Forward Deployed Engineer – Healthcare AI
Quick facts
- Pay
- $180,000 - $285,000 per year
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- San Francisco, CA
- Background
- MD / physician
- Experience
- 1–6 years
- Skills
- Python, TypeScript, Rust, React, Kubernetes, AWS
- Industry
- Information Technology — 671 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
*About the Opportunity* Our client is a fast-growing healthcare AI startup that achieved *30x revenue growth over the past year*. The company develops and deploys AI agents directly within leading healthcare systems, working with organizations such as Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic to improve clinical workflows and operational efficiency. We're looking for *Forward Deployed Engineers* who enjoy combining hands-on software development with direct customer collaboration. This is a founding-level, high-ownership opportunity where you'll serve as the bridge between healthcare professionals and a production AI platform, turning complex clinical challenges into reliable, real-world solutions. *What You'll Do* * Work directly with physicians, hospital IT teams, and clinical stakeholders to understand their workflows, challenges, and technical needs. * Translate loosely defined clinical ideas into production-ready AI agents. * Design, build, test, and deploy AI agents end-to-end. * Develop evaluations (evals) to validate the reliability and performance of deployed agents. * Continuously improve AI solutions based on clinical guidelines, user feedback, and operational requirements. * Troubleshoot technical issues and deliver improvements quickly. * Take full ownership of the development and deployment process, from identifying a problem to delivering a working solution. * Collaborate with engineering, product, and customer teams in a fast-paced startup environment. *What We're Looking For* * *1–6 years of professional experience* in full-stack software engineering, forward-deployed engineering, or a related role. * Strong hands-on experience with *Python* for backend development. * Experience with *React and TypeScript* for frontend development. * Practical experience with *Rust, Kubernetes, and AWS*. * Experience developing, deploying, and maintaining production software. * Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently in ambiguous environments. * Excellent communication skills and confidence working directly with customers and nontechnical stakeholders. * A demonstrated record of exceptional performance, rapid career progression, or meaningful contributions to demanding engineering teams. * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field. * Availability to work on-site in San Francisco. * Experience in a high-growth startup, forward-deployed engineering environment, or a demanding software engineering team, with demonstrated technical ownership and strong problem-solving skills. * Proven ability to collaborate directly with customers, understand complex requirements, and deliver production-ready technical solutions. *Additional Advantages* * Experience in healthcare or health technology. * Experience building AI agents or working with production AI applications. * Familiarity with clinical workflows, healthcare systems, or regulated environments. * Experience with infrastructure tooling such as Helm. * Background in early-stage or rapidly scaling, venture-backed companies. *Compensation and Support* * *Annual salary:* $180,000–$285,000 USD, based on experience and seniority. * *Equity:* Included in the compensation package. * *Relocation support:* Available. * *Visa sponsorship:* Available, including eligible H-1B and TN sponsorships and visa transfers. *Why Join?* This is an opportunity to help shape a rapidly growing healthcare AI company at an early stage, with significant ownership over technical solutions that are deployed in real clinical environments. You'll work closely with healthcare professionals, tackle complex engineering challenges, and see the direct impact of the software you build. Pay: $180,000.00 - $285,000.00 per year Benefits: * Relocation assistance Work Location: In person
Visa sponsorship record
No public sponsorship records foundWe didn't find H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 or green card (PERM) filings under the name Vocatio in the Department of Labor and USCIS data. That doesn't mean the job can't be sponsored — the company may file under a different legal name, be new to sponsorship, or sponsor a visa that isn't in these datasets (for example H-2B or J-1).
Tip: ask the recruiter early, in writing, which visa they sponsor and whether they cover the legal and filing fees.
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Software Developers (SOC 15-1252).
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Regular cap-subject employer — a new H-1B needs to win the lottery in March (unless you already hold cap-counted H-1B status).
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Computer Systems Analyst (or Engineer, for engineering-degree holders)” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
- STEM OPT extension (F-1 students)
Requires an E-Verify employer. We didn't find this company in the E-Verify list — ask HR.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Level II (qualified)Software Developers · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $137,093 | ~15% |
| Level II | $165,131 | ~31% |
| Level III | $193,149 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $221,187 | ~61% |
This job pays $180,000–$285,000 a year — that's Level II (qualified). In the wage-weighted H-1B lottery a Level II registration gets 2 entries; estimated selection chance about 31%.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.