Forward Deployed Software Engineer
Hybrid Chicago Full-time Mid-level Software Engineering
At a glance
Mid-level Software Engineering role at Palantir. Chicago · full-time · $135,000–$200,000 base.
SalaryStated by Palantir
$135,000 – $200,000
Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.
This role, from PalantirOur estimate for the market: $120,834–$172,583Median $145,150
The range includes the market median of $145,150 for mid-level software engineering roles in Chicago.
Worked out from 56 postings that stated pay, median $145,150. Last updated Nov 3, 2026.
RoleSoftware Engineering
SeniorityMid-level
LocationChicago
WorkplaceHybrid
EmploymentFull-time
Base pay$135,000–$200,000
PostedJun 16, 2026
Role brief
techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Design systems with other engineers, then build customer-specific applications that address operational challenges
- Work with large datasets and apply AI to improve important operational workflows
- Meet with customer stakeholders, from technical staff to executives, to understand their needs
- Guide projects from early concept through launch while contributing to team direction
What you bring
- At least one year of relevant professional experience after college
- A strong software engineering foundation and coding ability in Python, Java, C++, TypeScript, JavaScript or a comparable language
Who this fits
This role suits an engineer who enjoys solving data-heavy problems, working closely with technical and non-technical partners, and making decisions with limited oversight. The position is based in Chicago with a hybrid arrangement. Travel to client sites may reach twenty-five percent, with flexibility based on personal preferences.
From the employer
A World-Changing Company
Palantir builds the world’s leading software for data-driven decisions and operations. By bringing the right data to the people who need it, our platforms empower our partners to develop lifesaving drugs, forecast supply chain disruptions, locate missing children, and more.
The Role The Original Forward Deployed Software Engineer At Palantir, the Forward Deployed Software Engineer (FDSE) role isn’t just a job title: it’s the blueprint. We pioneered this unique position, embedding talented engineers directly with our customers to tackle their most pressing challenges head-on. As an FDSE, you’ll be at the intersection of world-changing problems and impactful technology, shaping solutions where they matter most. FDSEs work side by side with our customers, rapidly understanding their toughest issues; architecting and building solutions that leverage business-critical data and the latest advancements in AI to solve them. Whether it’s “How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks to optimize power grids?” or “How can we analyze and adapt a global food supply chain to deliver life-saving aid on time?”, you’ll use your technical expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills to drive real-world impact. You’ll have the rare opportunity to gain deep insight into and directly influence some of the world’s most critical industries and institutions. By building on Palantir’s powerful platforms leveraging integrated cutting-edge AI, you’ll help organizations unlock the full potential of their data to make smarter, faster decisions. Core Responsibilities As an FDSE, you’ll experience the autonomy of a startup, with the resources, mentorship, and stability of an established tech company. Your contributions will have a direct impact on our customers’ missions and the real world. You’ll work in small, agile teams and own the end-to-end execution and implementation of high-stakes projects, including: • Collaborating with fellow engineers on architecture and design decisions • Wrangling massive-scale data and using AI to accelerate and enhance critical operations • Developing custom applications tailored to customer needs • Engaging directly with customer stakeholders, from technical teams to executives • Shaping team strategy and driving projects from ideation to deployment, increasing your pain threshold to deliver real value
Life at Palantir We want every Palantirian to achieve their best outcomes, that’s why we celebrate individuals’ strengths, skills, and interests, from your first interview to your longterm growth, rather than rely on traditional career ladders. Paying attention to the needs of our community enables us to optimize our opportunities to grow and helps ensure many pathways to success at Palantir. Promoting health and well-being across all areas of Palantirians’ lives is just one of the ways we’re investing in our community. Learn more at Life at Palantir and note that our offerings may vary by region. In keeping consistent with Palantir’s values and culture, we believe employees are “better together” and in-person work affords the opportunity for more creative outcomes. Therefore, we encourage employees to work from our offices to foster connectivity and innovation. Many teams do offer hybrid options (WFH a day or two a week), allowing our employees to strike the right trade-off for their personal productivity. Based on business need, there are a few roles that allow for “Remote” work on an exceptional basis. If you are applying for one of these roles, you must work from the state in which you are employed. If the posting is specified as Onsite, you are required to work from an office. If you want to empower the world's most important institutions, you belong here. Palantir values excellence regardless of background. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer for all, including but not limited to Veterans and those with disabilities. Palantir is committed to making the application and hiring process accessible to everyone and will provide a reasonable accommodation for those living with a disability. If you need an accommodation for the application or hiring process, please reach out and let us know how we can help. Please note that you will never be asked to submit a payment or share financial information to participate in our interview process. If you suspect that you've been contacted by a scammer, we recommend you cease all communication with the individual and consider reporting them to the relevant authorities, such as the US FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
If you would like to understand more about how your personal data will be processed by Palantir, please see our Privacy Policy.
The Role The Original Forward Deployed Software Engineer At Palantir, the Forward Deployed Software Engineer (FDSE) role isn’t just a job title: it’s the blueprint. We pioneered this unique position, embedding talented engineers directly with our customers to tackle their most pressing challenges head-on. As an FDSE, you’ll be at the intersection of world-changing problems and impactful technology, shaping solutions where they matter most. FDSEs work side by side with our customers, rapidly understanding their toughest issues; architecting and building solutions that leverage business-critical data and the latest advancements in AI to solve them. Whether it’s “How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks to optimize power grids?” or “How can we analyze and adapt a global food supply chain to deliver life-saving aid on time?”, you’ll use your technical expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills to drive real-world impact. You’ll have the rare opportunity to gain deep insight into and directly influence some of the world’s most critical industries and institutions. By building on Palantir’s powerful platforms leveraging integrated cutting-edge AI, you’ll help organizations unlock the full potential of their data to make smarter, faster decisions. Core Responsibilities As an FDSE, you’ll experience the autonomy of a startup, with the resources, mentorship, and stability of an established tech company. Your contributions will have a direct impact on our customers’ missions and the real world. You’ll work in small, agile teams and own the end-to-end execution and implementation of high-stakes projects, including: • Collaborating with fellow engineers on architecture and design decisions • Wrangling massive-scale data and using AI to accelerate and enhance critical operations • Developing custom applications tailored to customer needs • Engaging directly with customer stakeholders, from technical teams to executives • Shaping team strategy and driving projects from ideation to deployment, increasing your pain threshold to deliver real value
What We Value
- A highly analytical mindset and eagerness to solve technical problems with data structures, storage systems, cloud infrastructure, front-end frameworks, and other technical tools.
- Experience or interest in working with and using large scale data to solve valuable business problems.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in teams of technical and non-technical individuals, and comfortable working in a rapidly changing environment with dynamic objectives and iteration with users.
- Ability to continuously learn, work independently, and make decisions with minimal supervision.
What We Require
- 1+ years of relevant, post-college work experience.
- Strong engineering background, preferred in fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, and Data Science.
- Strong coder with shown proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar.
- Ability and interest to travel up to 25%, as needed to client sites, but flexible based on personal preferences.
Life at Palantir We want every Palantirian to achieve their best outcomes, that’s why we celebrate individuals’ strengths, skills, and interests, from your first interview to your longterm growth, rather than rely on traditional career ladders. Paying attention to the needs of our community enables us to optimize our opportunities to grow and helps ensure many pathways to success at Palantir. Promoting health and well-being across all areas of Palantirians’ lives is just one of the ways we’re investing in our community. Learn more at Life at Palantir and note that our offerings may vary by region. In keeping consistent with Palantir’s values and culture, we believe employees are “better together” and in-person work affords the opportunity for more creative outcomes. Therefore, we encourage employees to work from our offices to foster connectivity and innovation. Many teams do offer hybrid options (WFH a day or two a week), allowing our employees to strike the right trade-off for their personal productivity. Based on business need, there are a few roles that allow for “Remote” work on an exceptional basis. If you are applying for one of these roles, you must work from the state in which you are employed. If the posting is specified as Onsite, you are required to work from an office. If you want to empower the world's most important institutions, you belong here. Palantir values excellence regardless of background. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer for all, including but not limited to Veterans and those with disabilities. Palantir is committed to making the application and hiring process accessible to everyone and will provide a reasonable accommodation for those living with a disability. If you need an accommodation for the application or hiring process, please reach out and let us know how we can help. Please note that you will never be asked to submit a payment or share financial information to participate in our interview process. If you suspect that you've been contacted by a scammer, we recommend you cease all communication with the individual and consider reporting them to the relevant authorities, such as the US FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
If you would like to understand more about how your personal data will be processed by Palantir, please see our Privacy Policy.
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