Forward Deployed Engineer

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer to join our Information Technology team.

Are you a master of craft? Do you thrive in a team that succeeds together, demonstrating integrity and respect while acting responsibly? Do you embrace a growth mindset?

We invite you to become a fan of the exceptional. Mandarin Oriental is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences, located in prime destinations around the globe. Guided by our Asian heritage and renowned for creating some of the world's most sought-after properties, we deliver legendary service while shaping the future of luxury hospitality.

Based at the Mandarin Oriental Corporate Office within the Information Technology department in London or Hong Kong, the Forward Deployed Engineer is a hands-on builder who works directly with business teams to identify real problems, then designs, codes and deploys AI-enabled applications that solve them.

Using AI-assisted development tools and modern software engineering practices, the role turns business challenges into working, production-ready solutions. This includes building applications, integrating systems and data, and iterating directly with stakeholders to deliver measurable value. The focus is on building and deploying solutions end to end, rather than Microsoft 365 administration or general IT support.

The role combines strong technical craftsmanship with commercial judgement. You will be comfortable sitting at the table with business leads, shaping requirements and constructively challenging them where needed. You will also play a key role in expanding the organisation's ability to build impactful solutions in-house.

The role reports to the Director of Tech Innovation & Portfolio Management.

As Forward Deployed Engineer, you will be responsible for:

• Partnering with business teams to identify problems that can be solved by purpose-built applications and tools.
• Working directly with business stakeholders to scope problems, shape and challenge requirements, validate solutions and ensure strong adoption.
• Designing, building and delivering bespoke applications end to end, from concept through to working, production-ready software, including ongoing maintenance.
• Writing, testing and maintaining clean, functional code, using AI-assisted development tools to accelerate delivery without compromising quality.
• Integrating applications with existing systems and data sources where applicable.
• Translating business requirements directly into technical solutions, rapidly prototyping and iterating with users until the solution delivers real value.
• Developing GenAI-powered features and applications where they create tangible business advantage.
• Owning the technical delivery lifecycle of in-house solutions, including version control, testing, deployment and continuous iteration.
• Maintaining and enhancing applications after launch, responding to user feedback and evolving requirements, and growing a steady user base.
• Applying sound engineering judgement to decide when to build, when to integrate and when an existing tool already solves the problem.
• Ensuring all solutions comply with organisational standards for data privacy, security and ethical use of technology.
• Documenting solutions, code and technical decisions to ensure maintainability and effective knowledge sharing.
• Staying abreast of the latest trends in GenAI, AI-assisted development and application frameworks, recommending relevant innovations and bringing practical ideas back to the business.
• Contributing to a culture of building, demonstrating what is possible when business problems are met with hands-on technical craft.

As Forward Deployed Engineer, we expect from you:

• Demonstrated experience building and shipping applications, with a portfolio of working software. You should be ready to walk us through what you built, your personal contribution, and how it is used today.
• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools and GenAI application development, including a disciplined approach to reviewing and testing the code produced.
• Strong, practical coding capability across the application stack (e.g. Python or similar).
• Experience integrating APIs, data sources and third-party services.
• Working knowledge of data fundamentals (e.g. database design and indexing) and an understanding of how solutions behave as usage grows.
• Familiarity with version control, testing and deployment practices.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities, including the ability to diagnose issues methodically and translate ambiguous business problems into working solutions.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to work directly with non-technical business leads, including handling pushback on requirements.
• Experience of taking a solution from first prototype to adoption by users, ideally across more than one team or business unit.
• Ability to manage multiple development initiatives in parallel.
• Self-directed, resourceful and genuinely passionate about building and continuous learning.
• Understanding of data privacy, security and ethical considerations in software development.
• A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related field, or equivalent hands-on development experience.
• Existing right to work in London or Hong Kong.

Our Commitment to You

Learning & Development Your success is our success. We craft unique learning pathways to support your career growth.

MOstay As a member of the #MOfamily, enjoy complimentary nights and special colleague rates across our global portfolio.

Health & Colleague Wellness We offer a variety of programmes to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.

Retirement Plans We provide competitive retirement benefits based on your role and length of service.

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