Innovation Lead - Office of the CTO | AI (10342)

Key Responsibilities

• Hands-On Prototyping & Implementation
• Customer & Partner Co-Innovation
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence
• Thought Leadership & Evangelism
• Discovery & Development

Basic Requirements

• Proven track, success record of ownership from Ideation to productization with GenAI and Multi Agent solutions
• Proven experience to build engineering team for GenAI and Multi Agent solutions
• Proven experience with complex AI and data centric projects outside of the networking market

Technical Skills

• Fluent in at least one programming language; expertise in Python, Java, or Go is highly preferred
• Deep knowledge of ML/AI principles, emerging architectures, and practical applications in enterprise systems
• Understanding of edge computing, distributed systems, and cloud networking architectures
• Knowledge of efficient data structures, query optimization, and analytics technologies
• Able to evaluate and integrate third-party technologies and frameworks

Collaboration & Communication

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills—able to work effectively across diverse audiences
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear narratives for CTOs, VPs, and executives
• Prowess in driving issues to resolution with strong customer satisfaction
• Comfortable working both independently and within high-performing cross-functional teams
• Comfortable with ambiguity and defining problems before solutions exist

Professional Qualities

• Ambitious and driven, thriving in a demanding and fast-paced environment
• Willing to roll up your sleeves, take ownership, and be a proactive team player
• Excellent critical thinking and business acumen to identify solutions with widespread adoption potential
• Able to balance exploration with execution, knowing when to pivot and when to commit
• Comfortable with occasional travel and significant remote engagement with customers and partners

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, related field, or equivalent professional experience

Nice To Have

• 10+ years Experience in networking, security, or cloud platforms (especially cloud-driven networking)
• Participation in open-source projects or standards bodies
• Background in product management or go-to-market strategy
• Published thought leadership or speaking experience at industry conferences
• Experience with AI operations (MLOps), data platforms, or analytics systems

What Success Looks Like

• In your first year, you will Identify and validate 2–3 high-impact innovation opportunities
• Deliver working prototypes that demonstrate customer value
• Build relationships with key customers and partners co-innovating with us
• Contribute to product roadmap decisions that accelerate our leadership
• Establish thought leadership through speaking, writing, or industry participation
• Help evangelize our innovation strategy to the market

Why Join the OCTO

• Work on problems that matter—networking the edge, securing cloud infrastructure, and bringing intelligence to billions of connected devices
• Be part of a team where critical thinking and human creativity set us apart in the age of AI
• Have the freedom to define the questions we need to ask
• See your innovations become products that change an industry
• Thrive in ambiguity and be energized by working on the next big question