SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- In a uniquely San Francisco case of mistaken identity that's now stretched on for several months, I've continually been mistaken for an AI software engineer with a similar name. The awkward mix-up has led to inbound calls and emails from tech industry headhunters in the marke t for a forward deployed engineer. In case you're not familiar with what that is, you're not alone. I had to look it up myself. AI told me to buy the wrong printer ink, then told me to lie to get a refund What is a forward deployed engineer (FDE)? According to the GeeksforGeeks website, a forward deployed engineer is "a software engineer who works directly with customers to implement, customize, and optimize complex technical systems." "Unlike traditional backend or product engineers, FDEs operate at the intersection of engineers and real-world deployment," the description continues. "They ensure that software solutions integrate seamlessly into a client's workflows, infrastructure, and business processes." Humans need ‘kill switch’ for rogue AI tech, congressmen say It's a skill, as I understand it, that's increasingly in demand as artificial intelligence reshapes the tech industry landscape. How much does a forward deployed engineer make? OK, here's the kicker. The base salary for a forward deployed engineer in San Francisco is $192,922, according to Indeed. On the high end, an FDE can make well upwards of $300K in SF. Wow, did I pick the wrong career? Maybe? General consensus has it that we're in a "no hire, no fire" job market, or at least a "no hire" one, given the ramp-up in tech layoffs this year. But that doesn't seem to be the case if you have the right skill set. A quick LinkedIn search for "forward deployed software engineer" in the SF Bay Area revealed three dozen pages of results. Salaries on offer ranged from around $150K to as high as $400K. A search for "News Producer" jobs, meanwhile, only surfaced about two pages of job. Even the top salaries on offer were significantly below the low end for an FDE. The other me, well the person with a similar name, appears to have the current job market by the scruff of the neck. Just this week, I received half a dozen inbound emails from recruiters pitching roles. One was described as a "post-Series A startup" with a base salary of $200K. Another was described as having "raised a $250M Series C led by Andreessen Horowitz at a $2.2B valuation." Sounds like nice work if you can get it. How hard can it be? Short answer: It's not easy. According to most online resources, including the FDE Academy, being an FDE requires real-world production engineering experience on real, live systems, "not personal projects." You also need working proficiency in at least one production language, with Python apparently being the most common. Beyond that, experience in customer-facing roles is required, which is something many engineers lack, apparently. After that, you need to be legally eligible to work in the job's location and have basic literacy on cloud deployment infrastructure. As someone who got into journalism because I was told there would be no math, I'm officially taking myself out of the running. And, while it may not pay as well, journalism is its own calling; a unique one that combines storytelling, serving the community, and an opportunity to learn every day. In short, I think I'm good where I am. Will the real Alex Baker please stand up? Full disclosure, I reached out to the San Francisco Forward Deployed Engineer with a similar name to mine. I was hoping we could connect so I could get more insights into what the job is like. Maybe they'd even tell me about all the crazy inbound calls they'd been getting for high-level jobs at CNN or MSNOW! But sadly, I have not heard back from them at this time. ...read more read less