FastFDE
Join as an engineerHire FDEs

Beyond FDEs

The engineers around your forward deployed team.

Most AI programs also need engineers who build inside your own team: AI and ML, data, cloud and DevOps, software and security. We place them the same way we place FDEs: vetted on work they have shipped, on contract, contract to hire or direct hire.

Hire FDEs How we vet

AI and ML engineers

Machine learning, LLM applications and MLOps, for teams building AI into their products and operations.

Roles and skills

Data engineers

Pipelines, warehouses and analytics engineering, so your data is ready for reporting and AI.

Roles and skills

Cloud and DevOps engineers

Cloud platforms, infrastructure as code, CI/CD and reliability, on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.

Roles and skills

Software engineers

Backend, full-stack and integration engineers who ship production software with your team.

Roles and skills

Security engineers

Cloud, application and identity security engineers who build security into delivery.

Roles and skills

FDE or staff engineer?

Two kinds of hire, one way of vetting

Hire a forward deployed engineer when

  • The work happens in a customer's environment, or across teams
  • The engineer has to work directly with users and business owners
  • Scope is unclear and someone has to find the real problem
Forward deployed roles

Hire a staff engineer when

  • The work sits inside your own team's roadmap
  • You need a specific skill your team lacks
  • Your managers will direct the work day to day
Hiring options

Hiring options

The same four ways to hire

Compare options

Contract

An FDE embedded in your team for the length of the work. Best when you have a defined program and need the skills now, without adding headcount.

  • You direct the work day to day
  • Billed for time worked
  • Extend or end as the work changes

Contract to hire

Start on contract, then hire the engineer onto your team. Best when you want a permanent forward deployed capability and want to see the fit first.

  • Work together before committing
  • Conversion terms agreed up front
  • Keeps the knowledge in house

Direct hire

We find the engineer. You employ them from day one. Best when you are building an FDE team of your own and need help finding the people.

  • Your employee from the first day
  • One placement fee
  • We run the search and first screens

FDE hub

A deployment strategist and a small team of engineers. Best when the work needs business and engineering skills at once, with one point of accountability.

  • Strategist plus two or more engineers
  • Sized to the problem
  • One team, one plan

Hire FDEs

Need engineers beyond FDEs?

Tell us the role, the skills and the timing. Someone who understands the work reads every brief.

Hire FDEs How hiring works