Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

Microsoft

Microsoft

Other Engineering
USD 100,600-199k / year
Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

Mountain View, California, United States

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Date posted
Sep 23, 2025
Job number
1876152
Work site
3 days / week in-office
Travel
0-25 %
Role type
Individual Contributor
Profession
Software Engineering
Discipline
Software Engineering
Employment type
Full-Time

Overview

We’re entering a new era, one defined by the power of AI to reshape what’s possible. At Microsoft, we’re not just exploring the future of AI, we’re building it. Our mission is ambitious: to create an open, next-generation AI platform that empowers organizations to unlock unprecedented value. Imagine a world where businesses can summon intelligent, bespoke AI agents that accelerate decision-making, enhance productivity, and transform customer experiences. This is your chance to help shape that future. As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), you’ll operate at the intersection of advanced AI technology and real-world business impact — embedded directly with customers to bring bold ideas to life.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • 2+ years of experience with DevOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and infrastructure-as-code.
  • 2+ years of experience with successful demonstration of system security, scalability, reliability, and maintainability.
  • 1+ years experience designing and implementing ML/LLM-based solutions in production environments.

Other requirements

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

  • This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • Experience leveraging generative AI technologies to develop innovative and user-focused product features.
  • Capable of optimizing, prompting and finetuning AI-based solutions for performance, accuracy, and scalability.
  • Experience coaching and growing engineers within the team.

Software Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $100,600 - $199,000 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $131,400 - $215,400 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until September 30, 2025.

#BICJobs

Responsibilities

As a Microsoft Forward Deployed Engineer, you’ll be a hands-on builder working in close partnership with customers to address their most pressing challenges. Whether through direct collaboration on-site, virtually, or in hybrid models, you’ll immerse yourself in their mission to design and deliver AI-powered solutions that create measurable impact. You’ll move quickly from concept to prototype to production, iterating alongside stakeholders to ensure solutions are both technically sound and operationally adopted.

Your work will span engineering data pipelines and integrations, building custom applications, and deploying scalable workflows that bring AI to life in critical business processes. Importantly, your role doesn’t end at launch -- you’ll remain accountable for monitoring, refining, and driving adoption of what you build. As a bridge between the customer environment and Microsoft’s engineering teams, you’ll also share insights from the field that influence the direction of our AI platforms. Finally, as part of a growing FDE community, you’ll contribute to knowledge sharing, mentor peers, and help set the standards for how Microsoft delivers AI-first transformation.


Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
Industry leading healthcare
Educational resources
Discounts on products and services
Savings and investments
Maternity and paternity leave
Generous time away
Giving programs
Opportunities to network and connect

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.