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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to transform software engineering with AI, driving innovation and excellence.
- Company: Join Indicium AI, a pioneering tech firm partnered with leading AI labs.
- Benefits: Access cutting-edge AI tools, competitive salary, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with unique challenges and growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in enterprise AI solutions across diverse industries.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with senior leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.
About Indicium AI
Indicium AI was Anthropic’s first European launch partner and sits among a handful of organisations globally trusted by Anthropic to deploy Claude at enterprise scale. We are also one of the first four OpenAI partners in the UK, and Databricks Ventures has invested in our business and holds a seat on our board. Our engineers have access to the latest AI tools and models, partner technical teams, and early capability previews that the wider market does not. We are deploying production AI systems into the world's most complex organisations across Financial Services, Energy, and Healthcare. We exist to make AI a genuine competitive advantage for our clients, not in a presentation but in production.
The Role
Software engineering is being fundamentally reshaped by AI. The organisations that move fastest to adopt AI native development practices will have a decisive advantage. Most enterprises know this. Very few have the leadership to make it happen. This is a senior technical leadership role at the head of our Forward Deployed Software Engineering practice. Reporting to the CTO, you will lead a team of Forward Deployed Software Engineers who embed with client engineering organisations to transform how they build software in the age of AI. You will own the practice end to end - the quality of engagements, the playbooks that let it scale, the team you build, and the relationships you hold with clients and partners.
This is a role for a true lifetime software engineer: someone who has built and shaped engineering teams, who has likely held CTO or VP Engineering roles, and who is now deeply passionate about how AI is transforming the discipline they have spent their career mastering. You will work directly with client engineering leaders at the most senior level, with Anthropic partner teams, and with Indicium AI leadership to define the direction of our software engineering transformation practice.
What You Will Do
- Lead, hire, and develop a high-performing team of Forward Deployed Software Engineers - setting a high bar for engineering excellence, client instincts, and delivery quality.
- Define and evolve the Indicium AI approach to AI native engineering transformation - covering Claude Code adoption, agentic SDLC tooling, engineering operating models, team structures, and best practice at scale.
- Own the technical and operational bar for software engineering engagements - reviewing SOWs, shaping engagement architecture, and ensuring your team delivers lasting capability change in client organisations.
- Manage hands-on technical delivery in enterprise - you are comfortable moving fluidly between boardroom conversations with a CTO about engineering strategy and pairing with your team on a client codebase.
- Build the playbooks, reference implementations, and repeatable patterns that turn one-off transformation engagements into a scalable practice.
- Develop vertical fluency across the team in Financial Services, Energy, and Healthcare - understanding the specific engineering constraints and compliance requirements of each sector.
- Partner with Sales to shape pipeline, scope engagements, and identify expansion opportunities within existing accounts.
- Work alongside Anthropic field teams on joint engagements - representing Indicium AI at the highest level.
- Provide technical mentorship, conduct regular 1:1s, and invest in the career growth of each team member.
- Be the external voice of Indicium AI’s software engineering transformation practice - through client relationships, partner engagement, and thought leadership.
What We Are Looking For
- 10+ years in software engineering with at least 4 years in senior engineering leadership - CTO, VP Engineering, Head of Engineering, or equivalent roles where you built and shaped teams.
- A true lifetime software engineer - you have written production code across your career, led architecture decisions on complex systems, and built engineering cultures that ship.
- Deep passion for how AI is transforming software engineering - you are already using AI native development tools and have a clear, informed view on where the discipline is heading.
- A track record of building engineering teams from early stage - hiring, developing, and retaining exceptional engineers, not just managing an inherited organisation.
- Experience driving engineering transformation - whether adopting new practices, retooling an SDLC, or scaling an engineering organisation through a step change in capability.
- Enterprise credibility - you have worked with or within large engineering organisations and understand the realities of legacy systems, compliance, procurement, and multi-team coordination.
- Executive presence - you can hold your own with a CTO or VP Engineering and translate technical strategy into clear narratives for diverse audiences.
- High agency and comfort with ambiguity - you have built something from zero before and know what it takes.
Nice to Have
- Former CTO or VP Engineering at a scaling technology company.
- Experience in a client-facing engineering role - forward deployed engineering, technical consulting, or engineering advisory.
- Experience with Claude Code enterprise deployment, AI agent integration into development workflows, or MCP server development.
- External presence - writing, speaking, or community contribution in the software engineering or engineering leadership space.
- Experience working alongside or within partner ecosystems such as Anthropic, Databricks, or AWS at a senior level.
Why Indicium AI
- Access to leading AI Labs: Anthropic’s first European launch partner. One of the first four OpenAI UK partners. Databricks Ventures invested and on our board.
- Our engineers work with capabilities before the wider market does and work jointly with teams from leading AI Labs on customer delivery.
- We are builders: We embed, we architect, we build - and we stay until it works. Our engineers make real decisions on live systems, for clients in industries where getting it wrong has consequences.
- There are no layers between you and the work.
- Problems worth solving: No two engagements are the same. The variety and complexity of enterprise AI problems at Indicium AI is something a product company simply cannot offer.
- If you want engagements that test every dimension of what you can do, this is where they are.
- Investment in staying at the frontier: The best engineers we know are relentlessly curious - and we build an environment that supports learning and growth.
- Every engineer has access to leading AI training and tools, career development pathways, and a flexible work environment.
Director Forward Deployed Software Engineer employer: Indicium AI
Contact Detail:
Indicium AI Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director Forward Deployed Software Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, conferences, or even online webinars. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you to someone looking for your skills.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects and contributions. This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise and passion for software engineering, especially in AI. Make it easy for potential employers to see what you can do!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and scenarios. But don’t just stop there—be ready to discuss how you've led teams and transformed engineering practices. We want to hear about your hands-on experience and how you’ve tackled challenges in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team at Indicium AI. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of something exciting!
We think you need these skills to ace Director Forward Deployed Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and its impact on software engineering shine through. We want to see how you've embraced AI tools in your work and how you envision their future in the industry.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in senior engineering roles. We’re looking for leaders who have built and shaped teams, so share specific examples of your achievements and how they relate to the role at Indicium AI.
Be Clear and Concise: While we appreciate detail, clarity is key! Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to make it easy for us to see your qualifications and experiences at a glance.
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 this exciting opportunity with Indicium AI!
How to prepare for a job interview at Indicium AI
✨Know Your AI Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest AI tools and models, especially those relevant to Indicium AI's work. Brush up on Claude Code and how it integrates into software engineering practices. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show your passion and expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
Prepare to share specific examples of how you've built and shaped engineering teams in the past. Highlight your experience in senior roles like CTO or VP Engineering, and be ready to discuss how you’ve driven engineering transformation in previous positions.
✨Understand the Client Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the sectors Indicium AI operates in, such as Financial Services, Energy, and Healthcare. Knowing the unique challenges and compliance requirements of these industries will help you demonstrate your vertical fluency and readiness to engage with clients.
✨Be Ready for Technical Discussions
Expect to dive deep into technical conversations during the interview. Be prepared to discuss architecture decisions, codebases, and how you would approach transforming an engineering organisation. This is your chance to showcase your hands-on experience and strategic thinking.