 2026 · open on Workday as of Nov 8, 2026

**$117,600–$206,000** Chicago, IL +2

Lead the architecture and delivery of complex client-facing data, analytics, application, and AI-enabled solutions for real-world healthcare challenges.

- [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2Fa763f86949ce779a&placement=top)
- [View posting at Vizient](https://vizient.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Vizient_Careers/job/Chicago-IL-60607/Lead-Forward-Deployed-Engineer_35056R)

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

$118K–$206K Below the median

Midpoint $162K · median $225K

This job $118K to $206K. Staff+ FDE postings, 388 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $197K to $262K, median $225K.

### The work

Builds what the customer runs

Balance **Mostly building**

Project stages

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

Travel **Required, amount not stated**

- **Coding**: Writes production code

- **Builds for**: External customers

- **Level**: Staff+

- **Role**: Technical lead

### What they ask for

Experience

- **7+ years** relevant experience

### Do you meet what the posting states?

The posting asks for 7+ years. How many do you have?

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

The job is in Chicago, IL · Irving, TX · +1 more. Could you work in one of these?

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**: Chicago, IL · Irving, TX · Centennial, CO

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

- **Pay**:

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- [Other jobs at Vizient (1)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/vizient)

## The job description from Vizient

When you’re the best, we’re the best. We instill an environment where employees feel engaged, satisfied and able to contribute their unique skills and talents while living and working as their authentic selves. We provide extensive opportunities for personal and professional development, building both employee competence and organizational capability to fuel exceptional performance through an inclusive environment both now and in the future.

### Summary

In this role, you will lead the technical design and delivery of complex, client-facing data, analytics, application, and AI-enabled solutions that address real-world healthcare challenges. You will serve as a senior technical advisor and hands-on solution leader across large engagements, translating clinical, operational, and business needs into scalable solutions and data products. You will define solution architecture, establish reusable development practices, and guide teams from discovery and experimentation through production deployment while ensuring alignment with technology, data governance, security, and architecture standards.

### Responsibilities

- Lead the technical design, architecture, and delivery of enterprise-level data, analytics, application, and AI-enabled solutions.
- Own technical delivery across complex engagements from discovery and solution design through development, deployment, validation, and transition.
- Define reusable architecture patterns, development frameworks, code libraries, integration standards, and engineering best practices.
- Ensure solutions are scalable, maintainable, secure, observable, and aligned with established technology and governance standards.
- Facilitate technical design sessions, architecture reviews, solution reviews, and technical working sessions.
- Identify and address delivery risks involving infrastructure, data access, integration, security, architecture, and governance.
- Partner with client leaders, analysts, engineers, clinicians, and business teams to translate complex healthcare challenges into technical solutions.
- Advise senior client leaders on solution strategies aligned with clinical, operational, and business objectives.
- Communicate technical concepts, architectural decisions, and implementation considerations to technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Apply AI-assisted and agentic development approaches to accelerate delivery while maintaining appropriate controls and guardrails.
- Develop experimentation frameworks that enable rapid prototyping, evaluation, refinement, and production transition.
- Collaborate with Data Engineering, Application Engineering, Product, and Analytics teams to deliver cohesive, integrated solutions.
- Mentor engineers through technical coaching, knowledge sharing, and guidance on complex architecture and development decisions.
- Drive engineering excellence through reusable assets, documented practices, communities of practice, and consistent technical standards.
- Define and govern architecture patterns, integration standards, and agentic development frameworks that promote scalability and consistency.
- Develop reusable frameworks, code libraries, reference architectures, and best practices that accelerate solution delivery.

### Qualifications

- Relevant degree preferred.
- 7 or more years of relevant experience required.
- Experience leading the architecture and delivery of complex, multi-component technical solutions required.
- Experience with healthcare data, healthcare analytics, or healthcare technology required.
- Advanced expertise in SQL and modern cloud-based data and application development platforms, including Databricks required.
- Experience designing solutions that integrate data platforms, APIs, application layers, visualization tools, and cloud services required.
- Experience with AI-assisted development, large language models, agentic workflows, or related AI technologies strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of cloud-native architecture, application integration, security-by-design principles, source control, and CI/CD practices preferred.
- Experience rapidly prototyping solutions and transitioning successful concepts into scalable, maintainable implementations preferred.
- Strong consultative skills with the ability to translate healthcare and business challenges into actionable technical strategies preferred.
- Experience facilitating technical discussions and presenting recommendations to senior technical, business, clinical, and operational leaders preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and influence technical standards across teams without direct reporting authority preferred.
- Knowledge of Vizient data, analytics products, or the Clinical Data Base preferred.
- Willingness to travel.

### Estimated Hiring Range

At Vizient, we consider skills, experience, and organizational needs in our compensation approach. Geographic factors may adjust the range estimate and hires typically fall below the top range. Compensation decisions are tailored to individual circumstances. The current salary range for this role is $117,600.00 to $206,000.00.

This position is also incentive eligible.

Vizient has a comprehensive benefits plan! Please view our benefits here:

http://www.vizientinc.com/about-us/careers

**Equal Opportunity Employer: Females/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities**

The Company is committed to equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender identity, ethnicity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.

[View posting at Vizient](https://vizient.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Vizient_Careers/job/Chicago-IL-60607/Lead-Forward-Deployed-Engineer_35056R)

## About Vizient

Member-owned cooperative that runs the largest US healthcare group-purchasing contract portfolio plus analytics and advisory for hospitals and health systems.

Bootstrapped · 2000–5000 people

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