Most software fails at deployment because nobody closes the gap between what was built and how operators actually work. That’s what this role is.

Ebb & Flow builds operational software for hospitality, travel, and logistics businesses. As our Forward-Deployed AI Engineer, you will take what we’ve built and make it actually work — in real kitchens, real hotels, real warehouses, and real delivery operations. You will embed directly with clients, deeply understand their workflows, and either deploy or build the systems that fit their reality.

This is a high-trust, high-ownership role. No clean specs. No hand-holding. You will walk into messy, high-stakes environments and figure out what matters.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own end-to-end deployments across restaurant groups, hotel operations, and logistics fleets — setup, integration, customisation, and full adoption. You don’t hand off until it’s working in production.
• ⁠Build and ship on the fly. Rapidly develop tooling and applications on our stack (FastAPI, Next.js, Postgres, Go, AI agents) to match real operator workflows. Adapt the system to the operation, never the reverse.
• ⁠Embed with the teams who run the business. Work side-by-side with founders, GMs, chefs, ops leads, and logistics managers. Map messy processes (procurement, inventory, scheduling, delivery) and turn ambiguity into reliable systems.
• ⁠Close the feedback loop. Bring field reality back to the core platform. Identify patterns across deployments, build reusable abstractions, and influence the roadmap from first principles.
• ⁠Travel and deploy on-site with large enterprise clients. You will spend time in the field making systems work in live operations. Regular travel to Australia (primarily Sydney and Melbourne) is required — at minimum 2-3 weeks per quarter, with more being both expected and beneficial. Additional deployments across the region (Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, and others) will also be needed.

REQUIREMENTS

Must-have:

• Exceptional full-stack engineer with deep experience in Python, TypeScript, and/or Go — owning backend (FastAPI, Go), frontend (Next.js), databases (Postgres), and infrastructure end-to-end. Production-grade, end-to-end ownership required.
• Hands-on cloud experience (Azure, AWS, and/or GCP) building secure, scalable systems for enterprise environments.
• High agency. You thrive in ambiguity, move decisively without waiting for perfect direction, and own outcomes end-to-end. Ticket-driven mindsets need not apply.
• Field-first operator. Energised by being onsite with real operators in kitchens, hotels, warehouses, and control rooms. You think in systems and operational leverage, not isolated features. Success is measured by tangible business impact.
• Willingness to travel extensively — at minimum 2-3 weeks per quarter across Australia and the region, with more expected as the client base grows.

Strong advantage:

• Strong understanding of secure architecture, data protection, compliance, and operational resilience. We serve listed companies and multi-hundred-million-dollar operations — engineering standards are accordingly high.
• Prior exposure to hospitality, F&B, travel, logistics, or operations-heavy environments, ideally in messy, real-world deployment conditions.
• Familiarity with AI/LLM systems, agentic workflows, and third-party integrations (POS, ERP, CRM). Fast learning and practical application matter more than perfect prior matches.
• Comfort with extended field deployments.