Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Internship - Commercial
The Forward Deployed Engineer, Internship
Forward Deployed Engineering is a radical commitment to the outcome. This is Palantir’s operating ethos. We pioneered this unique position, embedding engineers directly with our customers to tackle their most pressing challenges head-on. As an FDE, you’ll be at the intersection of world-changing problems and impactful technology, shaping solutions where they matter most.
From hospital beds to factory floors, Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) embed themselves in the customer’s reality until the problem is theirs. This requires walking many miles in a customer’s shoes, building past the perimeter of what the product currently offers, and deviating from every pre-existing formula to solve the problem. Whether that problem is “How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks across a power grid?” or “How can we analyze and adapt a global supply chain to deliver critical parts on time?” You’ll use your technical expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills to drive real-world impact.
Core Responsibilities
To solve mission-critical problems by deploying software and AI into the high stakes operations of the world’s leading institutions. This requires a ruthless commitment to truth-seeking and prioritizing real outcomes.
The work is difficult. The stakes are real. You will work in small, high-trust teams and own projects end-to-end, from the first conversation with a customer, to shipping the product that changes how they operate. You will embed with the customer, the chaos, and the consequences, and will be entrusted with real ownership to:
- Collaborate with engineers to make architecture and design decisions
- Wrestle with data at a scale that breaks assumptions and demands invention
- Build custom applications, LLM workflows, and production solutions engineered for a specific customer's reality
- Own relationships with stakeholders from the users in the weeds to the executives making the calls
As an Intern, you will be entrusted with responsibility on day 1. You will not be handed a ticket queue. You will not be shielded from the customer, the chaos, or the consequences. FDEs are entrusted with real ownership, operating with real autonomy, and held to a real standard, no matter their tenure.
What We Value
- Going where you’re needed most - Embed where and when it matters. Expect 25-50% travel, depending on team and location.
- Agency - You learn continuously, make decisions with incomplete information, and don't wait to be told what to do next.
- Embracing the ambiguity - You operate effectively in teams that mix technical and non-technical people, in environments where the objectives shift, the users push back, and the solution demands iteration.
- Intrinsic motivations - You solve hard technical problems (data structures, storage systems, cloud infrastructure, front-end frameworks) not because you were assigned to, but because that's what it takes to achieve your outcomes.
- Ruthless goal orientation - You do not operate within a product’s existing boundaries and limitations. You push past them, rewrite them, or discard them entirely.
The drive to solve your customer’s problem. This can translate to:
What We Require
- Engineering degree, preferred in fields such as Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, and Data Science.
- Proficiency with one or more programming languages, such as Python, Java, C++, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar.
- Must be graduating in December 2027 or Spring 2028.
To apply, please submit the following:
- An updated resume / CV - please do so in PDF format.
- Thoughtful responses to our application questions.