Salesforce

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) - Data 360

Salesforce$88K — $287K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or technical implementation.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
  • Hands-on experience implementing Salesforce Data 360 or a comparable enterprise data platform.
  • Proficient in SQL for building and debugging complex queries.
  • Fluent in at least one implementation language such as Apex, Java, Python, or JavaScript/TypeScript.

Responsibilities

  • Build in customer environments, directly configuring and developing solutions in production.
  • Engineer the data layer to harmonize and resolve identities across varied data sources.
  • Create and validate test data to ensure outcomes align with expectations.
  • Design and maintain AI data integration layers for Agentforce solutions.
  • Implement protocols for efficient agent communication including Model Context Protocol (MCP).
  • Establish secure and scalable data integration patterns connecting Agentforce with enterprise applications.
  • Troubleshoot technical issues methodically, isolating configuration errors from product behavior.

Benefits

  • Access to comprehensive resources promoting work-life balance.
  • Opportunities for career growth and development within a dynamic organization.
  • Engagement in innovative projects leveraging advanced AI technologies.
  • Collaborative work environment with talented professionals across various disciplines.
  • Potential for impactful contributions to the future of enterprise AI solutions.
Full Job Description
To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.

Job Category
Sales

Job Details

About the Role

Production implementation experience required. Builder mindset non-negotiable.

Salesforce is hiring Forward Deployed Engineers focused on Data 360, Salesforce's real-time data engine that unifies data from any source. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will be a hands-on Technical Builder who configures, builds, tests, and deploys Data 360 directly inside enterprise customer environments. You will turn approved solution designs and acceptance criteria into working implementations across ingestion, harmonization, identity, insights, activation, retrieval, security, and operational readiness.

Data 360 is also the data foundation for Agentforce - and grounding agents in accurate, real-time enterprise data is deep data engineering. You'll go further into RAG, vector search, MCP, and agent-to-agent integration than most data roles ever touch, because the agents are only as good as the layer you build.

You'll work within a delivery team that includes architects, deployment strategists, Agentforce FDEs, account teams, and customer technical teams. Engagements may span a focused proof, production rollout, and stabilization. The common thread is real customer data, disciplined testing, and a supportable handoff.

This is a hands-on data and software engineering role. You will build in real enterprise customer environments - writing SQL, Python, and Apex; building ingestion pipelines; debugging identity resolution; and shipping working implementations from sandbox through production. If you're looking for a purely declarative configuration role or a pure advisory role, this isn't it.

What You'll Do
  • Build in customer environments. Configure and develop directly in customer sandboxes and production - using Data 360 configuration, SQL, Apex, Flow, Python, the REST Query API, the Interaction SDK, Salesforce DX, CLI, Git, Data Kits, and deployment tooling as required - following security, change-management, and release controls.
  • Engineer the data layer. Build ingestion, harmonization, and identity resolution across batch and streaming sources. Materialize views of data optimized for specific application, analytical, and agentic workloads, tuning latency and cost tradeoffs to meet use-case requirements. Work with customer data and AI teams to ensure implementations align with their existing strategies (e.g., data mesh, data fabric).
  • Prove it works. Create representative test data and validate expected outcomes across happy paths, edge cases, access boundaries, hierarchy behavior, failure conditions, and customer-scale volumes.
  • Ground the agents. Design, build, and maintain the AI data integration layer - RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), vector databases, search indexes, and knowledge bases - that grounds Agentforce solutions in accurate, real-time enterprise data.
  • Orchestrate agent communication. Design and implement the protocols - including Model Context Protocol (MCP) and agent-to-agent communication - that govern, monitor, and ensure efficient collaboration among specialized AI agents.
  • Connect the ecosystem. Implement robust, scalable, and secure data integration patterns that connect Agentforce to a wide range of enterprise applications and enable communication between AI agents.
  • Govern the data. Apply deep data management expertise to ensure the secure integration, transformation, and governance of structured and unstructured data across the Salesforce ecosystem (CRM, Data Cloud) and external systems.
  • Build for scale and security. Apply knowledge of message queues, event-driven architecture, and distributed systems to build resilient workflows and implement secure authentication and authorization protocols (OAuth, SAML) so that all agent actions are secure and comply with enterprise security policies.
  • Debug the hard problems. Troubleshoot ingestion failures, mapping defects, schema drift, identity anomalies, query behavior, activation latency, API errors, permissions, and consumption issues - methodically, with logs and query evidence, isolating product behavior from configuration error.
  • Own implementation decisions. Compare viable techniques within the approved architecture, document measured tradeoffs, and recommend the most maintainable implementation to the responsible architect or technical lead.
  • Accelerate with AI. Use AI tooling - including Data 360 APIs and MCP Servers - to automate the build process and compress customers' time to value.
  • Co-build and hand off. Work alongside customer technical teams and partners through pairing, code reviews, and configuration reviews. Package reusable metadata, scripts, queries, tests, and runbooks so the solution can be reproduced and supported. Support deployment, validation, production handoff, and early stabilization, leaving clear ownership and known limitations.
  • Feed the roadmap. Surface reproducible platform gaps and edge cases - with live evidence, impact, and expected behavior - directly to Product and Support.


You're Our Data 360 Forward Deployed Engineer If...
  • You have 5+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or technical implementation, including a production data solution you can explain in detail.
  • You have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent practical experience.
  • You have hands-on experience implementing Salesforce Data 360 (Data Cloud) or a comparable enterprise data platform across ingestion, modeling, identity, insight, activation, and operations.
  • You have hands-on experience building data pipelines and integrations using at least one enterprise data platform or technology, such as Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, Redshift, Kafka, cloud object storage, or an enterprise MDM platform.
  • You are proficient in SQL and can build, debug, and optimize multi-table queries, joins, filters, transformations, and validation checks.
  • You are fluent in at least one implementation language used in enterprise delivery - Apex, Java, Python, or JavaScript/TypeScript - and are willing to learn the others as needed.
  • You understand data modeling, APIs, integration patterns, batch and streaming processing, and the practical differences between copied, federated, and Zero Copy data access.
  • You've built retrieval systems for AI applications - vector databases, search indexes, embedding pipelines, or knowledge bases - and can explain the design decisions behind chunking, indexing, and relevance.
  • You've implemented secure service-to-service integration patterns (OAuth, SAML, event-driven architectures) and are conversant in emerging agent protocols like MCP and agent-to-agent communication.
  • You can implement secure data access and rigorously test it, including permissions, entitlements, consent, user context, restricted populations, and negative test cases.
  • You diagnose technical problems methodically, use logs and query evidence, isolate product behavior from configuration errors, and document a reproducible result.
  • You can implement against a documented architecture, explain what you built to customer technical teams, and recognize when a question requires an architect or security owner.
  • You have delivered alongside customers, partners, professional services, or internal implementation teams in deadline-driven environments.
  • You are excited to work directly with customer administrators, developers, data engineers, and architects.
  • You have relevant certifications in Salesforce Agentforce, Data 360, and the Salesforce Platform.


Unleash Your Potential

When you join Salesforce, you'll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best. Together, we'll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future - but to redefine what's possible - for yourself, for AI, and the world.

About Salesforce

ExactTarget is a provider of on-demand email marketing software solutions. Their suite of on-demand one-to-one marketing applications enables clients to send business-critical and event-triggered communications to increase sales, optimize marketing investments, and strengthen customer relationships. They offer four editions of their on-demand software application along with integrated solutions such as ExactTarget for AppExchange and ExactTarget for [Microsoft](/organization/Microsoft) Dynamics CRM.

Salesforce Careers

Joining Salesforce means becoming part of a dynamic, global team of professionals who are deeply committed to driving customer success and innovation. As the world's leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, Salesforce offers unparalleled job opportunities in technology and consulting, making it an ideal place for ambitious individuals looking to make a significant impact.

Work You'll Do

At Salesforce, every position is a chance to leverage your skills and creativity to transform businesses and industries. Our diverse team of experts collaborates to deliver cutting-edge solutions that foster growth and enhance leadership capabilities. By joining our team, you'll be at the forefront of digital innovation, using Salesforce's powerful platform to help clients navigate their transformation journeys.

Innovate and Lead

Salesforce is not just a company; it's a community where you can lead with your ideas and see them come to life. Our culture of innovation encourages you to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what's possible. With Salesforce, you'll work alongside leaders in technology and business who are committed to your growth and professional development.

Career Growth and Opportunities

Whether you're looking for an internship, a full-time position, or leadership roles, Salesforce provides a wealth of opportunities to advance your career. Our commitment to professional growth is reflected in our robust training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, designed to help you excel at every stage of your career.

Be Part of a Great Team

Salesforce prides itself on a culture that values diversity, teamwork, and open communication. We believe that our strength lies in our people, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive. Joining our team means being part of a supportive community that encourages networking and collaboration.

Benefits and Culture

At Salesforce, we understand that job satisfaction extends beyond the office. That's why we offer competitive benefits to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees and their families. From health insurance and retirement plans to wellness programs and flexible working arrangements, we provide the benefits that contribute to a better work-life balance.

Explore Job Opportunities

Ready to take the next step in your career? Explore the wide range of employment opportunities at Salesforce. From technical roles to customer engagement positions, we are continuously hiring talented individuals who are passionate about making a difference.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest at Salesforce by following our careers blog. Gain insights from the people who work here and learn how you can bring your career to the next level with Salesforce.

Apply Now

Are you ready to join a company that's leading the way in CRM technology? Search open positions that match your skills and interests on our careers page. Tailor your resume, prepare for your interview, and take the first step towards a rewarding career at Salesforce.

SEARCH SALESFORCE JOBS

Join Salesforce today and be part of a company that's shaping the future of technology, fostering a culture of innovation, and building a more equitable world.
Learn more about Salesforce
Size
73,541 employees
Market Cap
$130.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$4 billion
Founded
2000
5 Year Trend
+25.7%
Revenue
$21.2 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Salesforce

More Information Technology Jobs

Find similar Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) - Data 360 jobs: