Forward deployed programs
Databricks forward deployed engineer: the role and the pay
A Databricks forward deployed engineer builds and runs production data and AI systems for customers on the Databricks platform, inside its professional services group.
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The role
What a Databricks forward deployed engineer does
Databricks FDEs own architecture and implementation across data engineering, AI and apps. The posting notes that FDEs are billable and finish projects to a written specification.
A separate AI FDE team delivers professional services engagements that build new kinds of GenAI applications, and Databricks says that role is for experienced engineers, not new grads.
On 2026-10-11 its job board carried 101 postings with Forward Deployed in the title, split by industry and region.
Team: Professional Services (FDE and AI FDE teams). In Databricks's words: "FDEs are billable and know how to complete projects according to specification" (posting)
Best for: Data teams building pipelines, analytics and AI agents
- Founded 2013
- $7B run-rate, Aug 2026
- Billable FDEs
Databricks runs a cloud data and AI platform, and its professional services group staffs forward deployed engineers who are billed on customer projects. It was founded in 2013 by the creators of Apache Spark and reported passing a $7 billion revenue run-rate in August 2026.
Posted pay
Databricks forward deployed engineer pay
These are the Databricks forward deployed engineer postings on Databricks's own job boards, checked October 11, 2026, with the range copied as posted. Compare across companies on the forward deployed engineer salary page.
| Posting | Location | Posted range |
|---|---|---|
| Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer | New York | $182,000 – $250,208 |
| AI Engineer, Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE) | United States | $152,900 – $210,155 |
Hire instead
Firms that do forward deployed engineering
A Databricks forward deployed engineer works on Databricks's products. These firms put forward deployed engineers on yours.
See all forward deployed engineering companies, or read what a forward deployed engineer does.
Questions
Common questions
How much does a Databricks forward deployed engineer make?
Databricks's posting for Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer in New York lists $182,000 – $250,208. Ranges differ by level and location, and the full list of postings we checked on October 11, 2026 is in the table on this page.
What does a Databricks forward deployed engineer do?
Databricks FDEs own architecture and implementation across data engineering, AI and apps. The posting notes that FDEs are billable and finish projects to a written specification.
Can a company hire Databricks's forward deployed engineers?
Databricks's FDEs work with Databricks's own customers on Databricks's products. If you want forward deployed engineers on the systems you already run, compare forward deployed engineering companies that sell embedded teams.
Sources
- Databricks: Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer
- Databricks: AI Engineer, Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE)
- Databricks was founded in 2013 by the creators of Apache Spark, Delta Lake and MLflow.
- It reported passing a $7 billion revenue run-rate in August 2026.
- Databricks job board
- Databricks quote source
Checked October 11, 2026. Prices, programs and job postings change, so confirm on each page.