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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Senior Forward Deployed Engineer - **Company:** Cotiviti, Inc. - **Location:** United States (Remote available) - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** JavaScript (Programming Language), Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Engineering, Computer Programming, Continuous Integration, Python (Programming Language), Machine Learning, Tensorflow, Search Technologies, Software Engineering, TypeScript, Cloud Platform System, Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Large Language Models, Prompt Engineering, Backend, Build Management, Machine Learning Operations - **Published:** July 30, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=da2205f3949f2104 ## About the Role Required * 5+ years of software engineering experience, including significant backend or full-stack depth. * Track record of independently owning complex, ambiguous technical work from definition through production. * Strong programming skills in Python; fluency in at least one additional language (JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, or similar). * Demonstrated experience delivering real-world ML/AI systems in production, not just prototypes. * Deep comfort with modern cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), infrastructure-as-code, and CI/CD workflows. * Excellent client communication: you can hold a room, explain a tradeoff, and deliver bad news early. * Sound architectural judgment and the instinct to escalate at the right moment rather than the last moment. Preferred * Substantial production experience with LLMs (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI, Cohere), vector search, retrieval-augmented generation, or agentic systems. * Prior consulting, professional services, solutions architecture, or forward-deployed engineering experience. * Familiarity with MLOps practices and tooling (e.g., MLflow, Weights & Biases, SageMaker). * Working knowledge of enterprise security, data privacy, and compliance constraints. * Experience mentoring engineers through influence rather than authority. ## Description Senior FDEs go deep on a major engagement or workstream rather than broad across a portfolio. You are the person we send when the problem is genuinely difficult, the requirements are unclear, and the client needs someone who can hold the technical line while still shipping. You will review critical work before it reaches clients and lift the engineers around you through pairing, review, and example. This role is for engineers who want the hardest technical problems and direct client exposure without trading hands-on work for a management track., 1. Lead Complex Technical Delivery * Own end-to-end delivery quality for a major engagement, workstream, or solution area. * Translate ambiguous client needs into practical execution plans, technical milestones, and shipped outcomes. * Maintain a clear view of status, risks, blockers, and dependencies within your scope. * Raise quality concerns early and correct course before client confidence is affected. 2. Own Architecture and Technical Tradeoffs * Lead solution architecture and technical decision-making for your workstream. * Make pragmatic tradeoffs between speed, quality, scope, maintainability, cost, latency, and client value-and explain your reasoning. * Review critical technical work before it is shared with clients or treated as production-ready. * Recognize when a problem needs deeper expertise or a second set of eyes. * Turn hard-won solutions into reusable patterns that raise the floor for future engagements. 3. Build and Deploy Production AI Systems * Design and ship AI/ML solutions using Python, modern ML frameworks, LLM orchestration tooling, and cloud-native infrastructure. * Integrate LLMs and other generative models into client products and workflows at production quality. * Own fine-tuning, prompt engineering, retrieval, and evaluation pipelines where the problem calls for them. * Make sound decisions about security, data privacy, and compliance constraints in enterprise environments. 4. Earn and Maintain Client Trust * Act as the senior technical voice on your engagement, credible with both engineers and executives. * Communicate direction, tradeoffs, risks, and progress clearly to technical and non-technical audiences. * Manage expectations with discipline when scope, timeline, data, or technical constraints change. * Keep account and commercial partners informed so client strategy reflects delivery reality. 5. Handle Risk with Judgment * Spot technical, delivery, scope, timeline, and client-alignment risks early. * Resolve what you can directly; escalate what you cannot, with clear context, options, and a recommendation. * Intervene decisively within your scope when quality, pace, or client confidence is at risk. 6. Lift the Engineers Around You * Mentor less experienced FDEs through technical review, pairing, and practical feedback. * Help teammates make better architecture, implementation, and communication decisions. * Model what excellent forward-deployed execution looks like in client-facing work. * Contribute to interview loops, onboarding, and technical standards. ## Related Videos - [Developing the Backend with Stefan Lingler, CTO at Shpock](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100360-developing-the-backend-with-stefan-lingler-cto-at-shpock) - [Do TypeScript without TypeScript](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/327-do-typescript-without-typescript) - [Machine learning in the browser with TensorFlowjs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/155-machine-learning-in-the-browser-with-tensorflowjs) - [Shipping Faster with Less: Render on Cloud Hosting, AI Workloads, and the Future of DevOps](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1894-shipping-faster-with-less-render-on-cloud-hosting-ai-workloads-and-the-future-of-devops) - [Nest.js - TypeScript in the backend can also be clean](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1033-nest-js-typescript-in-the-backend-can-also-be-clean) - [Meet Your New BFF: Backend to Frontend without the Duct Tape](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/682-meet-your-new-bff-backend-to-frontend-without-the-duct-tape) ## Related Articles - [Fully Remote Software Engineer Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/447-fully-remote-software-engineer-jobs) - [What Are Large Language Models?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/304-what-are-large-language-models) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers) - [Best US AI Conferences for CTOs in 2026: Build vs. Buy, Vendor Evaluation, and Peer Intelligence](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/736-best-us-ai-conferences-for-ctos-in-2026-build-vs-buy-vendor-evaluation-and-peer-intelligence)