Forward Deployed Engineer

Summary

Join Forerunner as the first Forward Deployed Engineer and pioneer this role, bridging the gap between our platform and client systems. You will create seamless integrations, establish best practices, and define processes for this function. Work directly with government agencies to understand their technical needs, build custom integrations, and automate data workflows. Your work will enable communities to better manage environmental risks and provide support for mitigation and prevention against climate change. You will collaborate with various teams, including platform engineering, product, customer success, sales, and GIS. This role requires strong API integration, JavaScript/TypeScript, and scripting skills, along with excellent communication and problem-solving abilities. Forerunner offers competitive compensation, health/vision/dental coverage, commuter benefits, and a quarterly wellness reimbursement.

Requirements

• Experience with API design, implementation, and integration (REST services, different authentication protocols)
• Strong JavaScript/TypeScript programming skills
• Proficiency with Bash/shell scripting, Git/GitHub, and SQL (Postgres/MySQL)
• Experience automating common tasks with reusable scripts
• Ability to clearly document technical integrations and train users
• Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
• Patient, customer-focused approach to problem-solving

Responsibilities

• Design and implement robust API integrations between Forerunner's platform and customer systems like permit management software (Accela, Laserfiche, Citizenserve)
• Translate customer requirements into technical specifications and solutions that align with Forerunner's product roadmap
• Create reusable, scalable integration frameworks that can be applied across multiple clients and systems
• Build and maintain monitoring systems to ensure integrations function reliably
• Develop and maintain automated tests for integration solutions to ensure reliability and stability
• Develop scripts and processes to automate the import and export of critical data for Customer Success and GIS teams
• Design and implement data transformation pipelines to ensure consistency across systems
• Create innovative solutions for complex data migration challenges
• Build internal tools to improve efficiency for customer-facing teams
• Work closely with the Forerunner platform engineering team to integrate your solutions into the main application
• Collaborate with Product to understand Forerunner's core functionality, roadmap, and future goals for customer integrations
• Partner with Customer Success, Sales, and GIS teams to deliver comprehensive solutions to clients
• Document integration requirements and processes for both internal and external stakeholders
• Support Sales and Customer Success with technical guidance during the sales and implementation process
• Collaborate with customers to understand their technical infrastructure and data workflows
• Provide technical guidance to customers with varying levels of IT sophistication
• Establish best practices for customer technical onboarding and integration
• Help translate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with batch job processing technologies (Airflow, AWS Batch)
• Familiarity with AWS, Docker, GraphQL, Node.js, Express, SFTP, Postman
• Background in geospatial technology (Mapbox, ESRI products, Leaflet)
• Experience migrating ad-hoc scripts into standardized scripts within a larger platform
• Exposure to architecture design for integration systems and batch job processing
• Background in government software or permit management systems
• Experience with test automation for integration solutions

Benefits

• Health/vision/dental coverage
• Commuter benefits
• Quarterly wellness reimbursement
• Remote work, flexible hours