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Dryft builds AI-powered decision automation for manufacturing operations, capturing knowledge from experienced operators across supply chain, production planning, and engineering to help industrial companies optimize their business at scale. The company works with some of the world's largest robotics, machine, and component manufacturers.
As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will split your time 50/50 between hands-on engineering and direct customer engagement. This is a high-ownership role with unusual early responsibility. Your core responsibilities include:
- Lead full-stack product rollouts end-to-end, owning implementations from scoping and onboarding through integration and training. You will coordinate across IT teams, engineers, and C-level executives spanning Germany, the EU, and the US.
- Design the product backbone by working directly with users, translating their operational pain points into product improvements, and prototyping features yourself—writing production code when needed.
- Turn operations into scalable product: every customer deployment becomes a blueprint for scale. You will distill learnings into reusable product features, data models, and playbooks, with potential to grow into roles like Chief Product Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
You will navigate complex stakeholder environments, from skeptical IT leaders to impatient executives and shop-floor operators. One day you integrate a legacy ERP system; the next you're on a flight to a manufacturing facility in Mexico; in between you ship the fix. This role requires someone who thrives on turning complexity into clarity and shipping working solutions under pressure.
The tech stack includes React and TypeScript on the frontend, Python with FastAPI on the backend, Postgres with pgvector, Temporal for orchestration, Dagster for data pipelines, and AI tools including Pydantic AI and Langfuse.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 2+ years of fast-paced experience in a top-tier consulting role, as a founder, or as an early employee at a high-growth startup
- Technical degree or strong technical background; must write production code and understand systems end-to-end
- Experience in manufacturing, industrial software, procurement, supply chain, or related industrial domain is a plus
- Product-minded: ability to listen to customer pain and translate it into elegant product features
- Quality-obsessed with high personal standards; dive deep into problems and prioritize getting it right
- Ultra-professional and detail-oriented; earn trust through structure, polish, and clear documentation
- Strong crisis communication skills; calm impatient executives, win over skeptical IT leaders, and maintain composure under pressure
- Down-to-earth and relatable; able to bond equally with shop-floor operators and boardroom executives
- Willing to relocate to Munich for onsite work (company supports visa); expect 10–30% travel
