Associate Forward Deployed Engineer

About the Role

The Associate Forward Deployed Engineer is an AI-native builder embedded directly within one or more ChenMed Centers of Excellence (COEs), working side-by-side with business partners to identify and solve real operational problems using AI-assisted development tools. Rather than acting as an order-taker, the incumbent partners with COE domain experts - coaching them through the build process - to deliver working tools while leaving lasting technical capability behind. This is an entry-level, cohort-based role intended for builders who demonstrate strong technical instincts, business curiosity, and the interpersonal skill to earn trust with non-technical partners.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Embeds directly within one or more assigned Centers of Excellence (COEs) to understand day-to-day operations firsthand and identify high-value problems suited to AI-assisted tooling.
• Partners with COE domain experts - who may have no engineering background - as a technical coach, guiding them through the build process rather than building solutions independently on their behalf, sometimes iterating at the problem to land on solutions.
• Designs, builds, and iterates on functional automation tools, dashboards, and lightweight applications using AI-assisted development platforms (e.g., Claude, Claude Code).
• Applies prompting discipline and AI-output verification practices to confirm that AI-generated code, configurations, and recommendations are accurate, secure, and appropriate before implementation.
• Recognizes when an AI tool's recommendation touches infrastructure, data storage, system permissions, or PHI-adjacent systems, and escalates to IT for review before execution, per ChenMed's AI governance framework.
• Documents completed tools clearly for non-technical audiences and registers them with the Center of Excellence (CoE) App Registry.
• Coaches a named COE champion to independently operate, troubleshoot, and extend delivered tools so capability remains with the business after rotation.
• Completes a rotation readiness check before transitioning off an engagement, confirming COE champion capability, documentation completeness, and a defined escalation path.
• Completes structured, cohort-based onboarding covering the ChenMed care model and value-based care economics, ChenMed's operational structure (centers, COEs, care teams), systems thinking and database fundamentals, prompting discipline, and governance protocols.
• Builds under the active guidance of Forward Deployed Engineer program leadership and senior FDE staff, escalating ambiguous technical or governance questions rather than resolving them independently.
• Operates within ChenMed's tiered AI governance framework (Personal/Team/Enterprise/Production), ensuring tools are built and deployed at the appropriate governance level.
• Rotates across COEs based on strategic priority and business need, as directed by Forward Deployed Engineer program leadership.
• Shares knowledge, patterns, and lessons learned with peers and COE champions.
• Performs other duties as assigned and modified at manager's discretion.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Basic-level business acuity; developing understanding of ChenMed's care model, value-based care economics, and health system operations.
• Demonstrated portfolio evidence of building - shipped projects, deployed tools, or other demonstrated technical output - required; academic credentials alone are not sufficient.
• Prior hands-on experience building functional software, scripts, or automation tools using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor, or similar) required.
• Basic understanding of prompting discipline and techniques for verifying AI-generated output before use.
• Developing business savviness - genuine curiosity about the assigned COE's domain and willingness to learn its operational and clinical context.
• Developing people skills - ability to build rapport and earn early trust with non-technical business partners.
• Ability to coach a non-technical domain expert through a build process rather than building independently on their behalf.
• Ability to recognize when an AI recommendation touches infrastructure, data, or permissions and knows to stop and escalate rather than proceed.
• Ability to work productively under close guidance and mentorship from senior Forward Deployed Engineer staff or program leadership.
• Ability to document technical work clearly for non-technical audiences.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Well-respected and viewed as a motivated, coachable contributor.
• Expert skill in Microsoft Office Suite products including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook; competent in other systems required for the position.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally, regionally and/or nationally up to 25% of the time to support embedded COE engagements; flexible to work evenings, weekends and/or holidays as needed.
• Spoken and written fluency in English.
• This job requires use and exercise of independent judgment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Information Technology, or a related field OR additional experience above the minimum will be considered in lieu of the required education on a year-for-year basis.
• A minimum of 0-2 years' experience building software, scripts, or technical tools, including internship, cohort, or academic project experience, required.
• Demonstrated portfolio of shipped projects, deployed tools, or comparable technical output required.
• Hands-on experience with at least one AI-assisted development tool (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor, or similar) required.

Pay

$76,732 - $109,617 Salary

The posted pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for this position. Final compensation will depend on a variety of factors including but not limited to experience, education, geographic location, and other relevant factors. This position may also be eligible for bonuses or commissions.