OpenAI

Forward Deployed Software Engineer - NYC

OpenAI7 months ago
Location

New York City

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 153,000 – 325,000

Level

Senior

Role

Full Stack Engineer

Posted

Dec 10, 2025

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI is seeking a Forward Deployed Software Engineer in NYC to design and deploy full-stack solutions leveraging OpenAI's APIs for strategic enterprise customers. This senior-level role combines software engineering expertise with customer-facing collaboration, requiring 7+ years of full-stack development experience and a proven ability to translate complex business challenges into scalable, production-ready systems while working hands-on with customer technical teams.

What you'll do

Customer-Centric System Design: Embed deeply with strategic enterprise customers to understand complex business challenges, technical requirements, and operational constraints in detail. Conduct discovery sessions, analyze existing infrastructure, and establish clear project objectives that align with customer success metrics and organizational goals.
Full-Stack Solution Architecture and Development: Design, architect, and develop comprehensive full-stack solutions using an experiment-driven, iterative approach. Build end-to-end systems integrating OpenAI's APIs, custom business logic, databases, and infrastructure components while maintaining code quality, scalability, and maintainability standards.
Project Planning and Delivery Scope Definition: Prepare detailed scopes of work, technical specifications, and project plans for both proof-of-concept prototypes and full production deployments. Define milestones, resource requirements, timelines, and success criteria while managing stakeholder expectations throughout project lifecycle.
Hands-On Technical Leadership and Collaboration: Work directly alongside customer technical teams as a trusted technical expert, providing hands-on coding support, architecture guidance, and best practice recommendations. Drive projects to completion on customer infrastructure while enabling knowledge transfer and building technical capability within customer organizations.
Cross-Functional Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate closely with internal Sales, Solutions Engineering, Solutions Architects, and Customer Success Managers on assigned accounts. Provide actionable product feedback to Research, Applied Product, and Engineering teams based on real customer use cases and deployment challenges to inform product roadmap priorities.
Knowledge Codification and Best Practice Scaling: Contribute to internal knowledge bases, technical documentation, and architectural patterns derived from customer engagements. Codify best practices, deployment strategies, and solution templates to scale the Forward Deployed Engineering function's speed and quality of delivery across all engagements and future customers.

What we look for

Technical

Full-Stack Software EngineeringDemonstrated expertise designing and implementing complete full-stack solutions including frontend interfaces, backend services, database systems, and infrastructure deployment across various technology stacks and architectural patterns.
Relational Database Design and OptimizationStrong proficiency with relational database systems including PostgreSQL and MySQL, including schema design, query optimization, performance tuning, indexing strategies, and database administration for production systems.
API Integration and Integration DevelopmentExperience integrating third-party APIs and SaaS platforms into production systems. Ability to design robust integration layers, handle authentication and rate limiting, and troubleshoot complex integration challenges in customer environments.
Python or JavaScript/TypeScriptProduction-level proficiency in Python (Flask, FastAPI, Django) or modern JavaScript/TypeScript frameworks (Node.js, React, Vue) for building scalable backend and frontend services. Ability to write clean, maintainable code and mentor other engineers.
Cloud Infrastructure and DevOpsHands-on experience deploying and managing applications on cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure). Familiarity with containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code principles for production deployments.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or Related FieldFormal education in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent discipline demonstrating foundational knowledge of algorithms, data structures, systems design, and software architecture principles.
Advanced Technical Certifications (Optional)Cloud architecture certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Professional), Kubernetes administration, or advanced distributed systems certifications valued but not required given sufficient professional experience.

Experience

7+ Years Full-Stack Engineering ExperienceMinimum 7 years of professional full-stack software engineering experience (excluding internships) at technology and product-driven companies. Demonstrated progression through increasingly complex projects, architectural ownership, and technical leadership responsibilities.
Customer-Facing Technical Engagement (Highly Desirable)Proven experience working directly with enterprise customers, end-users, or external stakeholders in technical capacities such as solutions engineering, professional services, customer success engineering, or technical consulting roles requiring translation of business needs into technical solutions.
Startup or Early-Stage Experience (Plus Factor)Background as a startup founder or early technical engineer (first 10-50 employees) where you built products from conception to market, managed ambiguity, wore multiple hats, and demonstrated bias for action and iterative delivery in resource-constrained environments.
Production System Deployment and OperationsExperience deploying, scaling, and operating production systems handling real customer workloads. Proficiency troubleshooting production issues, monitoring system health, implementing observability, and managing infrastructure reliability and performance.

Skills

Required skills

Full-Stack Software ArchitectureEnd-to-end system design including frontend, backend, database layers, and cloud infrastructure. Ability to evaluate architectural trade-offs, select appropriate design patterns, and build systems optimized for scalability, performance, and maintainability.
Production-Grade Python or JavaScript DevelopmentExpert-level proficiency writing production code in Python (FastAPI, Django) or modern JavaScript/TypeScript frameworks, including testing practices, error handling, and code maintainability standards suitable for customer-facing systems.
PostgreSQL/MySQL Database DevelopmentAdvanced SQL skills for designing efficient schemas, writing complex queries, optimizing performance, and managing database migrations in production environments. Understanding of transactions, indexing, and query plans.
RESTful API Design and DevelopmentProficiency designing and implementing scalable REST APIs with proper authentication, error handling, versioning strategies, and documentation. Understanding of API security, rate limiting, and optimization for production use.
Problem-Solving and Technical TroubleshootingStrong analytical and debugging skills to identify root causes of complex technical issues, propose systematic solutions, and communicate findings clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders during customer engagements.
Communication and Customer EmpathyExcellent written and verbal communication skills for explaining technical concepts to diverse audiences (executives, product managers, developers). Ability to listen actively to customer needs, ask clarifying questions, and translate business requirements into technical solutions.

Nice to have

LLM and Generative AI IntegrationExperience integrating large language models or generative AI APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face) into production applications, including prompt engineering, model selection, cost optimization, and handling model limitations.
Solutions Engineering MindsetBackground in solutions engineering, professional services, or customer success engineering where you've balanced technical excellence with business outcomes, managed customer relationships, and influenced product decisions based on market feedback.
React, Vue, or Modern Frontend FrameworksProficiency building modern, responsive user interfaces using React, Vue, or similar frameworks. Understanding of component architecture, state management, and performance optimization for complex web applications.
Docker and Kubernetes ContainerizationHands-on experience containerizing applications with Docker and deploying/managing workloads on Kubernetes for production environments, including understanding of container orchestration, networking, and resource management.
AWS, GCP, or Azure Cloud PlatformsDeep experience deploying and managing applications on major cloud platforms including compute services (EC2/Compute Engine/App Service), managed databases, and serverless offerings for building scalable systems.
CI/CD and Infrastructure-as-CodeExperience implementing continuous integration and deployment pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins. Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform, CloudFormation, or similar for automated infrastructure provisioning.
Observability and MonitoringExperience implementing comprehensive observability for production systems using tools like Datadog, New Relic, Prometheus, or ELK Stack for logging, metrics, and distributed tracing across complex systems.
Agile and Iterative DevelopmentExperience working in fast-paced agile environments, delivering working software incrementally, conducting sprint planning and reviews, and adapting to changing requirements with bias for action and rapid iteration.

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 153,000 – 325,000 (annual)

Benefits

Competitive Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with company contributions supporting employee and family health and wellness across all major carriers.

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

Tax-advantaged retirement savings plan with company matching contributions enabling long-term financial planning and wealth accumulation for retirement security.

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Flexible paid time off policy enabling employees to take time off for vacation, personal time, and wellness without restrictive accrual caps, subject to business needs and manager approval.

Professional Development and Learning

Access to professional development opportunities, technical training, conference attendance, and educational resources supporting continuous skill development and career growth in emerging AI technologies.

Remote Work and Flexible Arrangements

Hybrid work model with 3 days per week in NYC office and flexibility for remote work, supporting work-life balance while maintaining team collaboration and connection.

Relocation Assistance

Comprehensive relocation package for candidates relocating to NYC including moving expenses, temporary housing, and support for family transitions to ensure smooth onboarding.

Equity Compensation

Stock options or equity grants enabling employees to participate in company growth and long-term value creation, aligning individual and organizational success.

Parental Leave

Generous paid parental leave policy supporting employees during childbirth, adoption, and family planning enabling life balance and workforce retention.

Mental Health and Wellness Support

Employee assistance program, mental health counseling, and wellness benefits promoting psychological well-being and supporting stress management in demanding technical roles.

Learning and Development Reimbursement

Annual budget for professional development including certifications, courses, books, and conference attendance supporting continuous technical growth and industry engagement.

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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
FastAPIDjangoReactNode.js
Databases
PostgreSQLMySQLRedis
Tools
DockerKubernetesGit/GitHubAWS/GCP/AzureTerraform
Other
OpenAI APIs and LLMsPostman/API Testing ToolsAgile/Scrum Methodologies

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