Director of Forward Deployed Engineering

About the role

The Director of Forward Deployed AI Engineering leads the most innovative team in the TENEX FDE organization. This dual-function group includes customer-embedded engineers and AI & Data Scientists who work to solve complex problems and build scalable solutions.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the Forward Deployed AI Engineering team across its two functions: customer-embedded engineering and AI & Data Science
• Own the team's mandate: embed in strategic customer accounts to discover problems, build high-grade solutions, and produce cross-customer intelligence that elevates the entire platform
• Define the engagement model for FDE work — how engineers are assigned to accounts, how engagements are scoped, and how solutions are documented and productized
• Oversee the AI & Data Science function — ensuring cross-customer telemetry, threat intelligence, and detection optimization work is translated into tools that the SE&A team can operate
• Partner with Sales to identify strategic accounts that are candidates for FDE engagement
• Partner with the SE&A and Rapid Deployment teams to ensure FDE-built solutions flow back into the broader delivery model
• Serve as an executive-level presence with strategic customers — participating in account reviews and helping define the roadmap for embedded engagements
• Evaluate new AI technologies, data science tooling, and engineering approaches that can improve team output and customer outcomes
• Hire, develop, and retain engineers across both the FDE and AI & DS functions
• Report to VP of Forward Deployed Engineering on team health, account coverage, and solution impact

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Technical & Industry Expertise:
• 8+ years in technical leadership with experience in embedded engineering, professional services, or customer-facing technical roles
• Deep understanding of AI/ML, data science, and cybersecurity domains
• Experience building teams that work in a customer-embedded or problem-first engineering model
• Strong ability to define engagement models, scoping frameworks, and delivery methodologies
• Proven track record partnering with Sales on strategic account identification and expansion
• Soft Skills:
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills with a bias toward action
• Excellent customer-facing communication and collaboration abilities
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance startup environment
• Passion for cybersecurity, automation, and continuous improvement
• Education & Certifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications, Google Cloud Professional, Microsoft SC-200/AZ-500, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect (plus)

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI-driven cybersecurity technologies and next-generation security platforms
• Collaborate with a talented and innovative team focused on continuously improving security operations
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• A culture of growth and development, with opportunities to expand your expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and engineering
• Be part of building something new — TENEX's Forward Deployed Engineering organization is a greenfield opportunity to define how enterprise security is delivered at scale