The forward deployed PM: Scale AI and Intercom add a product role next to their FDEs

A new analysis from hiring firm Second Talent compares forward deployed engineers with product managers, using public job postings counted on October 5, 2026 at Palantir, OpenAI, Anthropic, Scale AI and Intercom. Palantir had 81 postings with "Forward Deployed" in the title out of 316 and no product manager titles. OpenAI had 24 forward deployed postings against 11 PM roles, while Anthropic had the reverse mix, 6 against 14.

The more notable finding is a hybrid title. Scale AI and Intercom both post a forward deployed product manager: someone who works inside large customer deployments alongside FDEs and decides which customer requests should change the core product. Scale's posting says the role is "not a roadmap PM, a CSM, or a solutions engineer", and Intercom's says the title is still being shaped and sets no minimum years of experience.

On pay, the postings put the product side higher. Scale AI's forward deployed PM and platform PM post $240K to $300K base, while its FDE posting tops out at $225K. All eight of OpenAI's FDE postings list $185K to $300K.

Why it matters for FDEs: the forward deployed PM is emerging as a natural next step for engineers who already work embedded with customers. Both Scale and Intercom list prior embedded or solutions roles as a plus, and the skill to build is prioritization, which means deciding what not to build for a paying customer.