Forward Deployed Engineer

## About the Role The Forward Deployed Engineer position at Instacart is a key part of the company's Enterprise Solutions team, which is revolutionizing the grocery industry through AI-powered solutions. This role involves embedding with enterprise retail customers and partners to understand their technical environments, data systems, and business workflows. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will be the hands-on technical presence inside these environments, working closely with partners to design, build, and deploy tailored AI solutions.

The role requires a deep understanding of the retail industry and the ability to navigate complex enterprise ecosystems. You will be part of a small, senior field-first team that is defining the playbook for this new and innovative approach. Your mission will be to brainstorm with partner technical leaders, collaborate on solution designs, and ensure compatibility with existing environments and infrastructure.

The Enterprise Solutions team is a dynamic and fast-paced environment that values flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from designing and implementing AI-powered solutions to collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive business growth.

## What You Will Do - Embed with enterprise retail customers and partners to understand their technical environments, data systems, and business workflows - Design, build, and deploy AI and agentic solutions tailored to each customer's specific infrastructure and needs - Extend, adapt, and integrate Instacart's core AI capabilities to fit customer ecosystems, even when those systems are undocumented or non-standard - Maintain a close working relationship with R&D, participating in product reviews and proposing concrete changes to make the platform work better for enterprise customers - Collaborate closely with the AI Solutions Architect to translate domain requirements and architecture into working software - Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customers during implementation engagements - Brainstorm with partner technical leaders and collaborate on solution designs that deliver value while remaining compatible with existing environments and infrastructure - Inform platform evolution and serve as the bridge between what gets built internally and what actually works in the real world - Participate in product reviews and flag platform gaps encountered in the field - Propose concrete changes that would make the platform work better for enterprise customers

## What We Are Looking For - 10+ years of software engineering experience with a demonstrated ability to write and ship production-quality code - Hands-on experience building with LLM APIs, function calling, tool use, agent frameworks, or RAG pipelines - Proficiency in Python or another scripting/backend language commonly used in data-intensive environments - Proven ability to integrate with messy, heterogeneous enterprise data environments - Direct experience with external enterprise customers or technical stakeholders in a consulting or customer-facing capacity - Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to earn trust in the room and facilitate stakeholder conversations - Ability to switch between writing code and facilitating a stakeholder conversation in the same afternoon - Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to treat it as a puzzle to be solved

## Nice to Have - Experience with cloud-based platforms and containerization - Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools - Knowledge of retail industry trends and technologies - Certification in a relevant field, such as machine learning or data science - Experience with agile development methodologies

## Benefits and Perks - Flexible, remote work arrangement with the ability to choose where you work best - Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI-powered solutions with a dynamic and innovative company - Collaborative, supportive team environment with regular in-person events - Professional development opportunities, including training and education programs - Competitive compensation and benefits package - Access to the latest tools and technologies - Recognition and reward for outstanding performance - A culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion

- Be prepared to provide specific examples of your experience with AI-powered solutions and your ability to integrate with complex enterprise ecosystems.

• Showcase your ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, as this is a key part of the Forward Deployed Engineer role.
• Highlight your experience with agile development methodologies and your willingness to adapt to changing requirements.
• Emphasize your ability to work independently and as part of a remote team, with a strong focus on collaboration and communication.
• Be ready to discuss your approach to problem-solving and your ability to treat ambiguity as a puzzle to be solved.
• Consider creating a portfolio of your work, including examples of your code and any relevant projects you've worked on.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions during the interview process, and be prepared to discuss your salary expectations and any other benefits you may be looking for.