We are seeking a hands-on Forward Deployment Engineer (FDE) to work directly with clients to turn business challenges into practical cloud, data, and AI solutions. You will bridge client needs and engineering execution, translating requirements into working software, integrations, and deployments that deliver measurable business outcomes.
Working alongside client stakeholders and Optimus architects and delivery teams, you will contribute across discovery, solution design, rapid prototyping, implementation, production deployment, and adoption. This is a client-facing engineering role focused on building and delivering solutions within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities
- Work directly with client business and technical teams to understand workflows, assess existing systems and data, and define use cases, delivery scope, and measurable success criteria.
- Translate business requirements into technical designs and implementation plans with Optimus architects, identifying dependencies, risks, and trade-offs early.
- Build and demonstrate prototypes and proofs of value using client-relevant data and workflows; refine solutions through stakeholder feedback.
- Develop, test, and integrate software, APIs, data pipelines, and workflow automations within client environments using Microsoft technologies.
- Implement AI-enabled applications and agents where appropriate, including data grounding, evaluation, output validation, and human review for sensitive workflows.
- Prepare solutions for production with secure access, reliable configuration, automated testing, deployment pipelines, monitoring, and rollback procedures.
- Troubleshoot integration and deployment issues, investigate root causes, and improve solution reliability, performance, and cost efficiency.
- Collaborate with client security and governance teams to address access controls, data handling, privacy, and applicable deployment requirements.
- Lead technical demonstrations and knowledge-transfer sessions; maintain clear solution documentation, runbooks, and handover materials to support adoption.
- Coordinate with architects, project managers, and delivery specialists; communicate progress and blockers, support post-launch stabilization within the agreed scope, and turn lessons learned into reusable components and delivery practices.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Forward Deployment Engineer combines strong engineering fundamentals with curiosity about how clients operate. They enjoy building working solutions, navigating ambiguous requirements, and collaborating closely with users. They can move quickly from discovery to a prototype while applying the discipline needed for secure, maintainable production delivery.
- A practical builder who takes ownership from problem discovery through implementation, deployment, and handover.
- A clear communicator who explains technical trade-offs to both business stakeholders and engineering teams.
- A curious problem-solver who learns unfamiliar systems, asks thoughtful questions, and validates assumptions.
- Comfortable working with incomplete requirements and iterating through hands-on experimentation and client feedback.
- Detail-oriented about code quality, testing, documentation, security, and reliable operation.
- Collaborative and client-focused, with the judgment to escalate risks and seek specialist input when needed.
- Motivated to deepen expertise in Microsoft cloud, data, and AI technologies and share learning with others.
We are looking for someone who wants to build a career in client-facing engineering and applied AI delivery - connecting technical implementation with tangible improvements to client workflows and business outcomes.
Requirements
- Post-secondary education in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- Demonstrated experience building and delivering software, data, or cloud solutions, with examples of implementation, integration, testing, and troubleshooting.
- Proficiency in Python, C#, or TypeScript/JavaScript, plus working knowledge of SQL, APIs, and integration patterns.
- Experience with cloud deployment and core engineering practices, including Git, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, logging, and monitoring.
- Working knowledge of identity and access management, secure data handling, and reliability considerations for enterprise solutions.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to gather requirements, demonstrate solutions, and produce clear technical documentation.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively from the Vancouver office and partner effectively with client business and technical teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure and exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Power Platform, or Dynamics 365.
- Experience building AI applications or agents, including retrieval-augmented generation, prompt design, evaluation, and integration with enterprise data and tools.
- Experience delivering data pipelines, transformations, semantic models, or analytics solutions.
- Experience in client-facing technical delivery, consulting, or implementation engagements.
- Relevant Microsoft certifications or a demonstrated commitment to developing Microsoft-stack expertise.
About Optimus
Optimus is a systems integrator helping organizations accelerate their adoption of cloud, data, and AI to achieve measurable business transformation.
We work closely with Microsoft and mid-market enterprise clients across the Microsoft ecosystem - including Azure, Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform. The Forward Deployment Engineer role brings a hands-on, client-facing engineering focus to this work, helping turn business needs into implemented solutions.
