Director of Forward Deployed Engineering

TENEX.AI • Overland Park, KS

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

As Director of Forward Deployed AI Engineering, you lead the most innovative team in the TENEX FDE organization — a dual-function group of customer-embedded engineers and AI & Data Scientists working to solve hard problems and build solutions that scale. You will define how the team engages with customers, how solutions are built and productized, and how AI-native tooling accelerates the work.

Requirements

• 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
• Executive-level communication and customer relationship management skills
• Experience managing cross-functional collaboration across engineering, security, and data science
• 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
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)

Nice To Haves

• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications, Google Cloud Professional, Microsoft SC-200/AZ-500, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect are a plus

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

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• A culture of growth and development, with opportunities to expand your expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and engineering

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director