Tech Stack
Job Description, Responsibilities & Requirements
About the Position
Lead Forward Deployed Engineer
Location: Houston, USA
Engagement: Hourly / part-time, ongoing or full-time
About the Role
We're looking for a Lead Forward Deployed Engineer to run one of these engagements end to end. This isn't an architecture-from-a-distance role - you'll sit shoulder to shoulder with a pod of 2–4 engineers, write code yourself, make the calls that keep delivery moving, and act as the person who turns an ambiguous ask into a shipped product. You'll carry the outcome for the whole pod, not just your own commits, and you'll spend most of your week building rather than managing from a distance.
Your Mission
- Own delivery for one active client engagement at a time, from first conversation to production
- Lead and grow a pod of 2–4 forward-deployed engineers
- Translate ambiguous business needs into a scoped, testable delivery plan
- Keep the client's trust by shipping - consistently, visibly, on time
- Bring AI-assisted development practices into daily delivery work
Key Responsibilities
Delivery & Technical Leadership
- Lead a pod of engineers through end-to-end delivery of a single project, from problem framing to production hand-off
- Write production-ready code as a hands-on contributor, not just a reviewer
- Make day-to-day technical decisions - frameworks, data models, deployment targets - and escalate architectural calls when needed
- Run code reviews and pairing sessions that raise the team's technical bar
- Use AI-assisted development tools (Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, and similar) to accelerate delivery, and bring what works back to the wider engineering team
Stakeholder & Client Management
- Partner directly with business leaders, domain experts, and client stakeholders to understand needs and shape scope
- Represent the pod in status reviews, demos, and retrospectives
- Identify risks, dependencies, and blockers early - and drive the team through them
Team & Knowledge Building
- Mentor engineers through pairing, feedback, and targeted coaching on craft and consulting skills
- Document design decisions and reusable components to support future engagements
- Stay current with emerging AI tools and development practices, and pilot their adoption within your project
Requirements
Must Have
- 8+ years in software development, systems integration, or technical consulting, with recent hands-on delivery experience
- 2+ years leading the technical side of a shared project - as a tech lead, team lead, or senior engineer
- Advanced proficiency in at least one modern language (Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, Go, Java, or similar)
- Solid grounding in software architecture, API design, data modeling, and full-stack or backend delivery
- Fluency in at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern practices - CI/CD, containers, version control, testing
- Hands-on experience applying AI tooling (Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, vector search, prompt engineering, RAG) in real delivery work
- Track record of shipping production software on tight timelines in a consultative or embedded setting
- Experience mentoring engineers and running effective code reviews
- Strong communication skills - able to translate technical tradeoffs for non-technical stakeholders
Nice to Have
- Experience delivering AI, automation, or data-intensive applications in an enterprise environment
- Experience working within large, decentralized, or multi-site organizations
- Prior experience as a forward-deployed engineer, solutions engineer, or delivery consultant
- Cloud architecture or AI/ML certification (AWS, Azure, GCP, or equivalent)
Why You'll Love This Role
- Real ownership: one engagement, full accountability, direct client contact - no layers of hand-off
- A working lead role - you build alongside your team, not just manage it
- Room to bring modern AI-assisted tooling into how the team actually works, not just talk about it
- A small, senior team where your technical calls carry real weight
- Flexible working setup and a clear path into engineering leadership
If you'd rather be embedded in real delivery than sitting one layer removed from it - let’s talk.
We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Flexible working setup
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- Clear path into engineering leadership
About the Company
We are a perfect match if you:
- Love deploying & maximizing your skills
- Seek professional growth and development
- Want to make a difference with your work
- Look to build a strong career in tech
- Enjoy the company of creative and driven individuals
Contact Information
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +1-832-577-6946
- Address: 4201 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002 Suite #200
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