Forward Deployed Engineer
Senior Forward Deployed Engineer
Confidential Voice AI Company - 300% YoY headcount growth; ARR has 17X in a year to $40m+.
• San Francisco Bay Area
• On-site
• Full-time
$180K–$250K Base + Equity | Visa Sponsorship Available
Top 50 ARR Team Size Rev/Employee YoY Growth AI App (a16z)
This is the company your future self will wish you'd joined early. A Y Combinator-backed voice AI startup that's gone from $5M to $40M+ ARR in under 12 months with ~25 people—fully profitable after their 2025 seed raise. They don't just build AI. They're replacing entire contact centers with intelligent AI workers. And they need someone who can take that technology and deploy it into the real world.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
This is a Y Combinator-backed voice AI company that is reimagining the contact center with cutting-edge conversational AI. Since launching 18 months ago, thousands of companies now utilize the platform's AI voice agents to handle sales, support, and logistics calls that once required large teams of human agents. Backed by leading investors including Alt Capital, the company ranks among the top 50 AI applications globally (a16z) and #4 on Brex's Fastest-Growing Software Vendors. The 2026 vision: build a modern CX platform where entire contact centers are powered by AI — creating intelligent workers that act as frontline agents, QA analysts, and managers, continuously executing, monitoring, and improving customer interactions.
THE ROLE
As a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, you'll be the tip of the spear — taking the company's voice AI platform and delivering production-ready solutions directly into enterprise environments. This is not a support role. You'll embed with client teams, prototype real systems, and build integrations that go live. You'll shape the product roadmap through direct field feedback and become the go-to expert on deploying voice AI at scale. Think founding engineer meets solutions architect meets technical advisor. If you've built things from zero, thrive in ambiguity, and communicate as well as you code — this is the role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Lead End-to-End Delivery — Own projects from prototyping to production, communicating progress and risks clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Build Full-Stack Integrations — Connect the voice AI platform with enterprise tools (CRMs, ERPs, scheduling systems) using Python and JavaScript.
• Become the Voice AI Expert — Master LLM prompting strategies, voice agent configuration, and real-time conversational AI deployment patterns. Partner with Sales — Engage clients directly to gather requirements, prototype demos, and present system designs that close deals.
• Drive Product Evolution — Translate field feedback into actionable product and GTM recommendations. Codify reusable patterns into platform components.
• Scope and Unblock — Define project scope, resolve blockers, and keep delivery on track with concise updates and clear ownership.
REQUIREMENTS
Must Have:
• CS, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical degree
• 2–10 years of experience (internships count) Plus at least one of the following:
• Background as a Software Engineer, Ex-Founder, Founding Engineer, or Forward Deployed Engineer
• CS Bachelor's + non-CS Master's from a top-tier institution
• Prior experience at Palantir, C3.ai, Meta Solutions Engineering, or similar high-bar applied AI teams
• Exceptional communication skills — you can explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and align stakeholders with clarity
You'll Thrive If You:
• Have delivered systems in fast-paced, ambiguous settings where you owned the outcome
• Write production-grade code in Python, JavaScript, or similar
• Understand LLM-powered systems and their impact on user experience
• Proactively manage risks and maintain momentum under pressure
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Base Salary $180,000 – $250,000 + Significant equity (3 cash-equity balance options)
Offer philosophy's best offer upfront. Performance-based, not experience-based. Pay Percentile Top 5th percentile — above-market pay for top 1% talent
• 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage
• $70/day food credit for meals
• $200/mo wellness reimbursement
• $300/mo commuter reimbursement
• Phone ($75/mo) and internet ($50/mo) reimbursement
• Visa sponsorship available (H1B, TN, L1, E3, F1 OPT/CPT, O1)
INTERVIEW PROCESS
1. Recruiter Intro Call — 15 min — learn about the role and share your background
2. Technical Phone Interview — 45 min — live coding on CoderPad, explaining your approach
3. Onsite / Virtual Finals — 2–3 hrs — Communication, Architecture Case, Full-Stack Problem-Solving
Interested? Let's talk.
Contact Matt Watson at Innovare | AI Talent Partners
E: Matt@innovarerec.com
• www.innovarerecruitment.com
All applications are handled in strict confidence.