Founding Forward Deployed Engineer - WorkOS - Enterprise Agentic AI
Careem · Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- On site
- Full-time
- AED 250,000 / year
- Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Job highlights
- Deploy AI solutions on the front lines.
- Build and iterate with full-stack code.
- Translate field insights to product needs.
- Partner with business consultants and leaders.
- Shape the future of enterprise AI.
About the role
About the Company
Careem is building the Everything App for the greater Middle East — making it easy to move around, order food and groceries, manage payments, and more. Our purpose is simple: to simplify and improve people’s lives and build an awesome organisation that inspires. Since 2012, Careem has enabled earnings for over 2.5 million Captains, simplified the lives of more than 70 million customers, and built a platform where the region’s best talent and entrepreneurs thrive. We operate in 70+ cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan. We’re now entering our next chapter — one powered by AI. We’re looking for AI talent: curious problem-solvers who know how to apply AI to build tools, automate workflows, and create real impact. Whether it’s streamlining operations, enhancing customer experience, or reimagining internal systems — we want people who can make Careem work smarter and move faster.
The mission
We believe the transformative potential of AI is significantly under-realised in our region. To bridge this gap, we are incubating a new division within Careem dedicated to Enterprise AI Transformation. We are reimagining and building the future of work to simplify and improve how businesses function in the era of GenAI with WorkOS: a next-generation ‘operating system’ designed to deploy, orchestrate, and improve AI agents across every customer and operational journey (and increasingly autonomously). This isn’t just automation; it’s about creating a hybrid workforce where self-learning AI agents handle the heavy lifting, empowering our people to focus on the highest-value, most creative work.
The team
This group operates as a startup within Careem with a distinct mandate: move fast, build boldly, and deliver production-grade AI systems that fundamentally change how the region leverages technology.
The opportunity
We are looking for a Founding Forward Deployed Engineer - WorkOS - Enterprise Agentic AI to be the vanguard of the WorkOS mission. This is a role for a "heretic": someone who cares more about solving the problem and delivering value than following a rigid spec. You will be the bridge between our core AI engine and the messy, high-stakes reality of our customers’ operations. As an FDE, you aren't sitting in the back office; you are on the front lines, embedded with internal Careem verticals and external enterprise partners. In partnership with your implementation squad, consisting also of business transformation consultants, you will identify their deepest friction points and build the "special ops" code that proves the power of WorkOS. Your work is the proof of concept that will redefine how the region works.
What You’ll Do
- Tip of the Spear: Lead the deployment of WorkOS in the field. You will be responsible for understanding a customer's operational "chaos" and architecting an AI-driven solution that fixes it in weeks, not months.
- Rapid-Fire Execution: Build, iterate, and ship. You will write high-quality, full-stack code to create bespoke integrations and augment our platform’s core capabilities and create custom agents. This goes beyond context engineering; you’ll build the connective tissue - integrating bespoke APIs, setting up RAGs and Evals, tuning the E2E system and performance, and architecting multi-agent handoffs.
- Feedback Loop Mastery: You are the eyes and ears of the product team. You will translate field-tested insights into core product requirements, ensuring WorkOS remains grounded in real-world utility.
- Winning Stakeholders: Act as the technical face of WorkOS. You’ll need to win the trust of stakeholders, navigate complex enterprise hierarchies, and persuade skeptics by shipping results that speak for themselves.
- Technical Versatility: One day you’re setting up a RAG pipeline; the next, you’re debugging a legacy enterprise API or designing a custom dashboard. You do whatever is necessary to make the solution land.
What You’ll Need
- 5–8+ years of high-octane engineering experience. You are likely a senior-level engineer who is "hungrier" than your peers and bored by traditional, slow-moving dev cycles.
- The FDE Pedigree: Experience in forward-deployed, mission-driven environments (e.g., Palantir, high-growth startups, or specialized consultancy) where you worked directly with customers.
- Full-Stack Polyglot: Mastery of the modern stack (React/TS, Python/Node) with the ability to jump into any codebase and be productive on day one.
- AI Fluidity: Strong working knowledge of LLMs, prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks. You don't just know the theory; you know how to make AI work in production.
- Excellent Communication: You are a "social engineer." You can explain complex AI logic to a CEO and then pivot to a deep-dive session with an infrastructure lead without missing a beat.
- Relentless Bias for Action: You are a builder who values shipping over perfection. You have a "founder-level" sense of ownership and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty.
- Willingness to work on-site full time in UAE, with occasional travel to beள்க embedded with regional partners.
What You’ll Receive
- A Blank Canvas and Live Ammunition: The rare opportunity to build a "0-to-1" product while immediately deploying it into the real-world operations of a regional giant. No "sandbox" projects here, you’ll be shipping code that moves people and goods on day one. This is a huge opportunity to create impact in our region.
- A Special Ops Mission: We’re a lean, impact-obsessed team operating with total autonomy. You’ll be free from corporate bureaucracy and legacy baggage, focused entirely on winning the customer and solving "unsolvable" problems.
- Direct Collaboration with Leadership: Direct engagement with Careem and enterprise client leadership, in addition to working side-by-side with the WorkOS founding team including Magnus Olsson (Careem’s original Co-founder).
- Competitive Compensation: Including direct equity in this new division. Our philosophy is meritocratic: we want you to own a meaningful stake in the value you create.
Key skills/competency
- Founding Forward Deployed Engineer
- Enterprise Agentic AI
- AI Transformation
- LLMs and Prompt Engineering
- Full-Stack Development (React/TS, Python/Node)
- API Integrations
- RAG Pipelines and Evals
- Stakeholder Management
- Customer-Facing Roles
- Agile Development
Skills & topics
- Founding Forward Deployed Engineer
- Enterprise Agentic AI
- AI Transformation
- LLMs
- Prompt Engineering
- Agentic Frameworks
- Full-Stack Development
- React
- TypeScript
- Python
- Node.js
- API Integrations
- RAG
- Evals
- Stakeholder Management
- Customer Success
- UAE Jobs
- AI Engineer
- Senior Engineer
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 5-8+ years of high-octane engineering experience, focusing on forward-deployed, mission-driven environments and direct customer work.
- Showcase AI expertise: Emphasize your strong working knowledge of LLMs, prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks, demonstrating practical application in production.
- Demonstrate full-stack skills: Detail your mastery of modern stacks like React/TS and Python/Node, and your ability to integrate disparate systems and APIs.
- Highlight communication and action: Provide examples of explaining complex AI to diverse stakeholders and a relentless bias for action, shipping results quickly.
- Understand the mission: Research Careem's AI-driven 'Everything App' and the WorkOS vision to build an enterprise AI operating system.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is Careem's 'Everything App' vision and how does AI fit in?
- Careem's 'Everything App' aims to simplify daily life in the Middle East by integrating services like transportation, food delivery, and payments. The company is heavily investing in AI to enhance these services, automate workflows, and create a smarter, faster operational infrastructure. This role is pivotal in deploying AI solutions that directly impact these core operations.
- What does a 'Founding Forward Deployed Engineer' do at Careem?
- As a Founding Forward Deployed Engineer for WorkOS, you'll be on the front lines, embedding with Careem verticals and enterprise partners to deploy AI solutions. You'll architect and build 'special ops' code, integrating AI agents into complex operational environments, acting as the technical bridge between core AI and real-world challenges.
- What kind of AI experience is most relevant for this role?
- The role requires strong working knowledge of Large Language Models (LLMs), prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks. Practical experience in making AI work in production environments, including setting up RAG pipelines, Evals, and tuning end-to-end systems, is highly valued.
- What is 'WorkOS' and its role in Careem's AI strategy?
- WorkOS is Careem's next-generation 'operating system' for deploying, orchestrating, and improving AI agents. It's designed to create a hybrid workforce where AI agents handle significant tasks, allowing humans to focus on high-value, creative work. This initiative is central to Careem's transition into an AI-powered organization.
- What are the expectations for working on-site at Careem?
- This role requires full-time on-site work in the UAE. Occasional travel may be necessary to embed with regional partners. The emphasis is on being physically present to drive rapid deployment and close collaboration within operational environments.
- How does Careem foster a startup-like environment for this role?
- The Enterprise AI Transformation division operates as a startup within Careem, offering autonomy and a lean structure. You'll be free from corporate bureaucracy and legacy systems, enabling you to move fast, build boldly, and deliver production-grade AI systems with direct access to leadership.
- What does 'FDE Pedigree' mean in the context of this job?
- An 'FDE Pedigree' refers to prior experience in forward-deployed, mission-driven environments. This typically includes roles at companies like Palantir, fast-growing startups, or specialized consultancies, where engineers worked directly with customers to solve complex, real-world problems.