Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

About the Role A fast-growing, Y Combinator-backed AI company operating in the industrial logistics and fleet management space is hiring its first technical hire on the ground in the US . This is a founding-level, customer-facing engineering role where you will own the full technical success of US customers — from initial deployment through ongoing support. The company builds AI-powered scheduling and route optimization software for short-haul trucking and fleet operations — a massive market that still relies heavily on manual planning. The team is scaling rapidly and launching its US go-to-market motion, and you will be at the center of it. What You'll Do Own end-to-end technical deployments for US enterprise customers, from onboarding through post-launch support Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customers, managing stakeholder relationships and ensuring deployment success Integrate the platform with customers' existing job management systems, GPS tools, and operational workflows Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues in the field, acting as the bridge between customers and the core engineering team Travel to customer sites as needed to support hands-on deployments Surface product feedback and customer insights to inform the roadmap Help shape the forward deployed function from the ground up as the company scales its US presence What We're Looking For Required: 0–3 years of hands-on experience in customer-facing deployments, field engineering, or solutions engineering roles Strong communication and stakeholder management skills — you're comfortable owning customer relationships at a technical level Proven ability to manage end-to-end software deployments and provide post-deployment support for enterprise customers Based in Austin, TX or willing to relocate to Austin Must be authorized to work in the United States without employer visa sponsorship Nice to Have: Willingness to travel to customer sites to support on-site deployments Ownership mindset with the ability to thrive in an ambiguous, fast-paced early-stage startup environment Background in logistics, fleet management, or industrial operations technology Compensation & Benefits Salary: $110,000 – $135,000 USD annually Founding team member — early equity opportunity High-impact, high-ownership role at a well-funded, rapidly growing startup Location Austin, TX — on-site Travel to customer sites expected as needed Visa sponsorship is not available for this role