E-3 Visa Forward Deployed Software Engineer Jobs
Forward Deployed Software Engineers who combine deep technical skills with direct client engagement qualify for E-3 visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation. The E-3 runs in two-year increments with no lottery and no cap, making it a practical path for Australian engineers pursuing embedded, customer-facing engineering roles at U.S. companies.
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Get Access To All JobsABOUT THE TEAM
OpenAI’s Forward Deployed Engineering team partners with customers to turn research breakthroughs into production systems. We operate at the intersection of customer delivery and core platform development.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are looking for customer-focused software engineers to build effective custom software that leverages OpenAI’s APIs to solve real customer problems. As an FDSWE, you will work with our customers and OpenAI Forward Deployed Engineers to design and implement scalable solutions that solve their most difficult problems. You will design abstractions to solve customer problems, and then use them to scale our speed and quality of delivery across all Forward Deployed engagements.
You will collaborate closely with Sales, Solutions Engineering, Solutions Architects, and Customer Success Managers who work on the same account. You will also work with our Research and Applied Product and Engineering teams to provide insightful customer feedback.
This role is based in Seattle. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week. We offer relocation assistance. Travel up to 50% is required.
In this role, you will:
- Embed deeply with strategic customers to understand their business challenges and technical requirements in detail.
- Design, architect, and develop full-stack solutions using an experiment-driven, iterative approach.
- Prepare detailed scopes of work and project plans for both proof-of-concept prototypes and full production deployments.
- Work hands-on with customers' technical teams as a technical expert and trusted advisor, coding side-by-side to drive projects to completion on their infrastructure.
- Collaborate with Product, Research and Applied teams to ensure seamless customer experiences, project success and actionable product feedback.
- Contribute to internal knowledge bases, codifying best practices and sharing insights gained from customer engagements to scale the Forward Deployed Engineering function.
YOU’LL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE IF YOU:
- 7+ years of professional full stack engineering experience (excluding internships) in relevant roles at tech and product-driven companies - customer-facing experience is highly desirable.
- Former founder, or early engineer at a startup who has built a product from scratch is a plus.
- Experience with relational databases like Postgres/MySQL.
- Have a bias for action and willingness to work iteratively with your customers to deliver the right solution that solves their problem.
COMPENSATION
- $153K – $325K + Offers Equity
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
ABOUT THE TEAM
OpenAI’s Forward Deployed Engineering team partners with customers to turn research breakthroughs into production systems. We operate at the intersection of customer delivery and core platform development.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are looking for customer-focused software engineers to build effective custom software that leverages OpenAI’s APIs to solve real customer problems. As an FDSWE, you will work with our customers and OpenAI Forward Deployed Engineers to design and implement scalable solutions that solve their most difficult problems. You will design abstractions to solve customer problems, and then use them to scale our speed and quality of delivery across all Forward Deployed engagements.
You will collaborate closely with Sales, Solutions Engineering, Solutions Architects, and Customer Success Managers who work on the same account. You will also work with our Research and Applied Product and Engineering teams to provide insightful customer feedback.
This role is based in Seattle. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week. We offer relocation assistance. Travel up to 50% is required.
In this role, you will:
- Embed deeply with strategic customers to understand their business challenges and technical requirements in detail.
- Design, architect, and develop full-stack solutions using an experiment-driven, iterative approach.
- Prepare detailed scopes of work and project plans for both proof-of-concept prototypes and full production deployments.
- Work hands-on with customers' technical teams as a technical expert and trusted advisor, coding side-by-side to drive projects to completion on their infrastructure.
- Collaborate with Product, Research and Applied teams to ensure seamless customer experiences, project success and actionable product feedback.
- Contribute to internal knowledge bases, codifying best practices and sharing insights gained from customer engagements to scale the Forward Deployed Engineering function.
YOU’LL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE IF YOU:
- 7+ years of professional full stack engineering experience (excluding internships) in relevant roles at tech and product-driven companies - customer-facing experience is highly desirable.
- Former founder, or early engineer at a startup who has built a product from scratch is a plus.
- Experience with relational databases like Postgres/MySQL.
- Have a bias for action and willingness to work iteratively with your customers to deliver the right solution that solves their problem.
COMPENSATION
- $153K – $325K + Offers Equity
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
See all 116+ E-3 Visa Forward Deployed Software Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new E-3 Visa Forward Deployed Software Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding E-3 Visa Sponsorship as a Forward Deployed Software Engineer
Frame your degree as field-specific
Forward deployment roles often blend sales engineering and software, so consular officers may scrutinize degree relevance. Document explicitly how your computer science, software engineering, or IT degree directly underpins the technical client work you'll perform.
Target companies with existing E-3 LCA filings
Search DOL's Office of Foreign Labor Certification disclosure data for employers who have previously certified E-3 visa LCAs in software engineering job codes. Those companies already understand the filing process and won't need educating at the offer stage.
Clarify the client-site work arrangement upfront
Forward deployed engineers often work at client premises, not the sponsoring employer's address. Your LCA must list the actual primary worksite. Raise this with your employer before filing so the DOL-certified location matches where you'll actually be working.
Use Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service for offer-to-consulate execution
Once you have an offer, use Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service to handle your LCA and visa paperwork end-to-end. This matters for forward deployment roles where worksite details and job duty descriptions require precise alignment with the specialty occupation definition.
Prepare technical evidence beyond your job title
Job titles like 'Forward Deployed Engineer' are not universally recognised by USCIS as specialty occupations. Bring offer letters, role descriptions, and employer documentation showing that a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field is a minimum requirement for the position, not just preferred.
Negotiate visa filing responsibility before signing
E-3 employers are not legally required to cover filing fees, but many do. Confirm in writing whether your employer will file the LCA and cover consular fees before you accept, so there are no surprises when the USCIS or State Department fees come due.
E-3 Visa Forward Deployed Software Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find Forward Deployed Software Engineer jobs with E-3 sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for Australian professionals searching for U.S. roles that offer E-3 visa sponsorship. You can filter by job title and see which employers have a history of sponsoring Australian engineers. This saves significant time compared to cold-applying and then discovering a company has never heard of the E-3 visa.
How much does it cost to get an E-3 visa?
Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service covers the entire process for $499, including the Labor Condition Application, visa document preparation, and consulate appointment guidance. Traditional immigration lawyers charge $2,000–$5,000+ for the same work. The E-3 has less paperwork than most work visas, so paying thousands for legal help is usually unnecessary.
Does a Forward Deployed Software Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for the E-3?
Yes, provided the employer requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific technical field such as computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline. The hybrid nature of the role, combining software development with customer-facing deployment, can raise questions at the consulate, so your offer letter and job description should explicitly state the degree requirement and technical scope of the work.
How does the E-3 compare to the H-1B for this role?
For Australian engineers, the E-3 is significantly more practical than the H-1B visa for forward deployment roles. There's no annual lottery, no random selection, and no annual cap that creates multi-year waiting periods. You can apply as soon as you have a certified LCA and a job offer, and your employer doesn't need to enter any ballot. The H-1B requires lottery selection before any petition can be filed.
What happens to my E-3 status if I'm redeployed to a different client site?
If your primary worksite changes materially, your employer may need to file a new or amended LCA reflecting the updated location before you begin working there. The DOL requires that the certified LCA match the actual place of employment. Short-term travel to client sites is generally treated differently from a permanent reassignment, but a sustained shift in primary location triggers a new filing obligation.