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A short take on pieces worth your time — architecture, AI, system design, and engineering careers — each one linked back to its original source.
2 articles
What Is a Forward Deployed Engineer? Role, Skills, Salary & Career Roadmap
Forward-deployed engineering — embedding directly with a customer to scope, build, and ship production software inside their environment, part engineer and part consultant — has become one of tech's fastest-growing, highest-leverage roles. This piece lays out what the job actually involves day to day, the "T-shaped" skill profile it rewards (deep in one area, broad everywhere else, strong with people), and a realistic preparation path if you're coming from a standard engineering background.
What is a Staff+ Engineer?
An honest account from someone who actually did the job — Nicky Wrightson, writing for The Pragmatic Engineer, on what changes when you move from senior engineer to staff+: less about writing more code, more about picking the right problems, being trusted with ambiguity, and, as the title says, becoming a role model whether you signed up for that or not. I recommend this to anyone plotting a technical (not management) career path who's tired of vague leveling-guide language and wants the real texture of the job. Refreshingly specific about the frustrating parts too, not just the flattering ones.