Role report · Data & AI
Forward Deployed Engineer: what employers ask for
Of 460 Forward Deployed Engineer postings from 208 employers in the United States and Canada over the last 180 days, 64% ask for Python, 53% for AI Agents, 45% for LLMs, 33% for Machine Learning and 29% for AWS.
From 460 Forward Deployed Engineer postings in the United States and Canada, April 23, 2026 to October 20, 2026. Updated October 20, 2026. How we count
- Postings read
- 460from 208 employers
- Remote
- 34%of postings
- Most common level
- Mid59% of postings
- Experience asked
- 5 yearsmedian, from 271 postings that state it
- Advertised pay
- $215,000median a year, from 218 postings in US dollars
The skills employers ask for most
The share of Forward Deployed Engineer postings that name each skill, and how often a posting that names it lists it as required rather than nice to have.
| Skill | Share of postings | Required when named |
|---|---|---|
| Python | 91% | |
| AI Agents | 85% | |
| LLMs | 82% | |
| Machine Learning | 84% | |
| AWS | 76% | |
| RAG | 76% | |
| GCP | 70% | |
| Observability | 75% | |
| TypeScript | 80% | |
| REST APIs | 91% | |
| Azure | 71% | |
| AI Coding Tools | 73% | |
| Distributed Systems | 92% | |
| Generative AI | 84% | |
| Problem Solving | 100% | |
| Java | 91% | |
| ETL/ELT | 87% | |
| JavaScript | 89% | |
| CI/CD | 67% | |
| Software Engineering | 97% |
Taking a larger share
Month on month, comparing like with like; only moves clear of noise are named.
Seniority
| Level | Share | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mid | 271 | |
| Senior | 68 | |
| Principal | 35 | |
| Lead | 27 | |
| Staff | 19 | |
| Director+ | 17 | |
| Manager | 16 |
Professional skills
Asked for alongside the technical ones.
- Communication56%
- Stakeholder Management54%
- Leadership31%
- Customer-Facing Engineering9%
- Technical Leadership8%
Advertised pay
218 of these postings state pay in US dollars. The middle half of their ranges' midpoints runs from $183,000 to $251,000 a year, with a median of $215,000. Pay by level, and what each skill adds to it like for like, is in the app.
Employers with the most postings
- Boston Consulting Group27 postings
- ElevenLabs23 postings
- OpenAI22 postings
- Databricks18 postings
- Google17 postings
- Salesforce17 postings
- Amazon Web Services13 postings
- Palantir9 postings
Quick answers
What skills does a Forward Deployed Engineer need?
The skills named most often in Forward Deployed Engineer postings are Python, AI Agents, LLMs, Machine Learning and AWS. Python appears in 64% of them.
Are Forward Deployed Engineer jobs remote?
34% of the 460 Forward Deployed Engineer postings in the last 180 days were remote.
How much experience do Forward Deployed Engineer jobs ask for?
Postings that state it ask for a median of 5 years. The most common level is Mid (59% of postings).
What does a Forward Deployed Engineer earn?
Postings that state pay advertise a typical $183,000 to $251,000 a year, with a median of $215,000, from 218 postings in US dollars.
Which skills are growing for Forward Deployed Engineer roles?
Leadership, Microservices and Databricks are taking a larger share of Forward Deployed Engineer postings, month on month and comparing like with like.