Principal Forward Deployed Engineer, AWS Forward Deployed Engineering
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A Principal Forward Deployed Engineer (Principal FDE) embeds across multiple strategic enterprise customers to define the technical strategy and engineering standards for AI-powered production systems at scale. Principal FDEs write production-grade software, set the technical direction for complex multi-workstream engagements, and create the reusable architectures, patterns, and engineering mechanisms that scale the entire FDE practice — combining the technical depth of an AWS Principal SDE with the strategic influence required to deliver transformational customer business outcomes.
Principal FDEs independently lead software delivery across an organization. They drive clarity where neither the business problem nor technology strategy is well defined. They solve problems with non-technical solutions such as process improvement, culture changes, or staffing and training. They set the standard for engineering excellence, handle escalations, and drive closure with peers, Directors, and stakeholders. They are force multipliers whose impact extends well beyond any single engagement.
This position requires that the candidate selected must be a US Citizen and currently possess and maintain an active Top Secret security clearance. The position further requires that, after start, the selected candidate obtain and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance with polygraph or commensurate clearance for each government agency for which they perform AWS work.
Basic qualifications
- 10+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience
- 8+ years of experience leading the design and architecture of large-scale production systems in customer-facing or enterprise environments
- Experience building production AI or ML platforms used across multiple products or customers
- Experience with enterprise-scale agentic workflows, multi-agent orchestration, or AI system governance
- Current, active US Government Security Clearance of Top Secret or above