Forward Deployed Engineer - FDE (w/m/x)
NTT DATA is a trusted global innovator of business and technology services, helping clients innovate, optimize, and transform for success. We strive to hire exceptional, innovative, and passionate individuals who want to grow with us. If you want to be part of an inclusive, adaptable, and forward-thinking organization, apply now.
Overview:
The Forward-Deployed Engineer is a client-facing builder within the AI GTM organization responsible for rapidly creating demos, prototypes, proofs of concept, and MVPs that make AI opportunities tangible for clients and account teams. This role combines hands-on engineering, AI fluency, product thinking, and field presence to translate client problems into working technical concepts using models, agents, data, workflows, integrations, and user experiences.#LI-AR2
Key Responsibilities:
- Rapidly build demos, prototypes, proofs of concept, and MVPs that bring AI use cases to life for clients and account teams.
- Translate client problems into working technical concepts using models, agents, data, workflows, APIs, integrations, and user experience patterns.
- Support discovery workshops, executive demos, technical deep dives, proof-of-value sessions, and partner enablement activities.
- Partner with Solution Architects to ensure prototypes align to scalable architecture, delivery paths, security expectations, and operational requirements.
- Work with ecosystem partners to showcase differentiated capabilities across OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Google/Gemini, cloud, data, and enterprise platforms.
- Package prototypes into reusable assets, demo scripts, technical collateral, setup guides, reference architectures, and handoff materials.
- Validate technical feasibility, data dependencies, integration complexity, user experience assumptions, and implementation risks early in the sales cycle.
- Help accelerate opportunity conversion by making AI solutions concrete, credible, and client-specific.
- Contribute lessons learned, reusable code, prompts, agent patterns, and implementation guidance back into the global FDE knowledge base.
Success Measures:
- Pursuit deal volume, measured as total TCV value of AI deals where the FDE supported.
- Pursuit win rate for AI deals where the FDE supported.
- Prototype-to-pipeline conversion, measured by demos, prototypes, or POCs that convert into qualified pipeline, funded POCs, or downstream implementation work.
- Utilization, reuse of technical assets, demo quality, and stakeholder feedback.
Basic Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience in software engineering, AI engineering, data engineering, ML engineering, solution engineering, technical consulting, or related hands-on technical roles.
- 2+ years of experience building or deploying AI, ML, GenAI, LLM, RAG, agentic AI, data science, or automation solutions.
- Hands-on experience with programming languages and frameworks such as Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, FastAPI, Flask, React, LangChain, LlamaIndex, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar technologies.
- Experience integrating APIs, data sources, model providers, workflow tools, and cloud services into working demos or prototypes.
- Working knowledge of responsible AI, security, data handling, privacy, and enterprise deployment considerations.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
- Fluency in German and English
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Google/Gemini, Azure, AWS, GCP, Databricks, Snowflake, vector databases, model registries, and MLOps/LLMOps tooling.
- Experience working directly with clients, sales teams, or product teams to rapidly prototype solutions under ambiguous conditions.
- AI/ML, cloud, data engineering, or software engineering certifications.
- Strong technical curiosity, client empathy, communication, bias for action, collaboration, and ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
- Ability to travel as required for client and internal engagements.
Benefits:
- Flexible working hours with a flexitime arrangement; business travel time is considered working time
- 30 days of annual leave, plus December 24 and December 31 as additional non-working days
- The option to take a sabbatical of up to one year
- Remote work and mobile working from other EU countries
- Attractive benefits and compensation optimisation programmes, including an occupational pension scheme, JobRad bike leasing, a public transport pass, exclusive discounts through Corporate Benefits, and much more
- Comprehensive health and preventive care benefits, including extended continued remuneration in the event of illness, occupational health services, worldwide accident insurance covering both work-related and leisure-time accidents, and family support services
- A wide range of internal and external development opportunities through the NTT DATA Academy, including specialist training, certification programmes, soft-skills training, and access to Udemy
- Varied corporate volunteering opportunities, as well as diverse communities and initiatives focusing on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, sustainability, and more, with knowledge sharing on an equal footing
- A team-oriented corporate culture with plenty of scope to contribute ideas and shape your work
With us, you will have countless opportunities to think big, act boldly, and take responsibility. Shape your future in a culture that fosters a sense of belonging and gives you the space to learn and build your network.
Diversity is an essential part of our success and our corporate culture. Free from prejudice regarding gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or social background, religion, or disability, we look forward to getting to know you. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference if equally qualified.
Interested? We look forward to receiving your online application!