Forward Deployed Engineer
Also written as FDE
An engineer who works directly at (or alongside) a customer's site to build and customize the product for that specific customer's data and workflows, instead of building generic features for all users back at HQ. Popularized by Palantir and now common at enterprise AI startups.
Think of it like
Like a contractor who moves into the client's building and customizes the renovation on-site to their exact needs, instead of shipping a one-size-fits-all kit from the factory.
Junior or senior?
Junior sounds like
Expects fully-specified requirements before building anything.
Senior sounds like
Can describe building something fast on-site for a customer with incomplete requirements, and what they cut.
Ask them
“Tell me about a time you had to build something fast on-site for a customer, with incomplete requirements. What did you ship, and what did you cut?”