Forward Deployed Engineering Lead

The AI orchestration of your wildest imagination.

n8n is the open workflow orchestration platform built for the new era of AI. We give technical teams the freedom of code with the speed of no-code, so they can automate faster, smarter, and without limits. Backed by a fiercely inventive community and 500+ builder-approved integrations, we’re changing the way people bring systems together and scale ideas for impact.

Since our founding in 2019, we’ve grown into a diverse team of over 260 - working across Europe and the US, connected by a shared builder spirit and with our centre of gravity in Berlin. Along the way, we’ve:

• Cultivated a community of more than 650,000 active developers and builders
• Earned 190K+ GitHub stars, making us one of the world’s Top 40 most popular projects
• Backed by top investors, from Sequoia’s first German seed to our SAP's recent strategic investment - bringing us to a $5.2bn valuation

That’s the company we’ve built. Now we’d love to see what you can build. If you’re applying, try n8n out - whether you’re technical or not - and share a screenshot of your first workflow with us. The easiest place to start is here: app.n8n.cloud/register.

We’re in a defining moment of an incredible journey. Come and build with us.

Your main goal will be to build and lead n8n’s Forward Deployment function from scratch, turning our most strategic enterprise customers into long-term expansion stories through hands-on adoption, technical enablement, and repeatable deployment playbooks.

To do so, you’ll start as a hands-on player-coach while building the function, team, and methodology that will define how n8n supports enterprise deployments at scale; while we’re proving out the model, you will step into the role of Deployment Strategist, hiring and then partnering with the first FDE on initial engagements; once the decision has been made to scale the function, you will fully step into your leadership role and hire the remainder of the team.

Build the Forward Deployment function

• Define how we select strategic accounts, scope engagements, run 5-day on-site boot camps, measure success, and hand off cleanly to Customer Success.
• Create the operating model for a paired Deployment Strategist and Forward Deployed Engineer team, starting with your first FDE hire.
• Decide when to build internal capability versus when to work with partners, and make clear recommendations to leadership.

Lead strategic enterprise deployments

• Lead 5-day on-site engagements with enterprise customers, including executive kickoffs, closeouts, and the adoption narrative throughout.
• Map customer organizations to identify champions, power users, decision-makers, and the cultural dynamics that influence adoption.
• Build automation ROI stories in the customer’s language, helping them understand the business value of scaling n8n.

Turn field learnings into repeatable playbooks

• Codify each engagement into reusable use-case plays so every deployment becomes faster, sharper, and more scalable.
• Partner closely with the Forward Deployed Engineer to prioritize the problems that create the most customer value, not just the most technical interest.
• Build a playbook library that helps future teams replicate successful deployments across similar enterprise environments.

Represent the customer internally

• Own the feedback loop between what you see in the field and what Product needs to know.
• Advocate clearly for customers when product gaps, technical blockers, or adoption risks stand in the way of success.
• Give n8n a direct view into how large organizations actually deploy automation across teams, systems, and processes.

REQUIREMENTS

Must-haves

• Forward deployment or implementation leadership: You have led enterprise customer deployments in a forward deployment, implementation leadership, or technical customer success role at a high-growth B2B software company.
• Enterprise customer experience: You have been on-site with large enterprise customers and driven measurable adoption outcomes across complex organizations.
• Technical fluency: You do not need to write the code, but you understand technical architecture, can challenge decisions when needed, and can demo credibly to a CTO.
• Organizational navigation: You know how to find the real decision-maker, build trust across levels, and manage the cultural dynamics that make or break deployment success.
• Hiring and coaching: You have hired, onboarded, or developed technical customer-facing talent.
• Strategic judgment: You know when to build a function internally versus when to bring in partners, and you have the conviction to make that case to leadership.
• English fluency: You are fluent in English and can lead high-stakes customer conversations with clarity and confidence.

Nice-to-haves

• European languages: You speak additional European languages that help you build trust with customers across the region.
• Automation experience: You have worked with automation, workflow, integration, developer tools, or technical platforms used by IT, SecOps, or DevOps teams.
• Expansion mindset: You have helped turn initial enterprise deployments into broader adoption, renewals, or expansion opportunities.
• Zero-to-one leadership: You have built a new function, playbook, or operating model from scratch in a fast-growing software company.

Why join us?

At n8n, you’ll build a function that does not exist yet, at the exact moment our enterprise customers are asking for it. You’ll have a direct impact on how strategic accounts adopt n8n, how our enterprise motion scales, and how Product understands the real-world needs of large organizations deploying automation to thousands of people.

You’ll join a fast-growing, remote-first company with strong momentum, ambitious customers, and a culture that values autonomy, experimentation, and clear ownership. This is a rare opportunity to define the methodology, hire the first team members, and create the playbooks that shape how n8n serves enterprise customers for years to come.

Sound like a challenge you’re excited to take on?

Apply now — and help us build the future of automation.

n8n is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We can sponsor visas to Germany; for any other country, you need to have existing right to work.

Our company language is English.

You care about diversity and inclusion? We do too! Check out our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging initiatives at n8n (https://www.notion.so/n8n/Diversity-inclusion-and-belonging-n8n-c1bec2fff536422d868b1a438d990e35).

Location disclaimer: If you see multiple job postings for the same role, it is most likely because we're hiring remotely for this role and posting in different locations to make sure every potential candidate can see the role. Please apply to the location you're the most likely to work from in the future.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation – We offer fair and attractive pay.
• Ownership – Our core value is to “empower others,” and we mean it—you’ll get a slice of n8n with equity.

• Work/life balance – We work hard but ensure you have time to recharge:

  • Europe: 30 days of vacation, plus public holidays wherever you are.
  • US: 20 vacation days, 8 sick days, plus public holidays wherever you are.

  • Health \& wellness –

  • Europe: We provide benefits according to local country norms.*

  • US: Multiple low-premium, low-deductible medical plans with coverage for individuals and families—plus a no-cost premium HDHP option with a pre-seeded HSA—along with dental and vision coverage.

  • Future planning –

  • Europe: We provide pension contributions according to local country norms.*

  • US: 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% employer match.

  • Financial security –

  • Europe: We provide benefits according to local country norms.*

  • US: Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance, plus life insurance to support you and your loved ones.
  • Career growth – We hire rising stars who grow with us! You’ll get €1K (or equivalent) per year to spend on courses, books, events, or coaching to level up your skills.
  • A passionate team – We love our product, and we prove it with regular hackathons where we see who can build the coolest thing with it!
  • Remote-first – Our team works remotely across Europe, with regular off-sites for team bonding. Some roles, like sales in the US, are hybrid—please check the job description.
  • Giving back – We're big fans of open source, and you'll get $100 per month to support projects you care about.
  • AI enablement – We believe in working smarter—everyone gets an unlimited AI budget to explore and use the best tools to boost productivity and creativity.
  • Transparency – We all know what everyone’s working on, how the company is doing—the whole shebang.
  • Country-specific details are provided in your contract.