About the job
Join Our Team
At OpenAI, our Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) team collaborates with clients to transform groundbreaking research into scalable production systems. We thrive at the crossroads of client engagement and core platform innovation.
Role Overview
As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), you will spearhead the intricate deployment of advanced models in production environments, working closely with our most significant clients. You will take ownership of the entire project lifecycle, from initial discovery and technical scoping to system design, implementation, and rollout, collaborating directly with customer engineering and specialized teams.
Your success will be gauged by how well our solutions are adopted in production, the measurable impact on workflows, and feedback that influences product and model strategies. You will closely interact with our Product, Research, Partnerships, Governance, Risk, Compliance, Security, and Go-To-Market teams.
This position is based in San Francisco, following a hybrid work model requiring three days in the office each week. We provide relocation assistance, and travel may be required up to 50%.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical delivery across multiple deployment phases, from initial prototype to stable production.
- Develop full-stack systems that provide substantial value to customers and enhance our learning processes.
- Work intimately with customer teams to understand their requirements and facilitate the adoption of your solutions.
- Scope projects, plan deliveries, and proactively address potential obstacles.
- Make strategic decisions about project scope, speed, and quality; adapt plans to ensure successful delivery.
- Contribute code directly when progress or clarity is essential.
- Document effective workflows into tools, playbooks, or foundational building blocks for broader use.
- Provide valuable field feedback to help our Research and Product teams identify areas for model improvement.
- Ensure team momentum through clear communication and consistent follow-through.
Ideal Candidate Profile
- 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment expertise, with a focus on client-facing roles.
- Experience in scoping and delivering complex systems in dynamic or unclear environments.
- Proficient in writing and reviewing production-level code across both frontend and backend technologies, particularly Python.

