Forward Deployed AI Engineer

Description

As a Forward Deployed AI Engineer at PwC, you work closely with the client and the people who use the solution. You investigate how their processes actually work, distill an unclear problem into something you can build, and translate real-world feedback directly into working software.

You write production code, build integrations, and bring solutions to production. You don't wait until all requirements are elaborated; instead, you ask questions, make assumptions explicit, and quickly build a first version to test with users what actually works.

Where you'll end up

Within the Data & AI Consulting team at PwC Netherlands, you will work on complex issues for government ministries, executive organizations, financial institutions, and large commercial clients. You help clients not only explore generative AI but also make it an integral part of their processes, applications, and daily work.

Forward deployed with us means that you regularly work closely with the client's practical reality. You speak with users and domain experts, work with real data and existing systems, and develop the solution together with the client team. However, you don't start from scratch: we bring our AI accelerators and frameworks to the client and thereby strengthen our own products. Depending on the phase of the project, you will work at the client's location, at our office in Amsterdam, or from home.

It's important to know what this role is NOT. You are not a consultant who only analyzes and advises, not a sales engineer who primarily builds demos, and not a software engineer who works exclusively from a fully elaborated backlog. You are and remain an engineer. You write production code and are accountable for what you build, so we do not measure you by your PowerPoint slides and protect your focus time.

At the same time, you go to the source yourself. Together with our consultants, you speak with users, investigate data and processes, and question assumptions. Our work is only successful if the solution works technically and delivers value in daily practice.

This is what you will do

You will work from a not yet fully elaborated client issue to an AI solution that is used in daily practice. You combine discovery, software engineering, and client-focused delivery. Specifically:

• You investigate the real problem with users. You map out processes, bottlenecks, data, and existing systems, and translate an unclear client request into clear requirements, success criteria, and a first deliverable step.
• You quickly build and test an initial working solution. With real users and realistic data, you test assumptions and develop GenAI solutions using, for example, LLMs, RAG, agents, and regular software components.
• You integrate the solution into the client environment. You build APIs, data flows, authentication, and connections to existing applications and systems. You consciously weigh when AI adds value and when regular software logic is more appropriate. We work for clients where security, privacy, and compliance are paramount (such as banks and ministries). Going live quickly is a challenge there. Your role is to engage in discussion with security officers and architects with our team members. You help them see how we can get those first versions live in a safe and responsible manner. You reliably bring the solution to production. You ensure automated tests, evaluations, security, CI/CD, monitoring, and logging. You remain involved in go-live and stabilization and contribute to resolving technical blockers in the client environment.
• You improve based on usage and make lessons reusable. You collect feedback, measure quality and usage, guide technical implementation, and translate recurring patterns into reusable components, evaluation frameworks, and implementation approaches.
• You are not alone. Although you, as an FDE, take technical leadership for the AI solution, you work closely with our specialized data engineers, architects, and consultants. You focus on the AI logic, integration, and the developer experience of the solution, while your colleagues focus on the underlying cloud infrastructure and organizational adoption.

What you'll work with

Our stack varies per client and per issue. As a Forward Deployed AI Engineer, you regularly work in a technical environment that you have not chosen yourself. We therefore look for a strong technical foundation, broad curiosity, and the ability to quickly master new tools.

Building AI applications: Python, FastAPI, Pydantic, and SQL. For RAG and agentic AI, we use, for example, LangGraph, LlamaIndex, Microsoft Agent Framework, MCP, embeddings, and vector stores such as Azure AI Search or pgvector.

Integrating and bringing to production: Microsoft Azure is our most used cloud platform, including Microsoft Foundry, Azure OpenAI, and Azure Container Apps. You connect AI with client data and existing systems via APIs and work with Docker and CI/CD via GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps.

Improving quality and usage: you work with automated tests, AI evaluations, and monitoring. Think of Azure AI Evaluation, Application Insights, and OpenTelemetry. You look at reliability, user feedback, performance, security, and costs.

Do you primarily work with one cloud, framework, or type of AI solution right now? No problem. We are looking for depth, not completeness. It is more important that you build carefully, quickly grasp new technology, and can explain why a technical choice fits the client's problem.

This is you

You are a software engineer, AI engineer, machine learning engineer, or technical consultant who demonstrably builds things yourself. You get energy from technology and from direct collaboration with clients and users. You don't need to fully master every aspect of the role yet. Depending on your experience, you will work independently or with an experienced colleague.

• You have a strong software engineering foundation. For example, you program in Python and have experience with APIs, integrations, version control, and testing. You have shown through work, internships, research, open source, or personal projects that you can build working software.
• You understand modern AI solutions. You have experience with, or demonstrable interest in, LLMs, RAG, evaluation, and agentic workflows. You also understand when regular software logic is more appropriate than AI.
• You turn an unclear problem into a working solution. You ask questions, make assumptions explicit, and break down a complex problem into a first deliverable step. Then, you improve the solution based on real data and user feedback.
• You enjoy working directly with clients and end-users. You listen, ask probing questions, and explain technical choices in an understandable way. You can constructively indicate when a requested solution is not feasible or does not solve the actual problem.
• You take responsibility for quality and results. You look beyond a successful demo and remain involved in testing, deployment, usage, and stabilization. You pay attention to security, privacy, reliability, and Responsible AI.

Experience with all mentioned technologies is not a requirement. It is more important that you combine a strong technical foundation with curiosity, learning ability, and the motivation to build software close to the user.

You have academic or HBO level in a technical direction, or an equivalent level built through experience. We primarily look at what you have built, learned, and delivered. You communicate strongly in Dutch and English.

Doubting if you fit?

Almost no one ticks all the boxes, and we don't expect that. Do you recognize yourself in the combination of engineering, client contact, and problem-solving? Then apply.

We explicitly invite people with non-standard backgrounds or career paths. Think of career changers, people who learned the trade in practice, and candidates with international education. Personal projects, open-source contributions, graduation research, and startup experience can also demonstrate relevant experience.

Do you need an adjustment in the application process, such as extra time or a different interview format? Let our recruiter know. We'll arrange it.

What we offer

With us, you get the opportunity to be yourself, to get the best out of yourself in a high-performance organization, and to grow within our global network. We offer you, among other things:

• A competitive salary commensurate with your experience and the opportunity for growth;
• An immediate permanent contract and a motivating work environment where collaboration with ambitious colleagues and recognition for your contributions are central;
• An extensive range of tailor-made training courses focused on professional growth and leadership development, with ample room for certifications and further building relevant AI knowledge;
• Choose the mobility option that best suits you: an electric lease car or a mobility allowance for your business travel expenses, plus the option to use various mobility providers through one clear app;
• 29 vacation days and the option to purchase additional vacation days;
• At PwC, your well-being is our priority. Therefore, in addition to a personal well-being budget to help you grow in physical and mental health, we offer access to the well-being platform OpenUp;
• You work on challenging and meaningful client assignments, use leading technology such as AI tools, learn from the best, and receive support through coaching. Together, we work as an inclusive team to make a real impact;
• You work at the client's site and at the office, with flexibility for hybrid working where possible;

Curious about what else we have to offer you? Discover all employment conditions and extras on our website.