Forward Deployed Engineer

Senior Forward Deployed Engineer — Voice AI - Up to $390K compensation + equity | San Francisco Bay Area | 5 days on-site

Innovare is a specialist Voice AI recruitment agency representing prestigious AI companies across Redwood City, San Francisco and the wider Bay Area, alongside one opportunity in New York.

Our primary client is hiring five Senior Forward Deployed Engineers. Where another company better matches your background, we can also introduce you to one of six additional Voice AI opportunities.

Company names and full details will be shared privately. Your profile will never be submitted without your permission.

Seven Live Opportunities - Visa sponsorship or transfers are available for selected opportunities.

1. 5x Senior Forward Deployed Engineers — Redwood City — $200K–$300K base + equity
2. 5–6x Forward Deployed Engineers — San Francisco — $180K–$350K base + equity
3. 3x Forward Deployed Engineers — San Francisco — $120K–$200K base + equity and commission
4. 3x Founding Forward Deployed Engineers — San Francisco — $140K–$185K base + 0.5–1.0% equity
5. 2x Forward Deployed Engineers — San Francisco, hybrid — $190K–$240K OTE + equity
6. 1–2x Founding Forward Deployed Engineers — San Francisco — $140K–$180K base + 0.1–0.4% equity
7. 2x Forward Deployed Engineers — New York City — $150K–$200K base + equity

Your New Role

• As a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, you will work directly between engineering, product and enterprise customers.
• You will take complex customer problems, design the right technical solution and build the systems that go into production.
• This is not a demo-and-handoff role. You will own projects from discovery and architecture through integration, launch and expansion.

Core Responsibilities

• Build production Voice AI integrations using Python, TypeScript, JavaScript or React
• Connect AI systems with APIs, CRMs, scheduling platforms and customer infrastructure
• Lead technical discovery with engineering teams, executives and operational stakeholders
• Own deployments from prototype through production
• Debug live systems and resolve technical blockers
• Turn customer feedback into reusable product improvements
• Work directly with founders, product leaders and core engineering teams

You Will Be a Strong Fit If You Have

• An exceptional academic background in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics or a related technical subject
• Experience at a Mag 7 company, elite AI organisation or Tier 1 venture-backed startup
• Strong hands-on skills in Python, TypeScript, JavaScript or React
• A strong career history showing progression, promotions or increasing responsibility
• Experience shipping production software rather than only demos or prototypes
• Previous experience as a Software Engineer, Forward Deployed Engineer, Founding Engineer, Solutions Engineer or technical founder
• The ability to communicate complex technical ideas clearly to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders
• Confidence working in fast-moving environments with incomplete requirements

The strongest candidates combine three things:

• Exceptional communication — customers and internal teams immediately trust you.
• Strong engineering fundamentals — you can independently design, build and debug production systems.
• A consistently high-achieving background — strong academics, respected companies and clear career progression.

About Innovare

Innovare is a specialist Voice AI recruitment agency working directly with founders and engineering leaders across the United States.