Forward Deployed Engineer - Applied AI

at Perplexity AI

📍 London, United Kingdom
📍 New York City, United States
📍 San Francisco, United States
📍 Seattle, United States

USD 205,000-335,000 per year

MIDDLE

✅ On-site

Used Tools & Technologies

Machine Learning

Required Skills & Competences
Tag name is followed by "@" symbol and proficiency level value. About proficiency levels:

1-2 — basic awareness. Minimal hands-on experience, and a rudimentary understanding of the technology's purpose;

3-6 — daily use. Comfortable and regular usage, capable of handling common tasks and challenges related to the technology;

7-9 — you are an expert, you can teach others, you know all the pitfalls and tricks;

10 — exceptional knowledge, comprehensive understanding, and adeptness in all aspects of the technology, including advanced problem-solving. Think twice before claiming or demanding such level.

Security @ 3 TypeScript @ 6 Python @ 6 Java @ 6 Distributed Systems @ 6 Communication @ 3 JavaScript @ 6 Debugging @ 6 API @ 3 LLM @ 3 AI @ 3 RAG @ 3 Prompt Engineering @ 3

Details

Perplexity is building AI systems that integrate directly into how enterprises operate. Their API Platform powers search, retrieval, and automation across structured and unstructured data, while Perplexity Computer extends this into the execution of AI systems that navigate tools, interact with applications, and complete multi-step workflows. Together, these platforms form a new integration layer connecting models, data, and enterprise systems into end-to-end workflows.

About the Role

Forward Deployed Engineers work directly with customers to design and deploy integrations in production. You will embed with customer teams, connect Perplexity into their existing stack, and build systems that automate real work. The role spans two areas:

API Platform: integrating search, retrieval, and AI capabilities into enterprise systems
Perplexity Computer: deploying agentic workflows that operate across tools, applications, and data

Why Join Us

Work on cutting-edge AI systems, building end-to-end workflows and integrations that solve real business problems at scale. Influence both product and adoption, embed AI deeply in enterprise workflows, and shape how organizations operationalize AI.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and deploy end-to-end integrations between Perplexity and enterprise systems (data platforms, internal tools, SaaS applications), translating business workflows into production-grade AI systems
Embed with customer teams and own deployments from initial architecture through production rollout and ongoing optimization
Develop and operationalize integrations using APIs, event-driven architectures, and workflow orchestration, including deploying Perplexity Computer for multi-step, agent-driven workflows across tools and environments
Design and build production systems that combine retrieval, reasoning, and execution across enterprise environments, applying expertise in LLM capabilities, implementation patterns, and the AI stack to drive performance, security, and customer impact
Debug and resolve issues across APIs, infrastructure, and external dependencies, ensuring reliability, performance, and scalability in production
Prototype new integration patterns and build reusable architectures that accelerate adoption across customers
Partner with Sales and Product to unlock new use cases, drive expansion, and translate deployment learnings into product and platform improvements

Requirements

5+ years of experience in software engineering, forward deployed engineering, solutions engineering, or similar roles, with a track record of building and shipping production systems in customer-facing environments
Strong programming ability in Python (plus one of JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, etc.) with experience developing integrations, prototypes, and scalable applications
Deep experience with APIs and distributed systems, including authentication, latency optimization, and debugging across complex, multi-system environments
Production experience building LLM-powered systems, including prompt engineering, agent workflows, evaluation, and deploying AI systems at scale
Proven ability to design and implement automated, end-to-end workflows that integrate across enterprise systems and replace manual processes
High ownership and ability to operate in ambiguous environments, with strong system design, rapid prototyping skills, and end-to-end execution
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working cross-functionally and engaging both technical teams and executive stakeholders

Nice-to-Haves

Experience with search systems, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or AI/ML APIs
Background in developer tools, platform engineering, or high-scale/low-latency system design
History of working at startups or small teams, owning customer projects end-to-end
Experience with enterprise IT systems or AI deployment patterns in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, life sciences)

Benefits

U.S. Benefits: Full-time U.S. employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits program including equity, health, dental, vision, retirement, fitness, commuter and dependent care accounts, and more.
International Benefits: Full-time employees outside the U.S. enjoy a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region of residence.
Note: USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions. International salaries are set based on the local market. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.