Forward Deployed Engineer

About Paperbase

Paperbase provides a privacy-centric memory layer that consolidates your organization's dispersed work into a cohesive and shareable record. It integrates seamlessly with existing team tools to document what your company knows, verify current truths, and trace decision-making rationale. Operating on your choice of infrastructure, Paperbase ensures that your data remains private without external training.

Our Culture and Values

We seek highly driven builders who possess founder-like energy, desire impactful work, rapid growth, and ownership. Candidates are expected to combine deep role expertise with a mission-driven mindset, balancing speed and rigor while making principled decisions. Our culture emphasizes direct communication, humility, collaboration, and a bias for action, leveraging AI as a productivity enhancer.

Team Overview

The engineering group is small and senior, with the CTO actively coding and employing parallel AI coding agents. The Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) role uniquely bridges signed agreements with live deployments, collaborating closely with the CTO and CEO.

Role Responsibilities

• Maintain and execute the deployment strategy across managed VPCs, self-managed VPCs, and isolated on-premise setups.
• Implement, integrate, and configure Paperbase within client environments, including connectors to emails, Slack, documents, meetings, databases, and knowledge mapping.
• Manage the initial month post-deployment by rigorously testing workflows, coaching internal users, and then transitioning responsibility.
• Interface directly with senior executives such as CIOs and security teams to clarify infrastructure and outcomes.
• Provide feedback and insights from deployments to inform engineering and product improvements.
• Design solutions focused on coherent architecture beyond mere speed.

Required Qualifications

• Proficient in full-stack software development encompassing both backend and frontend.
• Strong foundational knowledge in infrastructure technologies including Docker, Kubernetes, and major cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Hands-on experience with on-premise or self-hosted system deployments.
• Good product intuition with the ability to assess workflow effectiveness.
• Comfortable engaging directly with senior-level customers and stakeholders in client environments.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science or a related discipline.

Preferred Experience

• Previous role as a Forward-Deployed Engineer or in customer-facing engineering capacities such as implementation or professional services at infrastructure companies.
• Familiarity with air-gapped or sovereign IT environments.
• Experience with database technologies and data integration techniques like ETL, connectors, and APIs.
• Background in startup or high-growth company settings.
• Awareness of security and compliance standards including SOC 2 and ISO 27001.

Additional Information

Applicant Safety: To prevent recruitment fraud, Paperbase will never request sensitive information or payments during recruitment. Official communications are only from an @paperbase.com domain. Applications must be submitted through official channels only.

Equal Opportunity: Paperbase values diversity and ensures employment opportunities are granted based on merit and qualifications, without discrimination on any legally protected status. Accommodations are provided for applicants with disabilities upon request.