New Delhi, May 17 -- As artificial intelligence reshapes enterprise technology, one job title is quietly becoming the most sought-after role in Silicon Valley: the forward-deployed engineer. Hiring data shows postings for the position have surged more than 700 per cent in a single year, with salaries reaching well above $200,000.

While headlines about the technology industry have been dominated by layoffs and automation anxiety, a distinct counter-narrative is emerging in the jobs data. Forward-deployed engineers, professionals who embed directly with client companies to integrate AI into their workflows and build bespoke tools, are in demand at a scale that few roles in any sector can currently match.

Forward-deployed engineers, widely...