Forward deployed engineering is back in demand, and Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic are all hiring hard for the role. The FDE position blends consulting, solutions architecture, and hands-on engineering into a single function, embedded directly inside customer organizations.
The revival matters because it signals how AI companies are closing the gap between product capability and actual enterprise adoption. Customers need more than a sales engineer. They need someone who can build.
The full piece breaks down how the modern FDE role differs from its earlier incarnations, which companies are staffing up fastest, and what the compensation and career path actually look like. If you work in enterprise software or are considering a pivot, the specifics are worth your time.
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