Forward-Deployed Engineer

About Tessera Labs

Tessera Labs is redefining how enterprises adopt and operationalize Artificial Intelligence. Backed by Foundation Capital and led by a world-class founding team, we build multi-agent AI systems that automate complex business workflows across platforms like SAP, Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake, MuleSoft, and more. Our mission: Bring real AI automation to the enterprise — with speed, precision, and measurable impact. We move fast, operate with extreme ownership, and build at the frontier of applied AI.

Role Summary

The Forward-Deployed Engineer (FDE) is a hybrid engineering + customer-facing role that sits at the core of how Tessera delivers value. FDEs lead architecture design, hands-on implementation, and real-world deployment of AI-driven solutions in enterprise environments. You will work directly with customers, understand their systems and processes, design technical solutions, write and debug code, and deploy multi-agent AI systems into production. This role is ideal for someone who loves solving ambiguous problems, thrives under pressure, and wants to work at the intersection of AI, engineering, and enterprise transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Client-Facing Architecture & Solution Design

• Lead discovery sessions to understand customer system landscapes, requirements, and constraints across enterprise stacks.

• Translate complex business processes into structured technical architectures using multi-agent AI, LLMs, vector databases, orchestration frameworks, and agent planning.
• Communicate solutions clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Design and articulate end-to-end architectures under time pressure during client conversations.

• Applied AI Engineering & Technical Implementation

• Build, review, and debug code for AI-driven workflows, system integrations, and agent orchestration.

• Integrate AI components with enterprise systems, considering scalability, performance, observability, and governance.
• Execute hands-on exercises and real-world deployment tasks, often with incomplete or evolving requirements.
• Solve production issues in customer environments quickly and effectively.

• Deployment, Integration & Customer Success

• Deploy and configure Tessera's AI agents in complex enterprise environments.

• Serve as the technical point of contact during onboarding, implementation, and early adoption.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (Product, Engineering, Architecture) to ensure successful outcomes and influence product roadmap based on customer needs.

• Startup Mindset & Ownership

• Operate in a fast-paced environment with shifting scope and evolving priorities.

• Take initiative to drive solutions forward with minimal guidance.
• Travel to customer sites as needed to support deployment and relationship building.

Technical Skills

• Strong engineering background, preferred in fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or Data Science.
• Strong coder with proficiency in Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar.
• Experience with RESTful APIs and backend systems, including designing, integrating, and debugging data flows across enterprise applications and analytics platforms.
• Familiarity with event-driven architectures and API-based connectivity to support automated workflows, real-time insights, and AI-driven decision-making.
• Familiarity with enterprise applications (e.g., SAP, Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake).
• Exposure to cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Experience designing, reviewing, or implementing technical architectures.
• Experience with AI/LLMs, vector databases, or agent-based architectures.

Required Qualifications

• 2–4+ years in software engineering, solutions engineering, or technical consulting.
• Strong Python development skills; ability to write, review, and debug production-quality code.
• Ability to communicate complex technical ideas with clarity in customer-facing settings.
• Comfortable operating under ambiguity and managing competing priorities.
• Willingness to travel to customer sites (primarily U.S.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in enterprise workflow automation or integrations.
• Prior customer-facing experience (solutions engineer, forward deployed engineer, implementation consultant, etc.).
• Experience designing or reviewing technical architectures.

Behavioral & Problem-Solving Expectations

• Ability to work in a startup context: proactiveness, improvisation.
• Think like an engineer while navigating social and organizational dynamics.
• Concision, clarity, and ability to scope explanations at appropriate levels.
• Comfortable operating under incomplete requirements and adapting quickly.
• Capable of using AI tools effectively to accelerate engineering and solution delivery.

Compensation Range: $180K - $260K