Forward Deployed Engineer
Encord
Software Engineering
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Mar 6, 2026
About Us
Encord is the universal data layer for AI that helps 300+ AI teams train and run models on the right data. Our platform indexes, curates, annotates, and evaluates data across the full AI lifecycle, from development through production. Trusted by Woven by Toyota, AXA, UiPath, Zipline, and more.
We're an ambitious team of 100+ working at the frontier of AI and have raised $60M in Series C funding from Wellington Management, CRV, Next47 and Y Combinator.
The role
We’re looking for an exceptional Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to join our product engineering team. Our FDEs own the deployment of the Encord platform in our most strategic and advanced use-cases – working with customers daily to drive adoption and value delivery. As an early member of the Forward Deployed team, you will have an outsized impact shaping a critical function for Encord and our customers, and stepping into a role which can accelerate your career in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
You will become a product expert, and work with internal teams, both technical & commercial, to build a well-oiled engine that consistently enables customers to get up and running successfully, at scale. As an end-to-end owner of the deployment process, you will have a chance to work and grow on a variety of problems – technical engineering, operational excellent and strategic product work. Expect to build data integrations, guide customers with best practices, demo the product, and contribute to the product roadmap.
You’re joining Encord at an inflection point — over the last 18 months, we've built a world-class team, raised our $30M Series B (from Next47, YC, Crane) and onboarded hundreds of the leading AI companies onto Encord. If you're ready to take ownership, solve complex problems, and help define the future of AI infrastructure, this role is for you!
About You
You’ve consistently performed in the top percentile of whatever environment you’ve been in, whether in academia, business, sport, work, or whatever else you've put your mind to
What We Offer
Encord is the universal data layer for AI that helps 300+ AI teams train and run models on the right data. Our platform indexes, curates, annotates, and evaluates data across the full AI lifecycle, from development through production. Trusted by Woven by Toyota, AXA, UiPath, Zipline, and more.
We're an ambitious team of 100+ working at the frontier of AI and have raised $60M in Series C funding from Wellington Management, CRV, Next47 and Y Combinator.
The role
We’re looking for an exceptional Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to join our product engineering team. Our FDEs own the deployment of the Encord platform in our most strategic and advanced use-cases – working with customers daily to drive adoption and value delivery. As an early member of the Forward Deployed team, you will have an outsized impact shaping a critical function for Encord and our customers, and stepping into a role which can accelerate your career in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
You will become a product expert, and work with internal teams, both technical & commercial, to build a well-oiled engine that consistently enables customers to get up and running successfully, at scale. As an end-to-end owner of the deployment process, you will have a chance to work and grow on a variety of problems – technical engineering, operational excellent and strategic product work. Expect to build data integrations, guide customers with best practices, demo the product, and contribute to the product roadmap.
You’re joining Encord at an inflection point — over the last 18 months, we've built a world-class team, raised our $30M Series B (from Next47, YC, Crane) and onboarded hundreds of the leading AI companies onto Encord. If you're ready to take ownership, solve complex problems, and help define the future of AI infrastructure, this role is for you!
About You
- You have 3-8 years of experience in a client-facing role in a high-intensity, fast-paced environment.
- You're as comfortable handling in-the-weeds product configuration queries as you are communicating to executives about a project plan.
- You are a great communicator and are motivated by building customer relationships and solving customer problems. -You enjoy running demos, hosting workshops and shipping solutions.
- You derive energy from owning & successfully completing projects, and are great at balancing detail-focus with bigger-picture thinking.
- You are highly organized and great at managing your time across many competing priorities.
You’ve consistently performed in the top percentile of whatever environment you’ve been in, whether in academia, business, sport, work, or whatever else you've put your mind to
What We Offer
- Competitive salary, commission and equity in a hyper growth startup.
- Real opportunities to grow. We’re growing insanely fast and you’ll have all the opportunities for growth that you can handle.
- Strong in person culture. We're 3-5 days a week in our new loft office in North Beach.
- Flexible PTO to recharge.
- Annual learning and development budget.
- 18 Paid Vacation Days in the US + federal holidays.
- Lots of opportunities for travel (all around the US, to London & Europe).
- Bi-annual off-sites and monthly socials.- Health, dental and vision insurance.