Forward Deployment Engineer - Agentic AI

Forward Deployment Engineer - Agentic AI

Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Diligent

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Rapidly design and build prototypes while engaging with customers and stakeholders.
  • Company: Join Diligent, a leader in AI governance and compliance solutions.
  • Benefits: Flexible work environment, health benefits, generous time-off, and global service days.
  • Other info: Diverse team culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make an immediate impact with cutting-edge tech and entrepreneurial projects.
  • Qualifications: 3-5 years of experience in engineering with strong prototyping skills.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

Overview

We are looking for a rare hybrid talent – someone who can hack together end-to-end prototypes at speed while also standing confidently in front of a customer’s executive team. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, product, and business development. You will be one of the first technical faces customers meet, building semi-deployable prototypes, testing product-market fit in the wild, and representing us in high-stakes conversations with senior stakeholders. If you’re an entrepreneurial engineer who thrives in ambiguity, loves building quickly, and wants to see the immediate impact of your work with customers, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

  • Rapidly design, build, and deliver end-to-end prototypes, demos, and proofs-of-concept that help prospects and partners experience the art of the possible.
  • Partner with sales and business development teams to identify customer needs, run discovery sessions, and tailor prototypes to demonstrate value.
  • Represent the company independently in executive-level meetings (SVP/C-level), confidently articulating both technical and business value.
  • Act as a forward-deployed engineer – embedded in customer/partner environments, surfacing insights, validating opportunities, and feeding learnings back into the product roadmap.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, and marketing to shape product direction and positioning based on real-world engagements.
  • Provide technical guidance during early partnership discussions, including APIs, integrations, cloud deployments, and lightweight AI/LLM-driven applications.
  • Help establish repeatable frameworks, toolkits, and playbooks for scaling pre-sales prototyping efforts.

Qualifications and Essentials

  • 3-5+ years of relevant, post-college work experience.
  • Strong technical hacking and prototyping ability – shown proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar.
  • Can independently build functional, semi-deployable solutions across modern stacks (Python/Node, APIs, data pipelines, cloud environments, front-end frameworks, etc.).
  • Comfort working with AI/LLM-based tools, APIs, and modern developer ecosystems.
  • Excellent customer-facing skills: discovery, prospecting, business development, and partnership alignment.
  • Exceptional executive presence: confident, articulate, and able to hold your own with senior executives.
  • Proven ability to operate independently in ambiguous, fast-changing environments.
  • Strong communication skills: able to translate technical complexity into business value.
  • Ability and interest to travel up to 25%, as needed to client sites, but flexible based on personal preferences.

Nice-to-Have

  • Experience in technical pre-sales, forward-deployment, or field engineering roles.
  • Background in B2B SaaS, enterprise software, or early-stage startups.
  • Comfort balancing short-term prototyping with longer-term scalability considerations.
  • Strong storytelling skills and the ability to craft narratives around prototypes and demos.

Benefits

  • Shape the earliest moments of our customer and partner relationships.
  • Have direct influence on product strategy by bringing back unfiltered customer insights.
  • Work on cutting-edge technologies while owning high-visibility projects.
  • Join a team that values entrepreneurial thinking, speed, and impact.

About Us

Diligent is the AI leader in governance, risk and compliance (GRC) SaaS solutions, helping more than 1 million users and 700,000 board members to clarify risk and elevate governance. The Diligent One Platform gives practitioners, the C-Suite and the board a consolidated view of their entire GRC practice so they can more effectively manage risk, build greater resilience and make better decisions, faster. At Diligent, we’re building the future with people who think boldly and move fast. Whether you’re designing systems that leverage large language models or part of a team reimagining workflows with AI, you’ll help us unlock entirely new ways of working and thinking. Curiosity is in our DNA; we look for individuals willing to ask the big questions and experiment fearlessly — those who embrace change not as a challenge, but as an opportunity. The future belongs to those who keep learning, and we are building it together.

To foster strong collaboration and connection, this role will follow a hybrid work model. If you are within a commuting distance to one of our Diligent office locations, you will be expected to work onsite at least 50% of the time.

What Diligent Offers You

  • Creativity is ingrained in our culture. We are innovative collaborators by nature, thriving in exploring how things can be done differently both in our internal processes and to help our clients.
  • We care about our people. Diligent offers a flexible work environment, global days of service, comprehensive health benefits, meeting-free days, generous time-off policy and wellness programs to name a few.
  • We have teams all over the world. We may be headquartered in New York City, but we have office hubs in Washington D.C., Vancouver, London, Galway, Budapest, Munich, Bengaluru, Singapore, and Sydney.
  • Diversity is important to us. Growing, maintaining and promoting a diverse team is a top priority for us. We foster and encourage diversity through our Employee Resource Groups and provide access to resources and education to support the education of our team, facilitate dialogue, and foster understanding.

Equal Opportunity & Accessibility

We are a drug-free workplace. Diligent is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental disability, age, military status, protected veteran status, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at recruitment@diligent.com.

Forward Deployment Engineer - Agentic AI employer: Diligent

Diligent is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture in Greater London, where innovation thrives through collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee well-being, we offer comprehensive benefits, including wellness programmes and generous time-off policies, alongside ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values diversity and empowers you to make a meaningful impact in the B2B SaaS landscape.

Diligent

Contact Details:

Diligent Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Forward Deployment Engineer - Agentic AI

Tip Number 1

Get your hands dirty with some prototyping! Show us your skills by building a quick demo or proof-of-concept that highlights your technical prowess. This not only showcases your abilities but also gives you something tangible to discuss during interviews.

Tip Number 2

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Having a chat with someone already in the company can give you insider tips and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!

Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! You’ll need to confidently articulate both technical and business value, especially in front of senior executives. Role-play with a friend or record yourself to refine your delivery and ensure you come across as articulate and self-assured.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to tailor your approach! Research the company’s products and recent developments. When you apply through our website, make sure to highlight how your skills align with their needs and how you can contribute to their goals.

We think you need these skills to ace Forward Deployment Engineer - Agentic AI

Prototyping
Technical Hacking
Programming Languages (Python, Java, C++, TypeScript/JavaScript)
APIs
Cloud Deployments
AI/LLM-based Tools
Customer-facing Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Prototyping Skills:Make sure to highlight your technical hacking and prototyping abilities in your application. We want to see how you can build functional, semi-deployable solutions quickly, so share examples of your past projects that demonstrate this.

Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences mentioned in the job description. This shows us that you’re genuinely interested in the role and understand what we’re looking for.

Communicate Clearly:We value strong communication skills, so make sure your application is clear and concise. Avoid jargon where possible and focus on translating your technical experience into business value. This will help us see how you can articulate complex ideas to our customers.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our company culture and values!

How to prepare for a job interview at Diligent

Know Your Prototypes Inside Out

Make sure you can discuss your past projects in detail. Be ready to explain the technical aspects of your prototypes, how they were built, and the impact they had on customers. This will show your deep understanding and confidence in your work.

Master the Art of Storytelling

Prepare to craft compelling narratives around your prototypes. Think about how you can translate technical jargon into relatable business value. This skill will be crucial when presenting to senior executives who may not have a technical background.

Research the Company and Its Culture

Familiarise yourself with Diligent's mission, values, and recent developments. Understanding their approach to governance, risk, and compliance will help you align your answers with their goals and demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.

Practice Executive-Level Communication

Since you'll be interacting with high-level stakeholders, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Role-play potential scenarios where you might need to explain complex concepts simply and effectively to non-technical audiences.