Artificial intelligence
10 OpenAI forward deployed engineers
These ten current OpenAI forward deployed engineers hold forward deployed engineering roles at the company. A reader can learn what forward deployed engineering work at OpenAI involves from people who have done it.
Professionals to explore
01—10Arsenii Gavrilenko
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since May 2026, based in Zurich; the role description calls them the first FDE hire in Zurich, deploying frontier AI in semiconductors and manufacturing. Before OpenAI they worked at QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey as a Data Scientist (2019–2021) and moved from data scientist to lead data scientist (2023–2026).
Colin Jarvis
LinkedInExperience: Head of Forward Deployed Engineering · OpenAI
Head of Forward Deployed Engineering at OpenAI since January 2025 and CTO of SB OAI Japan since November 2025. At OpenAI he was earlier a Principal Solutions Architect, Distinguished Architect and Head of Solution Architecture, Strategics in 2024. His profile says he has been responsible for many of OpenAI's highest profile customer deployments.
Kenny Chen
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer Tech Lead · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer Tech Lead at OpenAI since June 2026, a manager-level role, after working as a Forward Deployed Engineer there from December 2025 to May 2026. Before OpenAI they co-founded a stealth startup (2025), were a Software Engineer, Machine Learning at Meta (2022–2023) and a Senior Machine Learning Engineer at EliseAI.
Lily Delalande
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since June 2026, based in New York. The profile describes working with customers to turn emerging AI capabilities into reliable, real-world systems, with a background in software engineering and computational science. Before OpenAI they were a Senior Software Engineer at Block (2024–2026) and a Software Engineer there (2022–2024).
Manan Mehta
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since October 2025. The profile says they work at the intersection of product, research and OpenAI's most strategic enterprise customers. Before OpenAI they were a Senior Data Scientist at C3 AI (2024–2025) and a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2020–2024).
Omer Khan
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since June 2025, based in New York; the profile describes them as a founding Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI who partners with enterprises and public sector institutions to deploy production AI systems. Before OpenAI they were a Forward Deployed AI Engineer at Palantir Technologies (2024–2025).
Pearson Henri
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since June 2025, based in New York; the role description says they embed directly with institutions to scope, prototype and deliver production-grade AI solutions. Earlier they were a Senior Director at Signifyd, Co-Founder and CTO of Legiti (2019–2023) and an Engineer at Palantir Technologies (2016–2018).
Phillip Tow
LinkedInExperience: Member of Forward Deployed Staff · OpenAI
Member of Forward Deployed Staff at OpenAI since January 2026, based in New York; the role description says Forward Deployed Engineering on OpenAI's legal vertical. Before OpenAI they were Co-Founder and CTO of Paraito (2025–2026), a Senior Software Engineer at Google (2022–2025) and at Snap Inc. (2021–2022), and a Software Engineer at Google.
Ria V.
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since December 2025, based in the Washington DC-Baltimore Area; the role description says Founding FDE for US Gov. Before OpenAI they were a Forward Deployed Software Engineer (2023–2025) and Technical Lead (2024–2025) at Palantir Technologies, and a Software Engineering Intern at Mark43.
Sean Saito
LinkedInExperience: Forward Deployed Engineer · OpenAI
Forward Deployed Engineer at OpenAI since September 2025, based in Tokyo. The profile describes building LLM-powered solutions for the enterprise at OpenAI. At Boston Consulting Group (BCG) they were a Lead Data Scientist (2024–2025), Senior Data Scientist (2022–2024) and Data Scientist (2020–2022), and they were also a Senior Data Scientist at BCG GAMMA (2022–2024).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's customer focus to your question, since enterprise, government and industry deployments raise different problems. Look at where they worked before OpenAI and when they joined, because that shapes how they compare deploying AI at OpenAI with earlier customer engineering work.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you scope an AI deployment with a customer before you know what the model can do for them?
- 02What separates a prototype that impresses from one that reaches production?
- 03How does forward deployed work at an AI lab compare with similar roles at Palantir or consulting firms?
Reaching OpenAI forward deployed engineers
How can I contact one of these OpenAI forward deployed engineers?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: OpenAI, based on profile data retrieved on October 8, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach OpenAI forward deployed engineers?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these OpenAI forward deployed engineers a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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