OliveContact usTell us your requirements. We match you with qualified FDEs.
A Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) is a software engineer who works directly with your team to turn business requirements into production-ready solutions. FDEs write code, integrate with your systems, solve technical challenges, and stay involved through deployment and adoption.
Builds customer-specific solutions and owns technical delivery through production.
Designs technical architectures and defines how systems work together.
Develops and maintains software products, features, and core systems.
Understand your workflows, technical constraints, and requirements to define the right solution.
Build applications, features, and workflows tailored to your business needs.
Connect solutions with your existing APIs, data sources, and business systems.
Build and integrate AI-powered applications, agents, and workflows into your systems.
Test, deploy, and monitor solutions in your production environment.
Refine solutions based on feedback, performance, and evolving requirements.
Our comprehensive vetting process evaluates engineering expertise, practical experience, customer collaboration, and alignment with your requirements.
Experience deploying solutions, resolving production issues, and supporting live systems after launch.
Practical coding expertise, technical decision-making, and the ability to solve complex engineering problems.
Ability to understand your business needs and translate them into technical solutions.
Experience integrating APIs, data sources, and applications within existing infrastructure.
Ability to work with your team and communicate technical decisions clearly.
Experience owning engineering delivery from requirements to production.
AI Applications & Integration
6 years in software engineering
Worked with an operations team to build and deploy an AI-assisted document processing workflow, integrating LLMs with internal APIs and CRM data.
Enterprise Systems Integration
7 years in software engineering
Led the integration of ERP, CRM, and billing systems, building data synchronization services and connecting product workflows with the client’s engineering team.
Full-Stack Applications
6 years in software engineering
Worked with a logistics team to develop a custom shipment tracking platform, integrate carrier APIs, and deploy the application for operational use.
Hire an FDE directly into your team. Olive handles sourcing, assessment, and matching. Your company manages employment, onboarding, and the engineer’s ongoing work.
Start with an FDE on a contract before making a permanent hire. Olive supports candidate selection, the contract engagement, and the transition to a direct hire.
Add an FDE to your team through Olive. Your company directs the engineer’s work, while we handle contracts, payments, and support throughout the engagement.
Companies hire Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) when they need hands-on engineering expertise for customer-specific implementations, complex integrations, or production deployments. FDEs are especially valuable when projects require both technical execution and direct collaboration with customers.
FDEs work on software implementations, AI deployments, system integrations, custom development, and other customer-specific engineering projects. They help turn business requirements into working solutions within existing environments.
Yes. FDEs typically work within a company's existing technology stack, integrating new solutions with its software, APIs, data systems, and infrastructure. The required technical expertise depends on the project.
Olive evaluates FDE candidates across six areas: production experience, hands-on engineering, business understanding, systems integration, collaboration skills, and end-to-end ownership. We assess both technical capabilities and the ability to work effectively with customer teams.
Looking to hire an FDE or explore opportunities as one?
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