Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), Legal-SF

New York City · Remotefull timeRemote

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mid

$162k–$280k

H1B: yes

OpenAI Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), Legal-SF at OpenAI builds and deploys AI systems for legal workflows by embedding with customers and rapidly prototyping solutions. The role includes owning technical work from discovery through production and translating customer workflows into product feedback.

Responsibilities

We are hiring a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to build and deploy AI systems for legal work. You will embed deeply with customers—often working closely with senior legal practitioners—to identify the right first use case, rapidly prototype a solution, and prove measurable value. Early engagements may focus on creating a “hero” workflow that shows how OpenAI’s models can support legal analysis, drafting, research, or real-time work with complex case records.
This role is based in San Francisco or New York City. We use a hybrid work model of three days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance. Travel up to 50% may be required.
Embed with law firms and legal teams to understand their workflows, identify high-value opportunities, and select the right initial use cases to prove value.
Build full-stack systems that deliver customer value and sharpen how we learn
Embed closely with customer teams, understand their needs, and guide adoption of what you build
Make trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality; adjust plans to protect delivery
Contribute directly in the code when progress or clarity depends on it
Codify working patterns into tools, playbooks, or building blocks that others can use
Share field feedback that helps Research and Product understand where the models succeed and where they can improve
You might thrive in this role if you
Bring 5+ years of software engineering, ML engineering, or technical deployment experience with customer-facing ownership in financial services or adjacent regulated industries.
Have experience with legal technology, legal services, compliance-heavy workflows, or professional services; this is helpful but not required.

Qualification

5+ years of software engineeringExperience with legal technology

Required

5+ years of software engineering, ML engineering, or technical deployment experience with customer-facing ownership in financial services or adjacent regulated industries
Experience with legal technology, legal services, compliance-heavy workflows, or professional services is helpful but not required
Owned complex AI or data-driven systems end-to-end, from scoping through production adoption, in environments where errors carry real financial or regulatory consequences
Write and review production-grade code across backend and frontend systems using Python, JavaScript, or comparable stacks
Have deployed systems powered by LLMs or generative models and understand how model behavior, evaluation, and guardrails affect user trust and business outcomes

Benefits

Flexible Work

Company

OpenAI

View company page

501-1000 employees

Artificial Intelligence

Founded 2015

Source: ashby

Active within the past hour

Remote-friendly

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Must-Have Skills for This Role

PythonJavaScriptfull-stackLLMsgenerative models

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