The Role We're hiring a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to lead implementations of our AI platform directly with customers. This role is ideal for an experienced technically fluent builder who thrives at the intersection of engineering and problem solving; someone who wants to be hands-on with code while shaping how some of the world's most recognizable brands modernize their content operations.
As a Senior FDE, you'll own full-stack development for enterprise deployments, working side-by-side with customers to map complex workflows into scalable generative systems. You'll move between discovery, prototyping, implementation, and post-launch optimization - translating real-world pain points into elegant technical solutions.
What You'll Own- Lead technical discovery and implementation for new enterprise customers, translating nuanced business processes into robust AI-native solutions.
- Build, deploy and optimize features that integrate customer systems with Gradial's LLM driven platform.
- Develop reusable tools, adapters and configuration layers to support scalable enterprise onboarding.
- Collaborate with customer stakeholders (mainly within marketing, operations and engineering) to define requirements, surface edge cases and iterate in real time.
- Work closely with Gradial's product and engineer teams to incorporate learnings from the field into our core roadmap.
- Contribute to internal technical documentation and implementation playbooks that accelerate future deployments.
- Own performance, reliability and maintainability for the solutions you ship, from backend architecture to customer UX.
What We're Looking For- 5+ years of software engineering or technical implementation experience, ideally in customer-facing contexts.
- Experienced in programming languages such as TypeScript or similar, with a strong understanding of APIs and systems integration.
- Ability to rapidly understand unfamiliar technical ecosystems (CMS, DAM, workflow tools) and build integration paths.
- Excellent communication skills. Confident translating for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- High ownership mindset with comfort operating independently, navigating ambiguity.
- Demonstrated experience working with enterprise customers; particularly in content, marketing or digital operations.
- Experience with LLMs, generative AI pipelines and agent-style automation frameworks.
- Prior consulting, technical solution engineering or internal tools engineering experience.
- Willingness to travel occasionally (
CompensationThe salary range for this position is
$130,000 - $210,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for performance-based bonuses and equity awards. Gradial offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental & vision insurance, 401K retirement plan, paid time off, paid sick leave and other employee wellness programs.
You'll thrive here if you...- Embrace AI as a core tool for problem-solving, creativity and scale.
- Show a strong work ethic, high ownership and bias toward action.
- Communicate with clarity and curiosity.
- Thrive in fast-paced, hyper-growth environments; where building is always better than maintaining the status quo.
What we offer- Meaningful equity and competitive salary
- Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage
- Fast-paced environment with autonomy and ownership
- Real impact, zero bureaucracy
- A front-row seat to building category-defining AI infrastructure
AI Literacy & Interviewing ToolsAs an AI-first company, we prioritize AI literacy as a core competency in our hiring decisions. We're excited by candidates who thoughtfully apply AI tools in their work, but during interviews we're focused on you. This is your opportunity to show how you think, communicate, and solve problems. Over-reliance on AI-generated responses during the interview process (especially when it obscures your own voice) will result in disqualification. We want to understand your unique perspective and how you approach challenges, both with and without AI.
