Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Internship - Commercial
Application analysis
Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Internship - Commercial at Palantir is a forward deployed mission software role for engineers who want customer-facing technical work with real deployment ownership.
Reading this role
This Forward Deployed Engineer role centers on embedded customer delivery — discovery, prototyping, integration, and production rollout.
About Palantir
Palantir deploys data platforms to government and commercial customers with intense on-site delivery expectations. The role is anchored in Chicago, IL, so expect on-site customer work in that region.
Stand out for Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Internship - Commercial
- Lead your application with one paragraph tying Forward Deployed Software Engineer, Internship - Commercial to a specific customer or deployment you owned — Palantir hires for shipped outcomes, not tool lists.
- Prepare a 5-minute “week one on site” plan: who you would meet, what you would inspect in their stack, and what artifact you would deliver by day five.
- Show you can go from discovery notes → working integration → production checklist without needing a large internal team.
- This role is tied to Chicago, IL — mention willingness to work on-site with customers and any existing ties to that market (clients, partners, or domain knowledge).
Stand out at Palantir
- Demonstrate mission drive with a concrete example — Palantir will probe for specifics, not buzzwords.
- Demonstrate clearance readiness with a concrete example — Palantir will probe for specifics, not buzzwords.
- Decomposition interviews and scenario questions are common — they want evidence you have thrived embedded with customers.
- Read recent engineering blog posts, product launches, and customer stories on palantir.com — reference one explicitly in your outreach to show genuine interest.
Tailored from this listing’s title, company, and description. Always verify requirements on the company careers page before applying.
Role description
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 Forward Deployed Engineer, Internship Forward Deployed Engineering is a radical commitment to the outcome. This is Palantir’s operating ethos. We pioneered this unique position, embedding engineers directly with our customers to tackle their most pressing challenges head-on. As an FDE, you’ll be at the intersection of world-changing problems and impactful technology, shaping solutions where they matter most. From hospital beds to factory floors, Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) embed themselves in the customer’s reality until the problem is theirs. This requires walking many miles in a customer’s shoes, building past the perimeter of what the product currently offers, and deviating from every pre-existing formula to solve the problem. Whether that problem is “How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks across a power grid?” or “How can we analyze and adapt a global supply chain to deliver critical parts on time?” You’ll use your technical expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills to drive real-world impact. Core
Responsibilities
To solve mission-critical problems by deploying software and AI into the high stakes operations of the world’s leading institutions. This requires a ruthless commitment to truth-seeking and prioritizing real outcomes. The work is difficult. The stakes are real. You will work in small, high-trust teams and own projects end-to-end, from the first conversation with a customer, to shipping the product that changes how they operate. You will embed with the customer, the chaos, and the consequences, and will be entrusted with real ownership to: Collaborate with engineers to make architecture and design decisions Wrestle with data at a sca