Forward Deployed AI Engineer

Who We Are:

Tenex is where builders, operators, and problem-solvers come together to help the world’s most ambitious companies go from AI-absent to AI-native. We work at the intersection of strategy and engineering, embedding elite AI SWAT teams directly into organizations to turn complex, high-stakes problems into real, measurable outcomes. We don’t do slide decks and hand-offs; we sit in the trenches alongside our clients to build & drive real transformation.

We operate with the speed of a startup and the rigor of a storied institution. Our culture is built on intellectual curiosity, radical ownership, and a belief that exceptional work comes from diverse teams who are empowered to challenge assumptions, move fast, and hold each other to a higher standard. If you want to work on projects that actually matter, alongside people who push you to be your best—Tenex is the place to do it.

The Role:

The Forward Deployed AI Engineer at Tenex is an outcome-driven builder working in a high-talent, AI-native environment. You partner closely with strategists and clients to design and ship AI-powered workflows that deliver real, measurable impact.

Success is defined by what you produce. You’ll have high autonomy, leverage cutting-edge AI tools and internal automations, and be rewarded directly for execution and results through uncapped, output-aligned compensation.

What You’ll Do:

• Forward Deployed Engineering – Embed directly into client codebases and sprint cycles, owning end-to-end feature delivery. Partner closely with AI strategists and client stakeholders to prioritize high-impact work and maintain consistent velocity. Ship production-grade solutions that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Build with Maximum Leverage – Use the latest agentic coding tools (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc.) to multiply your output and continuously refine your workflows. Your output is measured in story points, and your comp is uncapped. The more you ship, the more you earn.
• Full Stack Development – Drive execution across front-end, back-end, and infrastructure across diverse tech stacks. Ramp quickly in unfamiliar codebases and contribute effectively within complex architectures and problem domains.
• Systems Design & Agent Architecture – Design and build full platforms that transform how businesses operate. You're an architect and an agent orchestrator, building reliable, auditable systems with clean UX that keeps humans in the loop.
• Continuous Learning – You’ll be surrounded by exceptional builders solving real, complex problems across industries and technologies. The constant sharing and refinement of AI workflows across the team will compress years of learning into months.

What You’ll Bring to the Team:

• Strong Engineering Fundamentals – You bring 3+ years of experience building and shipping production software, turning complex problems into clean, scalable, maintainable systems.
• AI-First Builder – You actively use AI tools to accelerate development, improve quality, and increase leverage across your work.
• Relentless Learner – You understand the AI landscape changes weekly, and our clients pay us to know what’s next. You stay ahead of new models, tooling, and techniques, continuously sharpen your skills, and bring new ideas and best practices back to the team.
• Operational Intensity – You thrive in high-velocity environments, running parallel workstreams across multiple clients without losing clarity or quality. You manage your own priorities, context-switch fluidly, and sustain consistent output.
• Force Multiplier – You raise the bar for those around you through mentorship, thoughtful communication, and proactive collaboration.

We’ve Got You Covered:

• Comprehensive medical coverage (PPO and HSA options), dental, and vision
• HSA, Healthcare FSA, and Commuter Benefits
• 100% employer-paid life insurance + AD&D
• 100% employer-paid long-term disability insurance
• Responsible PTO — take what you need

What we offer:

This role has uncapped cash compensation. $180,000 is guaranteed, but everyone in good standing makes significantly more than this in their quarterly bonuses. In addition to the guaranteed base, engineers earn performance-based variable compensation tied directly to output: the quarterly quota is 562.5 story points, and every story point delivered above quota is paid out at $80 per point in quarterly payouts. When determining compensation, we consider job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Our workplace:

We prioritize in-person work and collaborate from our New York City office five days a week. We believe our best ideas come from working closely together. Being in the same space enables faster collaboration, real-time problem solving, and stronger relationships that elevate how we build and execute as a team.