From Code to Career: How FDEs Accelerate Their Growth in the Agentic Era

Remember riding your bike as a kid? Curious, searching for the next adventure. If you got a flat tire, you didn’t just ask for a new bike; you’d tinker and figure out how to fix it yourself. That urge wasn’t only about fixing; it was about understanding the mechanics, making the bike better then proudly knowing you did it yourself. That spirit — the natural problem-solving instinct combined with insatiable curiosity — is essential for engineering success. 

At Salesforce, this spirit translates into extraordinary impact through the roles of our Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) who are shaping the future of Agentforce. They’re the builders, integrators, and strategic partners who see the possibilities for our customers and know how to turn vision to reality. Fresh from Dreamforce 2025, FDEs like Irina Gutman, Jude Umeh, and Katie Burg are sharing their transformation stories and how their careers have accelerated in the agentic AI revolution.

The FDE Mission: Where Impact Meets Innovation

The shift from generalist to strategic partner is immediate and intentional. FDEs operate at the intersection of complex customer needs and innovative technology. They thrive on the intensity of the problem, collaborating directly with executives to move solutions from whiteboard concept to enterprise implementation. This unique position guarantees that every project you touch yields high visibility and massive business impact.

Jude Umeh, who’s been at Salesforce for nearly a decade, recently stepped into the role of Deployment Strategist Director fueled by a deep desire to grow and learn. Jude’s career acceleration underscores the FDE value proposition: the perfect blend of high-level strategy and deep technical execution.

He shares how he helped a client, a global recruitment company, propel their business thanks to Agentforce. Instead of a human manually reading and screening thousands of candidate profiles, the deployed agent automated the initial screening process. This powerful solution saved the company thousands of dollars and countless hours, freeing up human recruiters to focus on the relationship-building in the candidate experience.

In the Agentic Era, ‘never solving the same problem twice’ isn’t a cliché — it’s the tangible reality of FDE growth. Our Forward Deployed Engineers rotate through exciting, solution-driven sprints across different companies and challenges, effectively gaining years of experience in months. This high-impact exposure shifts your career trajectory from linear to limitless, all while building a portfolio of real-world impact that fills both your personal and professional cup.

As an FDE, your goal is to embed deeply with the customer and their business. In addition to writing the code, you’re writing the future of a business’ operations as your client’s strategic partner. You’ll solve their most pressing problems while also designing and deploying Agentforce to boost their ROI. As the customer’s trusted technical expert and strategic advisor, when they win, you win. 

Agentforce & Career Growth

Instead of following AI trends, you’ll build them. As VP of Forward Deployed Engineering Irina Gutman says, “FDEs understand the most comprehensive AI agent platform before it becomes industry standard,” allowing you to set the new standard. The best part is all of your customer’s data will flow seamlessly together – this is where the AI magic happens, moving from imagined to implemented. Working with this deeply unified platform means your expertise transfers across the entire ecosystem, not just a siloed product.

Katie Burg, a Futureforce Alumna and an Agentblazer Legend certification holder, embodies this innovative growth. Katie’s experience as an FDE shows how FDEs build a comprehensive skill set by getting out of the theoretical and into the practical. As an FDE with full end-to-end ownership of complex AI solutions — working closely with partners, customers, and professional services — she demonstrates how big-ticket accountability and high visibility accelerate FDE careers directly into strategic and leadership roles.

While traditional engineering roles often follow predictable, linear growth paths, FDE careers break the mold entirely. The transition from traditional engineer to strategic leader happens rapidly, for example:

• Honing FDE Expertise: You move beyond core engineering fundamentals to master Agentforce deployments and begin engaging customers directly on solution design.
• FDE Pod Thought Leader: You are already leading complex multi-agent architectures and directly influencing core product roadmaps based on real customer feedback.
• FDE Leadership: You’re driving AI strategy for new capabilities, mentoring junior FDEs, or transitioning into strategic leadership roles.

• Honing FDE Expertise: You move beyond core engineering fundamentals to master Agentforce deployments and begin engaging customers directly on solution design.
• FDE Pod Thought Leader: You are already leading complex multi-agent architectures and directly influencing core product roadmaps based on real customer feedback.
• FDE Leadership: You’re driving AI strategy for new capabilities, mentoring junior FDEs, or transitioning into strategic leadership roles.

Seize The Moment

The agentic era rewards engineers who can take things apart and put them back together (like a bike!) — but at enterprise scale, with AI agents, across global organizations. Salesforce’s combination of startup agility with enterprise resources creates unmatched career acceleration.

Dreamforce 2025 validated what FDEs already know: Salesforce is the place where forward thinking meets forward doing. The question isn’t whether Agentforce will transform business — it’s whether you’ll be the engineer leading that transformation. 

Ready to accelerate your career as a Forward Deployed Engineer? Check out the open roles at Salesforce today.