Principal Forward Deployed Engineer

The role

Forward Deployed Engineers embed with strategic customers to design, build, and ship technical solutions. You will work with customer engineering teams to solve complex problems using Docker products and patterns.

What you will do

• Embed with customer engineering teams to design, build, and ship solutions.
• Deliver technical artifacts like custom MCP servers and Docker Compose definitions.
• Integrate Docker's AI platform with customer stacks.
• Translate customer security, compliance, and platform requirements into plans.
• Help customers define controls for adopting agentic AI.
• Partner with Solutions Architects to provide technical leadership.
• Feed implementation learnings back into reference architectures and product capabilities.
• Support the field during proofs of concept and escalations.
• Mentor and lead other Forward Deployed Engineers.
• Act as the senior technical escalation point for customer problems.

Required qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience
• 4+ years in a customer-facing technical role
• Technical leadership across multiple engagements, teams, or domains
• Expert production coding skills in Go, Python, or TypeScript
• Deep, hands-on Docker expertise
• Hands-on experience building with LLMs and agents in production
• Working knowledge of software supply chain security
• Experience integrating with enterprise systems including identity providers, secrets managers, Kubernetes, and at least one major cloud platform
• Ability to scope and deliver complex work in ambiguous environments
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven track record of technical mentorship
• High agency and comfort operating autonomously in distributed, remote-first teams

Nice to have

• Experience with Docker Hardened Images, Docker Scout, MCP Gateway, MCP Toolkit, Docker Sandboxes, or Docker Model Runner
• Experience deploying and operating coding agents in team or enterprise settings
• Experience in air-gapped, regulated, or compliance-driven environments
• Contributions to open source projects in the container, Kubernetes, or MCP ecosystems
• Prior experience founding or scaling a Forward Deployed Engineering or Professional Services practice

Benefits

• Remote-first by design
• Flexibility to manage your schedule
• Generous PTO
• Designated quarterly Whaleness Days
• Designated end-of-year Whaleness break
• Home office support
• Technology stipend equivalent to US$100 net per month
• Annual stipend for conferences, courses, certifications, and continued learning
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave after six months of employment
• Equity for all full-time employees
• Medical, retirement, and paid holidays vary by country
• Docker swag

Before you apply

• Docker considers visa sponsorship on a case-by-case basis based on business needs
• Docker may use AI-assisted tools during our recruiting process
• Candidates may be invited to opt in to interview recordings

About the company

Docker is a globally distributed, remote-first team building tools that define how software gets built and delivered. Their products include Docker Desktop, Docker Hub, and Docker Scout.