Forward Deployed Engineer

The Mission

Europe is not Silicon Valley—and that's exactly the point. The continent's largest enterprises operate under constraints that American tech companies have never faced: GDPR with real teeth, data sovereignty requirements that mean code cannot leave national borders, and safety regulations written in blood from industrial accidents. You will define how autonomous AI agents operate within these constraints. Your clients won't be apps with DAUs—they'll be energy grids that power cities, pharmaceutical plants that manufacture life-saving drugs, and automotive factories that build the cars people trust with their families. This is the hardest version of our mission. You'll architect air-gapped deployments where agents run entirely on-premise with zero external connectivity. You'll navigate compliance frameworks that take months to understand. You'll convince risk committees that AI can be trusted in environments where failure isn't an inconvenience—it's a catastrophe. But if you succeed, you'll prove that agentic engineering works everywhere, not just in permissive tech environments. You'll build the playbook for 'Sovereign AI' that opens up markets representing half the world's GDP. And you'll do it while building Retrain's first European team from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Architect and deploy air-gapped agent systems for secure environments where no data can leave client premises or designated geographic regions.
• Navigate complex European regulatory frameworks: GDPR, NIS2 Directive, industry-specific regulations for energy (NERC CIP equivalent), pharma (GxP), and automotive (ISO 26262).
• Modernize industrial control software using agentic patterns: integrate with SCADA systems, PLCs, and legacy OT (Operational Technology) infrastructure.
• Build Retrain's EMEA presence from the ground up: establish the London office, hire the initial FDE cohort, and create our European go-to-market playbook.
• Develop 'Sovereign AI' deployment architectures that guarantee data residency and comply with national security requirements across EU member states.
• Work with enterprise security teams to achieve certifications and pass audits required for deployment in critical infrastructure.
• Train client engineers on secure agentic development practices appropriate for regulated industries and safety-critical systems.
• Interface with European AI research institutions and participate in policy discussions shaping the regulatory future of AI in the EU.
• Build relationships with system integrators and consulting firms who serve as channel partners in European enterprise sales.
• Report directly to leadership on European expansion strategy, market opportunities, and competitive dynamics.

Requirements

• 7+ years of software engineering experience with demonstrated expertise in regulated or safety-critical industries.
• Deep understanding of European data protection law (GDPR) and experience implementing compliant architectures.
• Experience in at least one of: Energy/Utilities, Pharmaceuticals/Life Sciences, Automotive/Manufacturing, or Defense/Aerospace.
• Strong security architecture background: threat modeling, secure development lifecycle, penetration testing concepts.
• Familiarity with industrial protocols and systems: OPC-UA, Modbus, or experience with SCADA/ICS environments is highly valued.
• Leadership experience: you've built or led teams, mentored engineers, and driven technical direction.
• Polyglot engineering skills: comfortable with everything from low-level systems code to modern web applications.
• Native or business-fluent English; additional European languages (German, French, Dutch) are a significant plus.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: you're excited to build something from scratch, not just join an established team.
• Based in London or willing to relocate. Right to work in the UK required.