AECOM
AECOM

Forward Deployed Engineer, Internal Data Products

$95–120kPhoenix, AZRemoteMidFull-time

Posted yesterday

The role in short

Build and deploy internal applications, automations, and data products to improve workflows for AECOM's construction teams.

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

AECOM Construction Management is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer, Internal Data Products to turn everyday business challenges into applications that help construction teams work more effectively.

As part of our growing Data & AI Enablement team, you’ll work directly with construction professionals and business leaders to understand their workflows, build prototypes, and deliver useful solutions. Projects may include replacing spreadsheet processes, building staffing and resource planning applications, and improving visibility into project operations.

This role combines business discovery with hands-on software development. You’ll use AI-assisted development to move quickly, partner closely with our data platform owner, and take solutions from initial conversations through deployment and improvement. You’ll have direct access to users, ownership of meaningful work, and the opportunity to shape tools used across projects and regions.

This position offers the flexibility of a remote work schedule and can be based from any location within the US where AECOM has an office.

Key Responsibilities

  • Work directly with business leaders and construction teams to understand workflows, clarify ambiguous needs, and define requirements and measurable outcomes.
  • Design and build internal applications, automations, and data products, working across user interfaces, application logic, databases, and APIs as needed.
  • Rapidly prototype and validate solutions with users, choosing practical approaches across AI-assisted coding, traditional development, low-code tools, and existing technology.
  • Partner with Data & Integration Engineering to connect applications to governed enterprise and project data, using consistent data definitions and established technical standards.
  • Own delivery from discovery through deployment, including testing, documentation, stakeholder communication, and coordination of technical dependencies and blockers.
  • Measure adoption and business impact, improve solutions based on feedback, and turn successful tools into reusable capabilities across teams, projects, and regions.

About Construction Management – AECOM Hunt

Founded in 1944 in Indianapolis, Indiana, AECOM Hunt has been building for over 80 years. AECOM Hunt’s storied history has encompassed many notable projects in over a dozen industries; iconic sports stadiums; an impressive portfolio in aviation; and many repeat clients in the hospitality and convention center industry. From iconic stadiums and arenas, next-gen transportation hubs and sustainable healthcare and academic buildings, AECOM Hunt’s expertise, leadership and dedication are unparalleled.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree plus at least Two (2) years of relevant software engineering experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education.
  • Demonstrated experience personally building and deploying applications, automations, or data products used by real users, with clear ownership of delivery and improvements.
  • Experience working directly with nontechnical stakeholders to understand business needs, translate them into technical requirements, and communicate decisions and tradeoffs clearly.
  • Proficiency in at least one modern programming language, such as Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, or Java, along with practical experience using SQL, relational databases, and APIs to build integrated applications.
  • Experience using AI-assisted development tools, with the ability to understand, debug, and validate generated code and apply sound practices for version control, testing, secure data and secrets handling, and deployment.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in construction, engineering, infrastructure, or another project-based operational environment, particularly with staffing, utilization, project controls, or field workflows.
  • Experience replacing spreadsheet-based processes with internal applications or automations for nontechnical users.
  • Experience in a startup or small team requiring rapid prototyping, broad ownership, and close collaboration with users.
  • Experience extending a prototype or team-level application into a reliable solution used across multiple teams, projects, or locations.

Additional Information

  • Relocation assistance is not available for this position.
  • Sponsorship for U.S. work authorization is not available for this position, now or in the future.
  • THIS POSTING IS FOR A CURRENT VACANCY, AND AECOM INTENDS TO FILL THIS POSITION NO SOONER THAN FEBRUARY 2, 2027.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community—where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Prep for this interview

4 questions likely to come up at AECOM, each matched to a line in this posting.

  1. 1Discovery and scoping
    They wrote: “Experience working directly with nontechnical stakeholders to understand business needs, translate them into technical requirements, and communicate decisions and tradeoffs clearly.”

    A customer says “we want AI in our claims process.” What do you ask in the first meeting?

    How to answer

    Why they ask: Most FDE work starts this vague. They want to hear you find the real problem before you pick a tool.

    1. Map the current process: who touches a claim, in what order, with which systems
    2. Find the slowest or most error-prone step and ask what it costs them
    3. Agree on one measurable goal (for example time per claim, or error rate)
    4. Ask what data you can access, and who signs off on security

    Tip: Ask about the work, not the technology. Who does it today, how long it takes, what a mistake costs, and how they'd know it got better.

  2. 2Integrations and APIs
    They wrote: “Design and build internal applications, automations, and data products, working across user interfaces, application logic, databases, and APIs as needed.”

    Walk me through connecting our product to a customer's internal system that has no documentation.

    How to answer

    Why they ask: This happens weekly in the job. They want a calm, step-by-step method.

    1. Find who owns the system and get read access to a test environment
    2. Watch real traffic or logs to learn the data shapes
    3. Build a thin adapter with logging around every call
    4. Agree on how failures get reported, and who fixes what

    Tip: Talk about finding the owner of the system first. The code is the easy part.

  3. 3Data and SQL
    They wrote: “Proficiency in at least one modern programming language, such as Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, or Java, along with practical experience using SQL, relational databases, and APIs to build integrated applications.”

    Write a query that finds each customer's first and most recent order.

    How to answer

    Why they ask: A quick check that you're comfortable with grouping, joins and window functions.

    1. Clarify the tables and what counts as an order (cancelled ones?)
    2. Use MIN/MAX with GROUP BY, or ROW_NUMBER() if you need the whole row
    3. Handle ties on the same timestamp, and customers with no orders
    4. Explain how you'd test it on a few known customers

    Tip: Say what you'd check in the data before writing the query: duplicates, time zones, nulls.

  4. 4Ownership and working with customers
    They wrote: “Work directly with business leaders and construction teams to understand workflows, clarify ambiguous needs, and define requirements and measurable outcomes.”

    Tell me about a project where the requirements kept changing. What did you do?

    How to answer

    Why they ask: Ambiguity is the norm. They want proof you can keep moving without a clear spec.

    1. The project and why requirements kept moving
    2. What you did to pin them down (short demos, written decisions)
    3. The trade-offs you made to keep shipping
    4. The result, with a number if you have one

    Tip: Show how you reduced the change, beyond how you coped with it.

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