H-1B Visa Forward Deployed Software Engineer Jobs
Forward Deployed Software Engineers work embedded at client sites, building and customizing software in real time. Employers filing H-1B petitions for this role typically classify it under software development SOC codes, and the specialty occupation requirement is well-established given the degree-intensive nature of the work.
See All Forward Deployed Software Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 272+ Forward Deployed Software Engineer jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 272+ Forward Deployed Software Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Forward Deployed Software Engineer roles.
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.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
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. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
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.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy
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.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
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. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
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.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy
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 272+ Forward Deployed Software Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Forward Deployed Software Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Forward Deployed Software Engineer
Confirm your SOC code before applying
Forward Deployed Software Engineer roles are typically filed under software developer SOC codes. Check the O*NET profile for your exact title so you can verify the employer's LCA matches the work you'll actually perform.
Target employers with active LCA filing history
Use Migrate Mate to filter for companies that have filed LCAs for software engineering roles. Employers with consistent filing history are far more likely to move quickly through the H-1B petition process than first-time sponsors.
Document the client-site work arrangement carefully
USCIS scrutinizes third-party placement roles heavily. Your employer must show they control your day-to-day work, not the client. Ask HR how the company structures its I-129 filings for deployed engineers before accepting an offer.
Request prevailing wage verification early
Run your prospective job title and location through the OFLC Wage Search before your offer letter is finalized. The wage level on the LCA must meet or exceed the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and worksite, not the employer's headquarters.
Prepare a degree-to-role equivalency narrative
If your degree is in a field adjacent to software engineering, prepare a written explanation of how your coursework and experience map to the specialty occupation definition. RFEs on this point are common for forward-deployed roles with broad job descriptions.
Track the 60-day grace period if your status changes
If you lose your H-1B job between client engagements, USCIS allows a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsor or change status. Don't wait until the last week to start applications since new employer I-129 filings take time.
Forward Deployed Software Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Forward Deployed Software Engineer JobsForward Deployed Software Engineer H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Forward Deployed Software Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, provided the employer can demonstrate the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as computer science, software engineering, or information systems. USCIS has upheld software developer roles as specialty occupations consistently, but forward-deployed positions occasionally receive RFEs asking the employer to prove they, not the client, direct your work.
How does working at a client site affect my H-1B petition?
USCIS applies extra scrutiny to H-1B petitions where the employee works at a third-party site rather than the sponsoring employer's own location. Your employer must document that they assign your tasks, evaluate your performance, and control your work product. Employers experienced in filing for deployed engineers typically have this documentation ready. Ask specifically about this before signing an offer.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new employer if I switch Forward Deployed Software Engineer roles?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can start working for a new sponsoring employer as soon as they file a new I-129 petition, provided you've maintained valid H-1B status. The new employer must file their own LCA covering your new worksite location, which matters because prevailing wages differ by geography and SOC code.
Where can I find employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas for this role?
Migrate Mate shows verified LCA filing history for employers hiring Forward Deployed Software Engineers, so you can see which companies have an actual track record of H-1B sponsorship rather than just listing it as a possibility in a job posting. Filtering by role type and location lets you prioritize outreach to employers already familiar with the filing process.
What happens to my H-1B status if I'm benched between client deployments?
Your H-1B employer is legally required to pay your full LCA wage whether or not you're actively deployed at a client site. If the employer stops paying during a bench period, your status may be at risk. USCIS requires that you remain on payroll throughout your authorized period. If your employment ends, you have a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsor or change status.
See which Forward Deployed Software Engineer employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search Forward Deployed Software Engineer Jobs