Forward Deployed Engineering Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Forward Deployed Engineering roles sit at the intersection of software development and customer-facing consulting, making them a strong fit for H-1B and O-1 visa sponsorship. Most employers classify this as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related engineering field. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout Snorkel
At Snorkel, we believe meaningful AI doesn’t start with the model, it starts with the data. We’re on a mission to help enterprises transform expert knowledge into specialized AI at scale. The AI landscape has gone through incredible changes between 2015, when Snorkel started as a research project in the Stanford AI Lab, to the generative AI breakthroughs of today. But one thing has remained constant: the data you use to build AI is the key to achieving differentiation, high performance, and production-ready systems. We work with some of the world’s largest organizations to empower scientists, engineers, financial experts, product creators, journalists, and more to build custom AI with their data faster than ever before. Excited to help us redefine how AI is built? Apply to be the newest Snorkeler!
About The Role
Snorkel AI is hiring a Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering to build and lead our Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) function within the Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) organization. This team is responsible for the technical execution layer of DaaS delivery — owning the systems, workflows, and quality frameworks that power high-quality dataset production at scale. You will lead a team of engineers who operate across the full AI data lifecycle: designing evaluation systems, building ML-assisted workflows, and developing the technical foundations that make human-in-the-loop (HITL) data generation faster, more reliable, and scalable. This is a where you’ll both help define the strategy and architecture of our data pipelines while staying close to implementation. As a founding leader, you will establish how FDE partners with Delivery, Engineering, and Research to ensure consistent, high-quality execution across all DaaS projects. You’ll operate at the intersection of data engineering, ML engineering, and production operations, driving the evolution of our technical delivery capabilities and enabling Snorkel to scale its impact across increasingly complex AI workloads.
Main Responsibilities
- Build and lead the Forward Deployed Engineering function, defining the team’s operating model, technical roadmap, and standards for execution
- Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering strong ownership, velocity, and engineering excellence
- Own the design and evolution of end-to-end AI data pipelines, including dataset generation, evaluation systems, and quality frameworks
- Establish and standardize measurement, benchmarking, and validation systems to ensure consistent, high-quality dataset delivery
- Develop scalable internal tooling and workflows for orchestration, monitoring, and delivery, reducing bottlenecks and improving throughput
- Partner cross-functionally with Delivery, Engineering, and Research to productionize new approaches and continuously improve DaaS capabilities
What We’re Looking For
- ~7+ years of experience in data engineering, SWE, ML engineering, or applied AI roles, with strong hands-on technical depth
- 2+ years of experience leading or managing engineers in a hands-on, player-coach capacity
- Strong experience building and operating data pipelines and ML/LLM-based workflows in production environments
- Proficiency in Python, SQL, and modern data tooling; experience integrating systems via APIs
- Experience designing evaluation frameworks, quality measurement systems, or benchmarking approaches for ML systems
- Proven ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and drive execution across cross-functional teams
- Strong systems thinking — ability to design scalable, reusable solutions rather than one-off implementations
Nice To Have
- Familiarity with synthetic data generation or model-assisted labeling techniques
- Experience building internal platforms or tooling for delivery or operations teams
Why Join Snorkel AI?
At Snorkel AI, we're building the future of data-centric AI. Our Expert Data-as-a-Service organization partners with world-class customers to solve some of the hardest data challenges — creating training and evaluation data that power the next generation of LLMs and AI systems. You'll work directly on projects that impact real production systems, while shaping how internal teams deliver faster, better, and more intelligently. This is a rare opportunity to found a function and have a broad, lasting impact across the company.
Salary Range
$220,000—$320,000 USD
Be Your Best at Snorkel
Joining Snorkel AI means becoming part of a company that has market proven solutions, robust funding, and is scaling rapidly—offering a unique combination of stability and the excitement of high growth. As a member of our team, you’ll have meaningful opportunities to shape priorities and initiatives, influence key strategic decisions, and directly impact our ongoing success. Whether you’re looking to deepen your technical expertise, explore leadership opportunities, or learn new skills across multiple functions, you’re fully supported in building your career in an environment designed for growth, learning, and shared success.
Snorkel AI is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Snorkel AI embraces diversity and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Snorkel AI prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, performance, merit, and business need.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
About Snorkel
At Snorkel, we believe meaningful AI doesn’t start with the model, it starts with the data. We’re on a mission to help enterprises transform expert knowledge into specialized AI at scale. The AI landscape has gone through incredible changes between 2015, when Snorkel started as a research project in the Stanford AI Lab, to the generative AI breakthroughs of today. But one thing has remained constant: the data you use to build AI is the key to achieving differentiation, high performance, and production-ready systems. We work with some of the world’s largest organizations to empower scientists, engineers, financial experts, product creators, journalists, and more to build custom AI with their data faster than ever before. Excited to help us redefine how AI is built? Apply to be the newest Snorkeler!
About The Role
Snorkel AI is hiring a Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering to build and lead our Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) function within the Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) organization. This team is responsible for the technical execution layer of DaaS delivery — owning the systems, workflows, and quality frameworks that power high-quality dataset production at scale. You will lead a team of engineers who operate across the full AI data lifecycle: designing evaluation systems, building ML-assisted workflows, and developing the technical foundations that make human-in-the-loop (HITL) data generation faster, more reliable, and scalable. This is a where you’ll both help define the strategy and architecture of our data pipelines while staying close to implementation. As a founding leader, you will establish how FDE partners with Delivery, Engineering, and Research to ensure consistent, high-quality execution across all DaaS projects. You’ll operate at the intersection of data engineering, ML engineering, and production operations, driving the evolution of our technical delivery capabilities and enabling Snorkel to scale its impact across increasingly complex AI workloads.
Main Responsibilities
- Build and lead the Forward Deployed Engineering function, defining the team’s operating model, technical roadmap, and standards for execution
- Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering strong ownership, velocity, and engineering excellence
- Own the design and evolution of end-to-end AI data pipelines, including dataset generation, evaluation systems, and quality frameworks
- Establish and standardize measurement, benchmarking, and validation systems to ensure consistent, high-quality dataset delivery
- Develop scalable internal tooling and workflows for orchestration, monitoring, and delivery, reducing bottlenecks and improving throughput
- Partner cross-functionally with Delivery, Engineering, and Research to productionize new approaches and continuously improve DaaS capabilities
What We’re Looking For
- ~7+ years of experience in data engineering, SWE, ML engineering, or applied AI roles, with strong hands-on technical depth
- 2+ years of experience leading or managing engineers in a hands-on, player-coach capacity
- Strong experience building and operating data pipelines and ML/LLM-based workflows in production environments
- Proficiency in Python, SQL, and modern data tooling; experience integrating systems via APIs
- Experience designing evaluation frameworks, quality measurement systems, or benchmarking approaches for ML systems
- Proven ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and drive execution across cross-functional teams
- Strong systems thinking — ability to design scalable, reusable solutions rather than one-off implementations
Nice To Have
- Familiarity with synthetic data generation or model-assisted labeling techniques
- Experience building internal platforms or tooling for delivery or operations teams
Why Join Snorkel AI?
At Snorkel AI, we're building the future of data-centric AI. Our Expert Data-as-a-Service organization partners with world-class customers to solve some of the hardest data challenges — creating training and evaluation data that power the next generation of LLMs and AI systems. You'll work directly on projects that impact real production systems, while shaping how internal teams deliver faster, better, and more intelligently. This is a rare opportunity to found a function and have a broad, lasting impact across the company.
Salary Range
$220,000—$320,000 USD
Be Your Best at Snorkel
Joining Snorkel AI means becoming part of a company that has market proven solutions, robust funding, and is scaling rapidly—offering a unique combination of stability and the excitement of high growth. As a member of our team, you’ll have meaningful opportunities to shape priorities and initiatives, influence key strategic decisions, and directly impact our ongoing success. Whether you’re looking to deepen your technical expertise, explore leadership opportunities, or learn new skills across multiple functions, you’re fully supported in building your career in an environment designed for growth, learning, and shared success.
Snorkel AI is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Snorkel AI embraces diversity and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Snorkel AI prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, performance, merit, and business need.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Forward Deployed Engineering
Confirm the specialty occupation classification upfront
Forward Deployed Engineer roles must qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B sponsorship. Ask recruiters whether the position requires a specific technical degree, not just any bachelor's, before investing time in the interview process.
Target companies with established visa programs
Larger enterprise software companies and defense contractors are far more likely to have in-house immigration counsel and a repeatable H-1B process. Startups may be willing but lack the infrastructure, which slows sponsorship significantly.
Prepare to demonstrate both technical and client-facing credentials
USCIS scrutinizes hybrid roles more closely. Build a portfolio that clearly shows engineering output, not just project management or consulting work, to strengthen your specialty occupation case during the petition review.
Time your job search around the H-1B cap registration window
Cap-subject H-1B registrations open in March for an October 1 start date. Securing an offer by February gives your employer time to prepare and register before the window closes, avoiding a full year's delay.
Explore cap-exempt employers in defense and government contracting
Forward Deployed Engineers at companies primarily contracting with federal agencies may qualify for cap-exempt H-1B petitions, allowing year-round filing without lottery risk. Ask recruiters explicitly about the employer's cap-exempt status.
Australian citizens should specifically pursue the E-3 visa
The E-3 visa has no lottery, no annual cap pressure, and processes in weeks rather than months. Forward Deployed Engineering easily meets the specialty occupation standard, making E-3 one of the most efficient paths for Australian applicants.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Forward Deployed Engineering qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the role normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific technical field. Forward Deployed Engineering roles at enterprise software companies typically require a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related discipline, which satisfies the specialty occupation standard. Roles where any degree field is acceptable are harder to sponsor.
Which visa types do employers typically use to sponsor Forward Deployed Engineers?
H-1B is the most common path for cap-subject employers. Australian citizens can pursue the E-3, which bypasses the lottery entirely. Candidates with an established internal transfer track may qualify for the L-1B if moving from an overseas office. O-1A is an option for engineers with demonstrated recognition, such as patents, published research, or significant industry awards. Browse current openings on Migrate Mate to see which employers are actively sponsoring.
Is a computer science degree required, or do other degrees qualify?
A computer science or software engineering degree is the clearest path to approval, but related fields like electrical engineering, mathematics, or information systems can qualify if the degree is directly applicable to the technical work. Some employers also accept three years of relevant work experience per year of missing education. USCIS focuses on whether the degree field logically connects to the specific role duties, not just the title.
Do Forward Deployed Engineering roles at defense contractors offer any H-1B advantages?
Yes. Companies that primarily perform work under federal grants or contracts with a government research or education mission may qualify as cap-exempt H-1B employers, allowing petitions to be filed year-round without lottery exposure. This is particularly common at defense contractors and federally funded research centers. Confirm the employer's cap-exempt status directly with their immigration team before assuming this benefit applies.
How does the hybrid consulting-and-engineering nature of this role affect sponsorship approval?
USCIS pays closer attention to roles that blend technical and client-facing responsibilities, particularly if the job description emphasizes communication or project management over engineering output. Employers and immigration attorneys typically address this by documenting that the core duties require theoretical and practical application of computer science knowledge. Strong degree alignment and detailed offer letters describing technical deliverables significantly reduce the risk of a Request for Evidence.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Forward Deployed Engineering jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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