About CData Software, Inc.
CData is the data layer between AI and ROI—delivering the connectivity, context, and control that make enterprise AI more accurate. One platform for live access and data replication across 350+ sources, semantic intelligence that ensures context-aware responses, and built-in governance for every AI-to-data interaction. Powering AI and analytics workloads for Anthropic, Databricks, Microsoft, Google, Palantir, and more than 10,000 customers worldwide.
Behind that impact is a global team of passionate problem-solvers, engineers, and innovators who are redefining what’s possible in data connectivity.
Headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, CData has over 500 team members, with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. We take pride not just in what we build, but in how we build it: together, with curiosity, creativity, and a shared drive to push boundaries.
Forward Deployed Engineer
Job Summary
CData is the data layer behind enterprise AI in production. As organizations move from experimentation to mission-critical agentic workflows, they need a partner who can connect AI to live, governed data across hundreds of systems and engineers who can ship that connection inside the customer's environment.
We're hiring Forward Deployed Engineers to be the hands-on delivery force on our most strategic enterprise engagements. You'll embed with customer teams to deploy CData Connect AI, our managed MCP platform, and the broader CData stack, configuring MCP servers, building agent integrations, writing the production code that connects customer systems to AI, and validating that it works end-to-end. You'll work alongside an FDE Architect on engagement design and report into the Director of Forward Deployed Engineering.
This is a builder role. The bar is building and shipping production-grade AI integrations on a multi sprint cadence and the field signal you generate flows straight into the Connect AI roadmap.
Why This Role Matters:
The Forward Deployed Engineer is the hands-on force that turns CData’s Connect AI platform into real, working solutions inside customer environments. The FDE works directly with enterprise teams, and builds and ships production-grade integrations, connecting complex data systems, enabling governed access, and ensuring agent workflows perform reliably at scale. This role is critical to delivering tangible customer outcomes. FDEs ensure customers move from AI experimentation to real business impact. At the same time, the patterns, code, and insights the FDE generates in the field feeds directly back into the product, improving the platform and accelerating future deployments.
Location(s):Remote, U.S. (EST or West Coast Preferred)
Key Duties & Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Embed and deliver in customer environments
- Embed with customer teams to deploy Connect AI, configure MCP servers, connect data sources, and validate agent workflows in production
- Build and test AI agent integrations using Connect AI Workspaces and Toolkits with correctly scoped data access
- Configure semantic context and governance layers for accurate, permission-aware agent responses across connected sources
Build and ship AI integrations
- Write production code in Python, Java, or C# connecting customer systems to Connect AI via MCP, REST, OData, and CData drivers
- Implement the integration patterns and security configurations defined with the engagement architect
- Contribute to and reuse the FDE team's reference architectures, blueprints, and sample agents
Operate and iterate in production
- Build and deliver iterative solutions on a multi sprint cadence with weekly customer demos, validation checkpoints, and AI workflow refinement
- Own deployment health for your engagements, monitor MCP performance, troubleshoot agent accuracy, and ensure a smooth Customer Success handoff
- Triage and resolve production issues with appropriate escalation to the architect or product team
Close the product feedback loop
- Document product gaps and agent behavior patterns from the field; feed prioritized insights to the Connect AI product team
- Capture reusable patterns from your engagements, code snippets, deployment recipes, and troubleshooting notes that compound across the FDE team
Qualifications
Must Haves:
- 4–7 years in software engineering, data engineering, or technical consulting with hands-on delivery experience
- Track record of shipping production code in customer-facing or customer-impacting roles
- Has explained technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and held the room
- AI-literate — understands how LLMs consume data, what MCP does, and how agents use tools and context to reason over enterprise sources
- Proficient in Python, Java, or C# with experience building API integrations, data pipelines, or connector-based workflows
- Comfortable with data plumbing: SQL, REST APIs, ODBC/JDBC, JSON/XML parsing, and multi-source data mapping
- Able to configure governed access for AI agents — RBAC, OAuth 2.1, and semantic scoping
- Builder mentality — ships working solutions in ambiguous customer environments within tight iteration cycles
- Strong communicator who can explain technical AI concepts to non-technical customer stakeholders clearly and confidently
- High agency; comfortable as the primary engineering presence on a customer engagement
Nice to Have:
- Hands-on experience with the MCP protocol and AI agent frameworks (LangChain, CrewAI, Copilot Studio)
- Prior FDE, professional services, or solutions-engineering experience at a data, analytics, or AI platform company
- Exposure to modern data stacks (Snowflake, Databricks, Salesforce) and cloud-native deployment patterns
Travel Required:Up to 25%.
US Only: The typical base pay range for this role across the US is $150,000–$175,000 per year. The actual range may vary depending on specific locations. In the areas we're looking to hire within Eastern Time and West Coast markets, we expect the base pay range for this role to be $150,000–$175,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
Work Authorization: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. CData Software is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future.
Benefits & Perks / What you’ll Get:
- As part of our comprehensive benefits offerings, we provide Medical, Dental, and Vision plans with company-paid insurance premiums
- HealthSavingAccountoffering with company contributionto help mitigate increasing health costs
- FlexibleSavingsAccountand Dependent Care FSA
- Generous20-dayPTO and11paid holidays
- 401k with 100% company match up to 6% of contribution
- A remote-friendly, high-trust culture that empowers collaboration, celebrates curiosity, and encourages innovation
- Work closely with your manager to define professional development and learning opportunitiesthat match your career goals
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