Forward Deployed Engineer, Client Implementations

About LendAPI:

LendAPI is building the orchestration layer for lending and embedded finance. Our vision: Launch a financial product instantly. We enable financial institutions to design, launch, and scale modern lending products by abstracting complex banking infrastructure into clean, developer-friendly workflows.

Our platform powers mission-critical systems across application processing, underwriting, funding, and servicing. We work with leading fintechs and financial institutions to transform how financial services are built and delivered.

About the Role:

The Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) leads hands-on, client-facing implementations, upgrades, and integrations of the LendAPI platform for banks, credit unions, fintechs, and other financial institutions. In this role, you will serve as the primary technical point of contact throughout the full project lifecycle, from kickoff through go-live and post-launch stabilization, while personally building the configurations, integrations, and data migrations that make each launch successful.

The ideal candidate is an engineer who is equally comfortable writing code, debugging a customer's API integration, and running an executive steering committee call.

What You Will Do:

Hands-On Implementation & Engineering

• Configuration & Logic: Build and configure the LendAPI platform for each client (workflow rules, conditional logic, document sets, fee templates, and disclosures) based on discovery findings.
• Integrations: Design, build, and troubleshoot API integrations between LendAPI and client systems (core banking, LOS/LMS, third-party data providers).
• Data Engineering: Write scripts to migrate, transform, and validate client data moving onto the platform.
• Production Support & Triage: Debug production issues end-to-end, read logs, trace API calls and webhook payloads, query databases, and isolate data/configuration issues vs. platform bugs.
• Environment Management: Build and maintain sandbox/staging environments for client testing, and manage configuration promotion into production.

Client Relationship & Delivery Ownership

• Technical Ownership: Serve as the primary technical contact for assigned clients from contract handoff through go-live and hypercare support transition.
• Requirement Gathering: Lead technical discovery sessions to gather business and workflow requirements directly from client stakeholders (engineers, operations leads, risk/credit teams).
• Stakeholder Alignment: Lead recurring status calls, steering committee meetings, and executive business reviews with client leadership.
• Risk & Scope Management: Proactively identify and manage technical risks, scope changes, and escalations, balancing client satisfaction with delivery scope.
• Artifact Ownership: Own client-facing project artifacts, including timelines, status reports, RAID logs, and go-live readiness checklists.

Testing, Training & Go-Live

• Testing: Design and execute UAT test cases, triage defects, and drive resolutions directly with internal engineering teams.
• Enablement: Build and deliver tailored technical training and go-live readiness materials for client teams.
• Go-Live & Hypercare: Lead go-live cutover execution and provide hands-on hypercare support immediately following launch.
• Product Feedback Loop: Feed recurring implementation patterns and friction points back to Product and Core Engineering to continuously improve the platform.

About You:

Required — Technical Skills

• 3+ years of hands-on experience building and debugging production APIs and integrations.
• Working proficiency in Python (or similar scripting languages) for automation, data migration, and validation tasks.
• Strong SQL skills for data validation, reconciliation, and diagnosing configuration or data issues.
• Deep comfort with REST APIs, JSON, Webhooks, and common authentication patterns (OAuth, API keys)—enough to build production integrations independently.
• Ability to inspect logs, stack traces, and API responses to independently triage and resolve complex production issues.
• Experience configuring complex business logic in a software platform (workflow rules, conditional logic, templated documents). Experience with LOS/LMS or fintech platforms is a strong plus.
• solid understanding of core lending/underwriting workflow concepts (application intake, decisioning, funding, servicing) to translate customer requirements into platform configuration.

Required — Client & Delivery Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience owning external client relationships through technical implementations, managing expectations, scope, and timelines diplomatically.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to bridge the gap between deep technical engineers and business/executive stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent client engagements and competing priorities.
• Willingness to travel to client sites as needed (typically 10–25%).

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer, Solutions Engineer, or Implementation Engineer at a Fintech or B2B SaaS company.
• Experience with API testing tools like Postman.
• Familiarity with lending regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience with project management tools (Jira, Asana, Confluence).
• Experience managing change orders, Statements of Work (SOWs), or client contracts.

Core Competencies

• Deep Technical Fluency: You write code, debug issues, and remain hands-on.
• High Ownership: You drive implementations end-to-end, from initial discovery through hypercare.
• Executive Presence: Strong client relationship management skills.
• Analytical Problem Solver: Excellent triage skills under time pressure.
• Adaptable: Comfortable operating in ambiguity and translating messy real-world requirements into working software.
• Composure & Diplomacy: Remains calm and structured during escalations and under pressure.

30-60-90 Day Expectations

• First 30 Days — Ramp Up: Onboard into LendAPI's architecture, tools, and platform codebase. Shadow existing client implementations to master our delivery playbook.
• Days 31–60 — Get Hands-On: Take on 1–2 client engagements. Lead discovery sessions, begin building configurations, and partner with senior engineers on integrations.
• Days 61–90 — Own Delivery: Independently manage technical discovery, configuration, API integration, and troubleshooting with minimal oversight. Successfully launch a client end-to-end.

Benefits:

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary Range: $140,000 – $180,000 / year (commensurate with experience and skill set)
• Equity: 10 bps – 20 bps (0.10% – 0.20%) stock options grants
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Time Off: Flexible PTO & paid company holidays
• Working Environment: Modern tech workplace with collaborative startup culture, continuous learning opportunities, and client travel perks

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about transforming financial infrastructure and want to help scale our platform, we’d love to hear from you!

• Please send your resume and a brief cover letter detailing your technical background and experience managing client implementations to [email protected].