Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

The Forward Deployed Engineer sits in the gap between a powerful AI model and a customer's messy reality — the person who turns an impressive demo into durable business value. This certification tests both halves of that rare role: the engineer who can build the full modern AI stack, and the consultant who can scope a problem, navigate an organization, and prove value.

180 questions · 120 minutes Camera proctored Verified certificate

What the certification covers

The FDE mindset

Critical-thinking frameworks, decomposition, and problem scoping under ambiguity.

The GenAI stack

Prompt & context engineering, embeddings, RAG, and fine-tuning.

Agentic AI

Agents, ReAct, multi-agent patterns, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Build & operate

Data pipelines, cloud/Docker/CI-CD, evaluation, observability & guardrails.

Delivery & consulting

Discovery, PoV → PoC → MVP, ROI, demos, and handover.

FDE Interview Bank

Company-calibrated from public role descriptions, product materials, engineering documentation, and the operating realities of production AI deployments.

Palantir • OpenAI • Anthropic • Databricks • Scale AI • Sierra • Cohere • Mistral • Glean • Harvey • Decagon • Cresta

Research-informed. Not company-authored, endorsed, leaked, or guaranteed to match any current interview process.

Who it's for

Aspiring FDEs

Engineers targeting forward-deployed, AI, or solutions roles.

Practising engineers

AI, ML, data & software engineers moving into client-facing delivery.

Consultants & leaders

Anyone delivering enterprise AI who must prove value to a business.

Join India's Largest FDE Community

Connect with forward deployed engineers, get exam prep resources, event invites, and career opportunities. Free to join.

This also creates your AIQ Score portal account — log in anytime with your email and this password.

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) Certification — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FDE certification exam format?

The Forward Deployed Engineer exam is 180 questions in 120 minutes, camera-proctored, covering the GenAI stack, RAG, AI agents, and MCP. The certificate is issued after proctor review and approval.

How much does the FDE certification cost?

₹10,000 per attempt. The FDE certificate is valid for 365 days — the longest validity of any AIQ Score credential.

How do employers verify an FDE certificate?

Every FDE certificate carries a unique code verifiable instantly and free at aiqscore.org/verify — no account needed.

More questions? Read the full AIQ Score FAQ.