OpenAI

Forward Deployed Engineer - UAE

OpenAI1 months ago
Location

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 200,000 – 280,000

Level

Senior

Role

Forward Deployed Engineer

Posted

Jun 18, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

Join OpenAI's Forward Deployed Engineering team to lead complex production deployments of frontier AI models. This role embeds you deeply with enterprise customers where you'll architect full-stack solutions, drive model deployment strategies, and translate cutting-edge AI research into measurable business value. You'll operate at the intersection of customer delivery, core development, and product strategy—scoping workstreams, shipping fast, and surfacing field insights that shape OpenAI's platform roadmap.

What you'll do

Lead End-to-End Technical Delivery: Own the complete technical delivery lifecycle across multiple concurrent deployments, from initial prototype phase through production stability. Manage delivery timelines, quality gates, and stakeholder expectations while navigating high-ambiguity environments where frontier models are deployed in novel customer contexts.
Build and Deploy Full-Stack AI Systems: Design and implement full-stack solutions that integrate frontier language models with customer systems, handling infrastructure, APIs, model integration layers, and frontend interfaces. Ensure systems deliver measurable customer value while maintaining production-grade quality, scalability, and reliability standards.
Embed with Customer Teams: Work closely embedded within customer organizations to deeply understand business requirements, technical constraints, and success metrics. Serve as technical liaison, guide model adoption strategies, mentor customer teams on best practices, and gather actionable field feedback that informs both product and research roadmaps.
Scope, Sequence, and Unblock Delivery: Define technical scope for complex projects, create sequenced delivery plans that balance speed and quality, and proactively identify and remove blockers across workstreams. Make informed trade-offs between feature completeness, delivery velocity, and system quality while protecting overall delivery commitments.
Contribute Hands-On Code: Write and maintain production-grade code across full-stack development including both frontend and backend systems when critical to project momentum or clarity. Conduct rigorous code reviews, establish coding standards, and mentor team members on technical best practices using Python, JavaScript, or equivalent modern stacks.
Codify Patterns and Build Reusable Infrastructure: Document and systematize successful deployment patterns into shareable tools, architectural playbooks, and building blocks. Enable other teams to accelerate deployments by capturing learnings from field experience and translating them into generalizable infrastructure and processes.
Drive Cross-Functional Clarity: Maintain transparent communication channels across customer teams, internal product and research organizations, and go-to-market functions. Surface field signals about model performance, customer pain points, and emerging use cases that directly shape product development and research priorities.
Manage Risk and Quality Standards: Establish and maintain quality gates for deployments, proactively identify technical and operational risks early in projects, and adjust plans accordingly without sacrificing delivery momentum. Model calm judgment and maintain team confidence when managing high-stakes deployments with significant business impact.

What we look for

Technical

Full-Stack Development with Python or JavaScriptExpert-level proficiency writing and reviewing production-grade code across frontend and backend systems using Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, or equivalent modern programming languages. Strong ability to work across multiple technology layers from API design to user interfaces.
LLM and Generative AI Integration ExperienceHands-on experience building systems powered by large language models (LLMs) or other generative AI models. Deep understanding of how model behavior, inference optimization, prompt engineering, and output reliability directly impact production system performance and customer experience.
System Architecture and DeploymentProven ability to architect complex systems from components through deployment, including API design, database selection, infrastructure considerations, monitoring and observability. Experience scoping and delivering multi-component systems in production environments.
API Design and IntegrationStrong experience designing RESTful or async APIs that integrate third-party services with customer systems. Understanding of API documentation, versioning strategies, and maintaining backward compatibility in production systems.
Cloud Infrastructure and DevOpsWorking knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, monitoring and logging tools. Ability to architect scalable, reliable infrastructure for production AI systems.
Data Management and AnalyticsUnderstanding of data management principles including versioning, governance, and security. Ability to work with databases and analytics systems to surface insights on model performance and system behavior.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or Related FieldUndergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or equivalent technical discipline. Equivalent professional experience may substitute for formal degree requirements.
Advanced Technical KnowledgeDeep technical foundation in computer science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, systems design, and software architecture principles. This forms the foundation for effective full-stack system design and delivery.

Experience

5+ Years Technical Engineering or Deployment ExperienceMinimum 5 years of hands-on software engineering experience with substantial customer-facing technical deployment or solutions engineering responsibilities. This includes technical leadership, complex system delivery, and direct interaction with enterprise customers.
Complex System Delivery in Ambiguous EnvironmentsDemonstrated track record delivering complex, multi-component systems in fast-moving or ambiguous contexts where requirements evolve. Proven ability to maintain quality and delivery pace when technical challenges and customer needs are not fully defined upfront.
Customer-Facing Technical LeadershipSignificant experience working directly with customers or stakeholders on technical problem-solving, from requirements gathering through implementation and adoption. Proven ability to translate customer business needs into technical architecture and guide technical decision-making.
Startup or High-Growth Environment ExperienceSuccess operating in startup or early-stage high-growth environments where speed, ownership, and cross-functional collaboration are critical. Comfort with rapid pivots, incomplete information, and wearing multiple hats across engineering, support, and customer success.

Skills

Required skills

Full-Stack DevelopmentProduction-grade coding ability across frontend and backend systems, with proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks.
LLM/AI System IntegrationHands-on experience integrating large language models or generative AI into production systems with understanding of model behavior and performance characteristics.
System Architecture and DesignAbility to design complex multi-component systems, make technology choices, and architect for scalability, reliability, and performance.
Customer-Facing Technical LeadershipStrong ability to embed with customers, understand their needs, translate them into technical solutions, and guide technical decision-making in ambiguous environments.
Project Scoping and Delivery ManagementProven ability to define scope for complex projects, sequence work logically, identify blockers early, and maintain delivery momentum while managing competing priorities.
Technical Problem Solving Under PressureAbility to simplify complexity, make sound technical decisions rapidly, and maintain calm judgment when managing high-stakes deployments or solving critical issues.
Cross-Functional CommunicationClear communication with diverse stakeholder groups including engineers, product managers, researchers, and enterprise customers, translating between technical and business contexts.
Production System ReliabilityDeep understanding of production-grade system design including monitoring, observability, error handling, deployment strategies, and incident response.

Nice to have

Prompt Engineering and Model OptimizationExperience optimizing language model outputs through prompt engineering, fine-tuning strategies, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) approaches.
Enterprise Software DeploymentBackground deploying complex software systems at enterprises with experience navigating organizational complexity, compliance requirements, and integration challenges.
MLOps and Model Serving InfrastructureFamiliarity with ML serving frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, etc.), model inference optimization, and operational infrastructure for deploying AI models.
Solutions ArchitectureExperience designing technical solutions that directly address customer business problems, with ability to translate customer requirements into scalable architectures.
Product Development in AI/MLBackground working in AI/ML product development teams with understanding of model capabilities, limitations, and how they translate to user experience.
Developer Experience and ToolsExperience building developer-facing tools, SDKs, or platforms that improve engineering productivity and adoption by other teams.
Early-Stage Startup or Research ExperienceBackground in early-stage startups or research environments where innovation, rapid iteration, and working with cutting-edge technology are paramount.

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 200,000 – 280,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Relocation Assistance

Full support for relocating to Abu Dhabi, including visa sponsorship, housing assistance, and transition support to help you establish yourself in the UAE.

Hybrid Work Model

Flexible 3 days-per-week in-office arrangement with the ability to work remotely 2 days per week, balancing collaborative team environment with location flexibility.

Comprehensive Health Coverage

Medical, dental, and vision insurance with competitive coverage rates. Coverage extends to family members and partners based on local UAE standards.

Equity and Stock Options

Participation in OpenAI's equity program aligned with company performance. Stock options vest over a standard 4-year schedule with 1-year cliff.

Professional Development and Learning

Access to cutting-edge AI research, internal technical training, and conferences. Continuous learning opportunities as you work with frontier AI models and emerging deployment patterns.

Collaborative Work Environment

Work directly with leading AI researchers, product teams, and GTM functions. Access to internal tools, models, and infrastructure for testing and deployment.

Travel Allowance and Expense Coverage

Up to 50% travel requirement supported with full travel expense coverage, including flights, accommodation, and meal allowances for customer deployments.

Flexible Paid Time Off

Competitive vacation and paid time off policy, plus regional holidays recognized in the UAE.

Mental Health and Wellness Support

Employee wellness programs, mental health resources, and counseling services available to support your wellbeing while managing high-impact work.

Parental Leave

Generous parental leave policies supporting new parents, compliant with UAE labor regulations and exceeding standard industry practices.

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OpenAI

OpenAI

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OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research organization developing advanced AI models like GPT. Focused on ensuring AI benefits humanity, it creates tools for natural language processing and generative AI applications.

San Francisco, California, United StatesFounded 2015openai.com

Tech Stack

Languages
PythonJavaScript/TypeScriptSQL
Frameworks
LangChainLlamaIndexFastAPIReact or Vue.js
Databases
PostgreSQLVector Databases (Pinecone, Weaviate, Milvus)Redis
Tools
Docker and KubernetesGit and Version ControlCI/CD Platforms (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins)Monitoring and Observability (Datadog, New Relic, Prometheus)OpenAI API and Endpoints
Other
Cloud Platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)API Design and DocumentationDeployment Automation and Infrastructure-as-Code

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