Vercel

Director of Forward Deployed Engineering

Hybrid - San Francisco, New York City, Austin · Director

Sponsorship not specified$240k-$300kDetected 1 day ago

JavaScriptTypeScriptReactNext.jsNode.jsCloud PlatformsLLMsCustomer SuccessEmbedded SystemsMentoring

About the role

You will define how this function operates: the engagement model, the delivery methodology, the commercial structure, and the team itself.
You will report to the VP of Field Engineering.

Build, lead, and develop the Forward Deployed Engineering team, including hiring standards, training, career development, and compensation.
Define the engagement model: how engagements are scoped, staffed, sequenced, and measured, and which accounts qualify for embedded support.
Own delivery excellence for strategic customer engagements, from discovery and technical scoping through production deployment and stabilization.
Stay hands-on where it matters: architecture reviews, system design, and unblocking critical engagements alongside your team.
Define clear handoff protocols between Forward Deployed Engineering, Sales Engineering, Customer Success, and partners.
Experience building a team, function, or service line from zero, including hiring, methodology, and operating model.
Experience building or deploying LLM-powered applications and an understanding of how model behavior shapes product decisions.
Learn and Grow - we provide mentorship and send you to events that help you build your network and skills.

10+ years in software engineering, forward deployed engineering, or technical consulting roles, with at least 5 years leading customer-facing engineering or delivery teams in a high-growth environment.
Strong background in modern web technologies (JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Next.js, Node.js, cloud infrastructure) with the ability to review code and whiteboard architectures credibly.

Have built with Vercel, Next.js, AI SDK, or v0.
Have led forward deployed or embedded engineering teams at an AI-native or developer platform company.
Have owned a professional services P&L or defined services pricing and packaging from scratch.
Are comfortable representing the function externally at conferences, customer executive briefings, or large-scale events.

The total compensation package may include benefits, equity-based compensation, and eligibility for a company bonus or variable pay program depending on the role.

Competitive compensation package, including equity.
Inclusive Healthcare Package.
Flexible Time Off.
The San Francisco, CA base pay range for this role is $240,000 -$300,000 plus bonus.
The total compensation package may include benefits, equity-based compensation, and eligibility for a company bonus or variable pay program depending on the role.

discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic pro

This listing is sourced directly from Vercel's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.