The Forward-Deployed Engineer

with the Metrics Brothers

Military metaphors meet modern software.

Dave "CAC" Kellogg and Ray "Growth" Rike explore the rise of the forward-deployed engineer (FDE), a hybrid role redefining how software companies deliver value in the age of AI.

They unpack the origins, evolution, and business impact of this emerging role, including:

How Palantir pioneered the FDE model to bridge engineering and customer success
Why AI acceleration and outcome-based pricing are fueling new demand for embedded engineers
The accounting nuance of FDEs, where R&D meets COGS and how it changes SaaS metrics
What FDEs signal about the future of services-led growth and agentic AI

This episode explores how forward-deployed engineers are reshaping post-sales delivery, influencing financial models, and defining what it means to be on the front lines of software in 2025.