The mission
We believe the transformative potential of AI is significantly under-realised in our region. To bridge this gap, we are incubating a new division within Careem dedicated to Enterprise AI Transformation. We are reimagining and building the future of work to simplify and improve how businesses function in the era of GenAI with WorkOS: a next-generation ‘operating system’ designed to deploy, orchestrate, and improve AI agents across every customer and operational journey (and increasingly autonomously). This isn’t just automation; it’s about creating a hybrid workforce where self-learning AI agents handle the heavy lifting, empowering our people to focus on the highest-value, most creative work.
The team
This group operates as a startup within Careem with a distinct mandate: move fast, build boldly, and deliver production-grade AI systems that fundamentally change how the region leverages technology.
The opportunity
We are looking for a Founding Forward Deployed Engineer - WorkOS - Enterprise Agentic AI to be the vanguard of the WorkOS mission. This is a role for a "heretic": someone who cares more about solving the problem and delivering value than following a rigid spec. You will be the bridge between our core AI engine and the messy, high-stakes reality of our customers’ operations.
As an FDE, you aren't sitting in the back office; you are on the front lines, embedded with internal Careem verticals and external enterprise partners. In partnership with your implementation squad, consisting also of business transformation consultants, you will identify their deepest friction points and build the "special ops" code that proves the power of WorkOS. Your work is the proof of concept that will redefine how the region works.
What You’ll Do
- Tip of the Spear: Lead the deployment of WorkOS in the field. You will be responsible for understanding a customer's operational "chaos" and architecting an AI-driven solution that fixes it in weeks, not months.
- Rapid-Fire Execution: Build, iterate, and ship. You will write high-quality, full-stack code to create bespoke integrations and augment our platform’s core capabilities and create custom agents. This goes beyond context engineering; you’ll build the connective tissue - integrating bespoke APIs, setting up RAGs and Evals, tuning the E2E system and performance, and architecting multi-agent handoffs.
- Feedback Loop Mastery: You are the eyes and ears of the product team. You will translate field-tested insights into core product requirements, ensuring WorkOS remains grounded in real-world utility.
- Winning Stakeholders: Act as the technical face of WorkOS. You’ll need to win the trust of stakeholders, navigate complex enterprise hierarchies, and persuade skeptics by shipping results that speak for themselves.
- Technical Versatility: One day you’re setting up a RAG pipeline; the next, you’re debugging a legacy enterprise API or designing a custom dashboard. You do whatever is necessary to make the solution land.
What You’ll Need
- 5–8+ years of high-octane engineering experience. You are likely a senior-level engineer who is "hungrier" than your peers and bored by traditional, slow-moving dev cycles.
- The FDE Pedigree: Experience in forward-deployed, mission-driven environments (e.g., Palantir, high-growth startups, or specialized consultancy) where you worked directly with customers.
- Full-Stack Polyglot: Mastery of the modern stack (React/TS, Python/Node) with the ability to jump into any codebase and be productive on day one.
- AI Fluidity: Strong working knowledge of LLMs, prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks. You don't just know the theory; you know how to make AI work in production.
- Excellent Communication: You are a "social engineer." You can explain complex AI logic to a CEO and then pivot to a deep-dive session with an infrastructure lead without missing a beat.
- Relentless Bias for Action: You are a builder who values shipping over perfection. You have a "founder-level" sense of ownership and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty.
- Willingness to work on-site full time in UAE, with occasional travel to be embedded with regional partners.
What you’ll receive
- A Blank Canvas and Live Ammunition: The rare opportunity to build a "0-to-1" product while immediately deploying it into the real-world operations of a regional giant. No "sandbox" projects here, you’ll be shipping code that moves people and goods on day one. This is a huge opportunity to create impact in our region.
- A Special Ops Mission: We’re a lean, impact-obsessed team operating with total autonomy. You’ll be free from corporate bureaucracy and legacy baggage, focused entirely on winning the customer and solving "unsolvable" problems.
- Direct Collaboration with Leadership: Direct engagement with Careem and enterprise client leadership, in addition to working side-by-side with the WorkOS founding team including Magnus Olsson (Careem’s original Co-founder).
- Competitive Compensation: Including direct equity in this new division. Our philosophy is meritocratic: we want you to own a meaningful stake in the value you create.