LLM application engineering
Design application flows around language models, structured inputs, context and user needs—not just a prompt in a chat window.
A more thoughtful way to hire AI talent
Hire people who make AI work.
Meet emerging engineering talent developing the skills to take AI beyond a demo—towards useful applications, connected systems and measurable business outcomes.
Applied AI engineeringProject-led learningHuman-led selection
FDE / Talent systemsFig. 01 — Connected capability
Problem → Product → ImpactFDE.S / 001
THE FDE MINDSETBring engineering, context and execution together to solve the problem that actually matters.
LLM applicationsRAG & retrievalAI agentsAPIs & integrationsEvaluation & deployment
01 / CAPABILITY
Not just what someone has studied. What they can build.
Forward Deployed Engineering sits at the intersection of software, AI and the customer’s operating reality. Our approach is to make practical work visible, so hiring conversations can start with evidence rather than a list of tools.
From interface to workflow
RAG & enterprise knowledge
Work with document ingestion, chunking, embeddings, retrieval and grounded responses for knowledge-heavy use cases.
Agents & tool use
Connect model reasoning to defined tools, APIs and multi-step tasks—with attention to boundaries, failure states and oversight.
Integration & systems thinking
Bring together data sources, application logic and existing systems so an AI capability can fit into the way a team works.
Evaluation & reliability
Consider test cases, retrieval quality, output evaluation, error handling and monitoring as part of the engineering process.
Delivery & communication
Explain trade-offs, document decisions, respond to feedback and connect technical choices to the business problem being solved.
02 / OUR POINT OF VIEW
The strongest AI work starts with a better question: what should change for the person using it?
A working solution needs more than a capable model. It needs the right data, an appropriate workflow, evaluation, integration and a team that understands the context in which the system will be used.
A / 01↗
Start with the business context
What is the user trying to do? What is broken, slow, expensive or difficult today?
A / 02↗
Choose a fit-for-purpose approach
Use retrieval, tools, models and deterministic software where each makes sense.
A / 03↗
Make quality testable
Define what a good outcome looks like and how the system will be assessed.
A / 04↗
Plan for the real environment
Account for data access, user experience, integration, security and operational ownership.
03 / ROLE LANDSCAPE
Talent for the work ahead.
Depending on the role and the evidence available, relevant talent may align with several engineering paths. Titles and seniority should be matched to demonstrated skills, experience and your team's expectations.
01↗
AI / LLM Application Engineer
Build application experiences powered by language models and connected services.
02↗
RAG / AI Search Engineer
Develop retrieval and knowledge systems with a focus on relevance and grounded outputs.
03↗
AI Agent Engineer
Design bounded agent workflows and tool integrations for defined tasks.
04↗
AI Solutions / Forward Deployed Engineer
Translate customer context into integrated solutions, working across technical and business stakeholders.
A useful starting point
Tell us about the problem, not just the job title.
Share the outcomes, systems and constraints involved. We can discuss what kind of capability may be relevant and how to evaluate it.
04 / PROCESS
A clear process. No mystery shortlist.
We begin by understanding the role and the evidence that matters to you. Any introduction, timeline or shortlist is subject to role fit and actual candidate availability.
Share context
Tell us about the role, team, seniority, location, engagement and business challenge.
Define evidence
Agree the capabilities, project evidence and interview criteria that matter most.
Review fit
Discuss relevant talent only where the skills and availability align with the brief.
Evaluate directly
Use your interview process to validate technical ability, communication and role fit.
“AI creates value when it moves from interesting capability to a useful part of how work gets done.”
05 / START A CONVERSATION
What are you looking to make possible?
Give us a little context. We’ll use it to understand the role, the capabilities required and the most useful next step.
01
Specific beats generic
Share the work the person will actually own.
02
Clarity helps both sides
Include seniority, engagement type and timing if known.
03
No unsupported promises
We'll confirm availability and next steps after reviewing your brief.
06 / FAQ
Before we begin.
Straight answers for teams exploring AI engineering talent through FDE School.
What does a Forward Deployed Engineer do?
A Forward Deployed Engineer works close to users or customers to understand real operational problems and build technical solutions in context. Depending on the organisation, the role may combine software engineering, AI implementation, integration, product thinking and technical communication.
What AI capabilities can I discuss with FDE School?
Relevant areas include LLM application development, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector search, AI agents and tool use, API integration, evaluation, testing and deployment. The suitability of a candidate depends on their actual experience and demonstrated work.
Can you guarantee a shortlist or hiring timeline?
No fixed shortlist or turnaround is promised on this page. Availability and role fit need to be checked against your requirements before any timeline can be confirmed.
How should we evaluate a candidate?
Use a structured process: discuss a relevant project, ask the candidate to explain trade-offs and architecture, validate their contribution, and use a role-relevant technical exercise where appropriate. Assess communication and collaboration alongside technical execution.
Is there a fee for hiring through FDE School?
Commercial terms depend on the engagement and should be confirmed directly before a hiring process begins. This page does not publish or imply a fee arrangement.
Your next engineering hire
Make the next conversation a useful one.
Start with the challenge, the people who face it and the outcome you want to create.