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# Forward Deployed Engineer

- **Company:** Chef Robotics
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA, United States
- **Experience:** Experienced
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Computer-Aided Design, Artificial Intelligence, Configuration Management, System Configuration, Software Debugging, Python (Programming Language), Motion Planning, Robotic Automation Software, Scripting, Information Technology
- **Published:** November 12, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/forward-deployed-engineer-san-francisco-ca--6e5a4e08-9b3c-49ef-986a-5c996fd5673d

## About the Role

Chef (Configuration Management), Food and Beverage Industry, Robotics, Vehicle Fleets, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Identify Issues, Technical Analysis, Product Planning, Technical Leadership, Customer Relations, * BS or MS in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field

 * Hands-on experience in robotics, automation systems, motion planning, perception, or controls
 * Familiarity with Linux/Unix environments, ROS, and scripting in Python, * 2+ years in applications engineering, solutions engineering, field robotics, or another customer-facing technical role
 * Track record operating independently in dynamic, real-world environments

Work Style & Logistics

 * Strong communicator, comfortable working across technical and operational teams
 * Highly organized, able to manage multiple concurrent projects and deployments
 * Available for non-standard hours as needed (occasional nights, weekends, on-call)
 * Able to travel up to 75% across North America for on-site deployments, * Experience in food production, manufacturing, or another regulated production environment
 * Exposure to electrical/CAD debugging or hardware-level troubleshooting
 * Experience with Linux/Unix environments, ROS, and scripting in Python

## Description

We're hiring an Forward Deployed Engineer to be the vital link between our customers and our engineering teams - spanning the full customer journey from early technical evaluation through deployment, production ramp-up, and long-term success. You'll partner directly with customers to bring robotic systems online, troubleshoot in the field, and feed real-world insights back into our product roadmap.
This role is a rare blend of customer-facing, technical, and operational work, and it's a strong launchpad toward technical leadership or field engineering leadership as you grow with Chef., * Partner with Sales during early customer engagements to assess needs and evaluate technical feasibility

 * Work closely with customer engineering and operations teams to understand workflows, constraints, and success metrics
 * Configure, test, and validate robotic systems in lab environments, adapting solutions to real-world production requirements
 * Own and project-manage deployments end-to-end, coordinating across internal engineering, manufacturing, and customer teams
 * Lead on-site installations, including system setup, qualification testing, and production ramp
 * Troubleshoot and resolve field issues spanning software, configuration, and hardware break/fix
 * Support customers post-deployment to drive adoption, ensure success, and surface expansion opportunities
 * Translate customer feedback into actionable input for Product and Engineering