Forward Deployed Engineer - Seattle, Washington, United States

Gradial is a Seattle-based startup enabling digital experiences at the speed of thought. We empower marketers and creatives to implement their ideas directly, with software that adapts over time. Our platform automates website and design system updates, large-scale migrations to ...

Job description

Gradial is a Seattle-based startup enabling digital experiences at the speed of thought. We empower marketers and creatives to implement their ideas directly, with software that adapts over time. Our platform automates website and design system updates, large-scale migrations to new design systems, and continuous content optimization while adhering to company and product brands.

Backed by world class investors, we're looking to scale our platform and expand our team. At Gradial, we operate with extreme ownership, bias towards action and critical path planning. We tackle problems from first principles, question assumptions, and find creative solutions. If you want to take risks, work on groundbreaking technology, and see the direct impact of your work, Gradial is where you belong.

Role Overview

We're hiring a Forward Deployed Engineer to lead implementations of our AI platform directly with customers. This role is ideal for a technically fluent builder who thrives at the intersection of engineering and problem solving; someone who wants to be hands-on with code while shaping how some of the world's most recognizable brands modernize their content operations.

As an FDE, you'll own full-stack development for enterprise deployments, working side-by-side with customers to map complex workflows into scalable generative systems. You'll move between discovery, prototyping, implementation, and post-launch optimization - translating real-world pain points into elegant technical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical discovery and implementation for new enterprise customers, translating nuanced business processes into robust AI-native solutions.
• Build, deploy and optimize features that integrate customer systems with Gradial's LLM driven platform.
• Develop reusable tools, adapters and configuration layers to support scalable enterprise onboarding.
• Collaborate with customer stakeholders (mainly within marketing, operations and engineering) to define requirements, surface edge cases and iterate in real time.
• Work closely with Gradial's product and engineer teams to incorporate learnings from the field into our core roadmap.
• Contribute to internal technical documentation and implementation playbooks that accelerate future deployments.
• Own performance, reliability and maintainability for the solutions you ship, from backend architecture to customer UX.

Requirements

• 3+ years of software engineering or technical implementation experience, ideally in customer-facing contexts.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as TypeScript or similar, with a strong understanding of APIs and systems integration.
• Ability to rapidly understand unfamiliar technical ecosystems (CMS, DAM, workflow tools) and build integration paths.
• Excellent communication skills. Confident translating for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• High ownership mindset with comfort operating independently, navigating ambiguity.
• Willingness to travel occasionally (<10%) for customer discovery, deployment and relationship building.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience working with enterprise customers; particularly in content, marketing or digital operations.
• Familiarity with LLMs, generative AI pipelines and agent-style automation frameworks.
• Background in consulting, technical solution engineering or internal tools engineering.

Compensation 

The salary range for this position is $130,000 – $210,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for performance-based bonuses and equity awards. Gradial offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental & vision insurance, 401K retirement plan, paid time off, paid sick leave and other employee wellness programs. 

You'll thrive here if you...

• Learn quickly and actively seek out new challenges.
• Embrace AI as a core tool for problem-solving, creativity and scale.
• Show a strong work ethic, high ownership and bias toward action.
• Communicate clearly, directly and with curiosity.
• Thrive in fast-paced, hyper-growth environments where building better > maintaining status quo.

AI Literacy & Interviewing Tools

As an AI-first company, we prioritize AI literacy as a core competency in our hiring decisions. We're excited by candidates who thoughtfully apply AI tools in their work, but during interviews we're focused on you. This is your opportunity to show how you think, communicate, and solve problems. Over-reliance on AI-generated responses during the interview process (especially when it obscures your own voice) will result in disqualification. We want to understand your unique perspective and how you approach challenges, both with and without AI.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity
• Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage
• Fast-paced environment with flexibility and ownership
• Real impact, zero bureaucracy
• A front-row seat to building category-defining AI infrastructure

Gradial is dedicated to creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and all team members can grow. We offer competitive compensation, equity, flexible work hours, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative culture focused on learning and impact.

Privacy Policy

By submitting your application to Gradial, you acknowledge that any personal data you provide will be processed in accordance with our . This includes the collection, use, and storage of your information for the purposes of evaluating your qualifications and communicating with you about your candidacy. We handle applicant data with care and in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

If you have any questions about how your information is used, please refer to our  or contact us directly.

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