Forward Deployed Engineer

CData Software

Forward Deployed Engineer delivering CData's Connect AI platform solutions in customer environments. Embedding with teams to build production-grade integrations and ensure successful deployments.

Posted 5/13/2026full-timeRemote • North Carolina • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $150,000 - $175,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

JavaPythonSQL

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Embed with customer teams to deploy Connect AI, configure MCP servers, connect data sources, and validate agent workflows in production
Build and test AI agent integrations using Connect AI Workspaces and Toolkits with correctly scoped data access
Configure semantic context and governance layers for accurate, permission-aware agent responses across connected sources
Build and ship AI integrations
Write production code in Python, Java, or C# connecting customer systems to Connect AI via MCP, REST, OData, and CData drivers
Implement the integration patterns and security configurations defined with the engagement architect
Contribute to and reuse the FDE team's reference architectures, blueprints, and sample agents
Build and deliver iterative solutions on a multi sprint cadence with weekly customer demos, validation checkpoints, and AI workflow refinement
Own deployment health for your engagements, monitor MCP performance, troubleshoot agent accuracy, and ensure a smooth Customer Success handoff
Triage and resolve production issues with appropriate escalation to the architect or product team
Document product gaps and agent behavior patterns from the field; feed prioritized insights to the Connect AI product team
Capture reusable patterns from your engagements, code snippets, deployment recipes, and troubleshooting notes that compound across the FDE team

Requirements

What you’ll need

3–6 years in software engineering, data engineering, or technical consulting with hands-on delivery experience
Track record of shipping production code in customer-facing or customer-impacting roles
Has explained technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and held the room
AI-literate — understands how LLMs consume data, what MCP does, and how agents use tools and context to reason over enterprise sources
Proficient in Python, Java, or C# with experience building API integrations, data pipelines, or connector-based workflows
Comfortable with data plumbing: SQL, REST APIs, ODBC/JDBC, JSON/XML parsing, and multi-source data mapping
Able to configure governed access for AI agents — RBAC, OAuth 2.1, and semantic scoping
Builder mentality — ships working solutions in ambiguous customer environments within tight iteration cycles
Strong communicator who can explain technical AI concepts to non-technical customer stakeholders clearly and confidently
High agency; comfortable as the primary engineering presence on a customer engagement

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans with company-paid insurance premiums
Health Saving Account offering with company contribution to help mitigate increasing health costs
Flexible Savings Account and Dependent Care FSA
Generous 20-day PTO and 11 paid holidays
401k with 100% company match up to 6% of contribution
A remote-friendly, high-trust culture that empowers collaboration, celebrates curiosity, and encourages innovation
Work closely with your manager to define professional development and learning opportunities that match your career goals

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

PythonJavaC#API integrationsdata pipelinesSQLREST APIsODBCJDBCJSON/XML parsing

Soft Skills

strong communicatorbuilder mentalityhigh agencyexplaining technical conceptscustomer engagementtroubleshootingiterative solution deliverymonitoring performancedocumenting insightscollaboration