Director of Forward Deployed Engineering
Core
Lead Forward Deployed Engineering and Professional Services to embed with strategic customers, designing and shipping production applications on Vercel using Next.js, AI SDK, and v0.
Role type
Director of Forward Deployed Engineering (Professional Services)
Builds
Production applications and embedded engineering services for strategic enterprise customers
Domain
Developer platform / AI infrastructure / Web technologies
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | client delivery
Required skills
Software engineering leadership, team building from zero, modern web technologies (JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Next.js, Node.js), cloud infrastructure, LLM-powered application deployment, commercial acumen (pricing, packaging, capacity planning), customer embedding experience
Preferred skills
Experience with Vercel/Next.js/AI SDK/v0, leading embedded teams at AI-native or developer platform companies, owning professional services P&L, external representation at conferences
Technologies
Next.js, AI SDK, v0, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Node.js
Responsibilities
Build and develop the Forward Deployed Engineering team (hiring, training, compensation); Define engagement models (scoping, staffing, sequencing); Own delivery excellence for strategic customer engagements; Establish commercial models for professional services; Conduct architecture reviews and system design; Define handoff protocols with Sales Engineering and Customer Success; Codify field learnings into playbooks and reference architectures; Synthesize customer insights into product feedback
Seniority
Director, hands-on IC with team leadership