Forward Deployed Engineer - UAE
About this role
The Forward Deployed Engineering team at OpenAI builds production systems by partnering directly with customers to turn research breakthroughs into working applications. Professionals joining this group embed closely with users to solve high-leverage problems, moving rapidly from initial prototypes to stable deployments while surfacing real-world patterns that shape the broader platform. Daily responsibilities involve leading complex deployments of frontier models where delivery is urgent and ambiguity is high, requiring practitioners to map problems, structure delivery, write full-stack code, and align internal product and research groups with external stakeholders.
Candidates who succeed in this environment possess a strong background in software engineering paired with direct customer-facing experience, allowing them to balance technical execution with clear communication. The position requires navigating shifting priorities, making pragmatic trade-offs between scope and speed, and extracting valuable field signals to guide product roadmaps. Individuals who thrive here are comfortable operating under pressure, managing complex workstreams independently, and translating messy operational constraints into robust, scalable technical solutions.
What you will do
- Manage technical delivery across multiple deployments, guiding workstreams from the initial prototype stage through to stable production.
- Develop full-stack systems that deliver tangible value to customers while generating actionable insights for internal teams.
- Embed directly with customer organizations to understand specific operational needs and drive the adoption of built solutions.
- Scope project requirements, sequence delivery steps, and proactively remove blockers to keep timelines on track.
- Evaluate trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality, making necessary adjustments to protect overall delivery goals.
- Write and review production code directly when project progress or technical clarity requires hands-on engineering.
- Translate field feedback into reusable tools, playbooks, and building blocks that benefit the wider organization.
What you need
- Bring 5 or more years of engineering or technical deployment experience that includes working directly with customers.
- Demonstrate a history of scoping and delivering complex systems within fast-moving or ambiguous operational environments.
- Write and review production-grade code across both frontend and backend domains using Python, JavaScript, or comparable technology stacks.
- Have built or deployed systems powered by large language models or generative AI, showing a clear understanding of model behavior.
- Exhibit the ability to simplify technical complexity and make rapid, sound decisions under pressure.
- Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including software engineers, product managers, and external customer stakeholders.
Benefits
- Relocation assistance
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the remote work and office policy for this role?
This role is based in Abu Dhabi. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week. Travel up to 50% is required.
What kind of experience is required for this position?
You must bring 5+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience that includes customer-facing work. Candidates also need experience scoping and delivering complex systems in fast-moving or ambiguous environments.
What technologies and coding stacks will I use?
You will write and review production-grade code across frontend and backend using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks. The work also involves building or deploying systems powered by LLMs or generative models.
Which internal teams does this group collaborate with?
The team operates at the intersection of customer delivery and core development. We work closely with Product, Research, and Go-To-Market (GTM) teams.