Amazon

Forward Deployed Engineering Manager, FDE US Government

Amazon • $184K — $250K *
Arlington, VA 22204In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of engineering team management experience
  • Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
  • 7+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
  • Current, active US Government Security Clearance of TS/SCI with Polygraph
  • 3+ years of experience working in an Agile, startup, or rapidly scaling environment
  • Experience communicating technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Experience building or deploying AI/ML applications in production environments at scale

Responsibilities

  • Lead FDE pod delivery across customer engagements
  • Guide technical direction and ensure alignment with customer needs
  • Own production excellence and operational standards for AI systems
  • Build and develop the engineering team and drive performance management
  • Accelerate customer adoption of AI solutions and codify learnings

Benefits

  • Health insurance (medical, dental, vision, and prescription)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Mental health support
Full Job Description
Application deadline: Sep 1, 2026

A Forward Deployed Engineering Manager (FDE Manager) leads a pod of FDEs embedded within strategic enterprise customers, owning delivery execution, engineering quality, and team development for their scope. FDE Managers own pod-level outcomes - they ensure their team delivers production AI systems that meet customer expectations, develop their engineers' careers, and contribute to the broader FDE practice's engineering standards.

FDE Managers operate at pod/multi-pod scope. They lead 5-15 engineers, own technical delivery across one or more concurrent customer engagements, and define what "great" looks like for their team. They represent the FDE team to customer engineering leaders and AWS stakeholders, balancing delivery execution with people development.

This position requires that the candidate selected be a US Citizen and currently possess and maintain an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph.

Key job responsibilities

Lead FDE pod delivery.

- Own delivery across one or more customer engagements. Staff and structure the team for optimal customer coverage. Define execution cadences and ensure consistent engineering quality across active programs. Requires up to 25% travel.

Guide technical direction.

- Provide technical oversight for customer AI programs within your scope. Review architecture decisions and ensure alignment with customer needs and AWS best practices. Resolve technical blockers and escalate strategically when needed.

Own production excellence for your team.

- Ensure operational standards, evaluation frameworks, and production readiness criteria are met for AI systems your team builds. Drive improvements that raise the operational bar within your scope.

Build and develop the team.

- Hire, develop, and retain FDE talent. Coach junior FDEs toward independence and career growth. Drive performance management and create development plans. Contribute to hiring bar and calibration standards.

Accelerate customer adoption.

- Identify opportunities to expand AI adoption within your customer engagements. Ensure learnings are codified into reusable patterns and fed back into the broader FDE practice.

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BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- 3+ years of engineering team management experience

- Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field

- 7+ years of non-internship professional software development experience

- Current, active US Government Security Clearance of TS/SCI with Polygraph

- 3+ years of experience working in an Agile, startup, or rapidly scaling environment

- Experience communicating technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leadership

- Experience with agentic and spec-driven development (developing AI agents a plus)

- Experience building or deploying AI/ML applications in production environments at scale

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience working with teams that build and scale end-to-end production systems

- Experience working in customer production environments

- Experience managing teams in customer-facing or consulting-adjacent engineering roles

- Background leading engineering teams in a startup, high-growth, or rapidly scaling environment

- Prior experience with React, TypeScript, Python, and/or Go

- Experience managing delivery across multiple concurrent customer programs

- 3+ years of leadership development and talent management experience

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CO, Denver - 184,900.00 - 250,200.00 USD annually

USA, NY, New York - 203,400.00 - 275,200.00 USD annually

USA, VA, Arlington - 184,900.00 - 250,200.00 USD annually

USA, WA, Seattle - 184,900.00 - 250,200.00 USD annually

About Amazon

Audible is a provider of spoken audio information and entertainment , on the Internet. They provide premium spoken audio content, such as audio versions of books and newspapers and radio programs, that is delivered over the Internet and played back on personal computers and hand-held electronic devices. The Audible service allows consumers to purchase and download their content from their Website, store it in digital files and play it back on personal computers and electronic devices. More than 15,000 hours of audio content are available on their Web site, including audio versions of books, periodicals and radio programs. Several manufacturers have agreed to support and promote the playback of their content on their hand-held audio-enabled electronic devices.

Amazon Careers

Joining Amazon presents an unparalleled opportunity to become part of a vibrant team pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth in the global marketplace. As a leader in e-commerce, technology, and logistics, Amazon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At Amazon, every day is an opportunity to collaborate with the brightest minds in technology and business to redefine what’s possible. Whether you’re interested in software development, marketing, human resources, or customer service, Amazon has a position waiting for you. Transform the way the world shops and innovates with our diverse and inclusive team. Amazon is not just a company; it’s a community where you can drive real change and contribute to projects impacting millions globally. Lead with Innovation and Leadership Amazon is the perfect place to enhance your leadership and innovation skills. Our culture encourages pushing the envelope and imagining the unimaginable. Here, you will lead projects that challenge the status quo and define new industry standards. Work with a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Our leadership is focused on harnessing the collective power of unique perspectives to foster growth and innovation. Explore Amazon’s Employment Benefits Amazon’s commitment to its employees extends beyond just career growth. We offer competitive benefits, including health care, parental leave, and diversity training, ensuring that our team not only excels professionally but also enjoys well-being and security. Internship and Networking Opportunities Start your career with an Amazon internship and gain hands-on experience that matters. Our internships provide a gateway to full-time employment and an opportunity to network with professionals across various sectors of the company. Future-Proof Your Career With Amazon, your career path is filled with numerous opportunities for advancement. Our learning and development programs are designed to nurture your professional growth and keep you at the forefront of industry trends. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the job opportunities at Amazon that match your skills and interests. We are constantly on the lookout for passionate, curious, and innovative team players ready to make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Explore the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await at Amazon. Amazon is more than just a company—it’s a platform for building a promising future. Whether you’re starting or looking to advance your career, Amazon offers the resources, support, and network you need to succeed. Join us, and be a part of our continuing mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company.
Learn more about Amazon
Size
1,608 employees
Market Cap
$832.6 billion
Industry
Retail & Consumer Goods
Net Income
$21.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+28.1%
Revenue
$386 billion
NASDAQ
AMZN
* Ladders Estimates

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