Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

About the role

Retell AI is using first-principles thinking to reimagine the call center with cutting-edge voice AI. As a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, you will own the end-to-end delivery of voice AI solutions for enterprise clients, embedding directly with their teams to build production-ready systems. You will act as the primary technical expert for Retell's voice agent platform, guiding clients on best practices for LLM prompting and voice AI workflows. Your day-to-day will involve close collaboration with sales, product, and engineering teams to translate customer requirements into scalable, reliable integrations. You will communicate project progress and risks clearly, ensuring stakeholders understand technical tradeoffs and timelines. Ultimately, you will shape the Retell platform by codifying customer feedback into actionable product improvements and reusable patterns.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead end-to-end delivery of projects using Retell's voice agent platform, from prototyping to production, while communicating progress and risks clearly.
• Become go-to experts on building voice AI solutions, sharing deep knowledge on LLM prompting tips & tricks with internal and external audiences.
• Build full-stack integrations using Python and JavaScript that connect enterprise tools such as CRMs, ERPs, and scheduling systems.
• Partner with sales teams to engage clients, gather detailed requirements, prototype interactive demos, and present clear system designs.
• Scope projects accurately, resolve blockers swiftly, and align cross-functional teams with concise, actionable updates.
• Codify recurring patterns and edge cases into reusable tools, components, or platform features that accelerate future implementations.
• Translate field feedback from customer interactions into concrete product and go-to-market recommendations for Retell's leadership.
• Implement robust monitoring and testing practices to ensure voice AI workflows perform reliably in production environments.
• Document integration architectures, API contracts, and operational runbooks to support long-term maintainability.
• Mentor junior engineers and customer-facing engineers on voice AI techniques, debugging strategies, and delivery best practices.

Requirements

• Have 2+ years of experience in customer-facing technical roles such as Solutions Engineer, Technical PM, Customer Success/Support engineer, or Ex-founder.
• Excel at communication, explaining complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively to non-technical audiences.
• Have a proven track record of delivering systems in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with limited supervision.
• Write production-grade code in Python, JavaScript, or similar languages with strong attention to reliability and maintainability.
• Understand the fundamentals of LLM-powered systems and their impact on user experience and business outcomes.
• Proactively identify risks, manage dependencies, and maintain momentum under tight deadlines and high stakes.
• Demonstrate ownership by driving projects to completion and taking responsibility for outcomes.
• Show empathy and patience when working with enterprise stakeholders who have diverse technical backgrounds.

Nice to have

• Experience working with enterprise sales motions and complex procurement processes.
• Familiarity with contact center platforms, telephony systems, and compliance requirements.
• Background in AI product development or contributions to open-source voice or LLM projects.
• Experience building integrations with legacy enterprise software and data sources.

Practical notes

• Hours: Full-time, standard business hours with flexibility for occasional after-hours support for critical deployments.
• Travel: Occasional travel may be required for on-site client engagements in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Visa: Retell AI is open to sponsoring work authorization for qualified candidates, including H1B/H-1B, TN, L-1, E-3, F-1 (OPT/CPT), and O-1 visas.
• Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but early submission is strongly encouraged due to fast-paced hiring cycles.

This role is ideal for builders who want to have a direct impact on how enterprises adopt voice AI, combining technical depth with stakeholder empathy to deliver measurable business outcomes. If you are excited by rapid growth, ambiguous challenges, and shaping the future of contact centers, Retell AI is the place for you.