Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) have fast become one of the most in-demand hires in SaaS — especially for companies building data, AI, cybersecurity, and infrastructure products.
But here’s the challenge: FDEs are rare, hybrid operators, combining engineering, customer-facing skills, problem-solving, and product insight.
If you’re wondering, “How do I recruit for a Forward Deployed Engineer?” — this guide will walk you through exactly what to look for and how to hire one successfully.
Let's Dive In!
1. Understand What an FDE Really Does (So You Hire the Right Profile)
Before you start recruiting, you need a clear definition of the role.
An FDE is neither a traditional engineer nor a typical solutions consultant. They sit at the intersection of:
• Engineering
• Product
• Customer Success
• Enterprise GTM
In most SaaS companies, an FDE will:
• Work directly with customers to deploy, customise, and integrate your product
• Translate customer problems into technical solutions
• Build POCs, prototypes, scripts, or integrations
• Feed real-world insights back to Product & Engineering
• Troubleshoot issues in complex customer environments
• Become the technical authority in high-value GTM cycles
If your product is deeply technical, configurable, or data-heavy, an FDE can be the difference between “interested prospect” and “successful customer”.
2. Know the Skills and Traits That Make a Great FDE
Hiring an FDE means finding someone who blends technical depth with customer-facing excellence.
Technical Skills to Prioritise
• Strong scripting or programming (Python, JavaScript, SQL, etc.)
• Ability to work with APIs, webhooks, integrations
• Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Understanding of data structures, ingestion, and transformation
• Problem-solving in ambiguous, real-world environments
Customer-Facing Skills
• Strong communication and storytelling
• Ability to simplify technical concepts
• Confidence presenting to senior stakeholders
• Consultative mindset: asking the right questions, not just giving answers
Traits That Matter Most
• Curiosity
• Adaptability
• Empathy
• Ownership
• Bias to action
• Comfort with ambiguity
Great FDEs are the people who can say:
“I can figure this out. Give me access and I’ll make it work.”
3. Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Talent
The biggest mistake SaaS companies make?
Posting a generic engineering job description.
FDEs aren’t just building features — they are building customer value.
Your job description should highlight:
• Customer interaction
• Hands-on problem-solving
• Exposure to enterprise clients
• Impact on product direction
• Variety in day-to-day work
• Ownership of critical deployments and POCs
The more you emphasise the hybrid nature of the role, the better the applicants you’ll attract.
4. Build a Hiring Process That Tests Both Sides: Technical + Customer
A strong hiring process for FDEs includes three core assessments:
A. Technical Evaluation
Not a pure coding test — instead:
• Build a simple integration
• Troubleshoot a broken API call
• Understand a customer’s data model
• Write a small script to transform or parse data
This tests how they think, not just how they code.
B. Customer Interaction Assessment
This is crucial.
You want to know if they can speak to humans, not just machines.
Try a scenario such as:
“Explain our product to a non-technical buyer”
or
“Walk us through how you’d handle a frustrated enterprise customer.”
C. Problem-Solving / Architecture Discussion
This tests:
• How they structure solutions
• Their ability to simplify complexity
• Whether they can be trusted as the technical voice in the field
5. Sell the Role — FDEs Have Plenty of Options
Top FDEs get recruited constantly. To stand out, emphasise:
• Direct impact on customers
• Influence over product direction
• Variety: no two days look the same
• Working with senior stakeholders early
• Ownership over POCs and deployments
• Joining during an exciting stage of growth
If you want to win top talent, you must treat them like a high-impact hire — because they are.
6. Consider Using a Specialist Technical or GTM Recruitment Partner
Because the FDE profile is so specific — and so rare — many SaaS companies struggle to fill the role through traditional channels.
A specialised recruitment partner can help by:
• Understanding the hybrid nature of the role
• Reaching passive candidates who aren’t actively looking
• Identifying talent from consulting, engineering, and solutions backgrounds
• Distinguishing between “strong engineers” and “true FDE profiles”
• Helping position the role correctly in the market
If this is your first FDE hire, working with a specialist agency often speeds up the process dramatically — and reduces the risk of a mismatched hire.
Final Thoughts
Recruiting a Forward Deployed Engineer isn’t like hiring a standard engineer or solutions consultant.
You’re hiring someone who will:
• Get your product working for enterprise customers
• Accelerate time-to-value
• Strengthen your GTM motion
• Improve your product through real-world insight
• Drive retention and expansion
If you get this hire right, the impact is huge.
If you get it wrong, onboarding becomes slow, customers get frustrated, and deals can stall.
Now that you know how to recruit for a Forward Deployed Engineer, you’re better equipped to attract, identify, and hire the hybrid technical talent your SaaS business needs.
Choosing the right recruitment agency is about fit, expertise, and trust.
By asking the right questions and digging into their processes, you can find a partner who not only fills roles — but helps you build a Product & Engineering team that fuels long-term SaaS growth.
Invest in a Product & Engineering Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.
Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here.
Luke Mannion
Global Head of Product & Engineering
