Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

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Location: San Francisco, CA
Company size: 20–50
Posted: 2w ago
Via: Yc

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Job listing · Updated 21 AUG 2026

Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Crustdata· San Francisco, CA, USView company profile

Job title: Founding Forward Deployed Engineer
Job location: San Francisco, CA, US
Job listing URL: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/crustdata/jobs/i8DPKdj-founding-forward-deployed-engineer
Job description: We’re looking to bring on our first Forward Deployed Engineer to round out our founding team. ### **About us** The way information on the internet is consumed is changing. It's shifting from humans searching pre-crawled information on Google to AI agents doing real-time targeted crawling from sources of truth. But, there’s no “Google” for AI agents… yet. That’s where we come in. At Crustdata, we are building the gateway to the internet for AI agents. We already serve over 250 customers, are profitable and growing very fast. We're backed by some of the best investors in Silicon Valley including Y Combinator, General Catalyst, SV Angel, A Capital and Liquid 2 Ventures. Our mission: To be the way AI agents use and interface with the internet. We’re looking for our first Forward Deployed Engineer. This is a great opportunity to learn, take ownership, and set a foundation for rapid career growth. ### **What you’ll be doing** You’ll be a technical partner to revenue and product teams: build rapid prototypes and demo tooling, ship customer integrations, and deliver repeatable solutions that help Sales close deals. * Build rapid prototypes and POCs for prospects. * Create demo tooling and reusable templates to accelerate sales. * Run technical discovery and scope solutions with customers. * Implement turnkey integrations (APIs, pipelines, dashboards) and hand off to CS. * Connect Crustdata to customer systems and third-party tools. * Iterate prototypes into repeatable reference implementations. * Share feedback with Product & Engineering and write docs/playbooks. * Travel occasionally for workshops or on-site work. ### **Who you are** * 1+ years in customer-facing engineering (FDE, solutions, PS, pre-sales). * 1+ years experience shipping production code (Python and/or JavaScript/TypeScript) + strong SQL and data stack experience (warehouses, ETL/ELT, data modeling). * Strong software skills and CS fundamentals * Clear communicator who can translate technical tradeoffs for business stakeholders. * Comfortable working in fast, cross-functional startup environments. ### **Why Join** * Impact: As the first FDE hire, you’ll have direct impact on deals and product direction. * Trajectory: Learn directly from founders, YC partners, and top-tier investors * Ownership: Competitive comp and meaningful equity in a profitable, fast-growing company * Mission: Help build the way AI agents interface with the internet Note that this role is in-person in our SF office. ###

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