Director of Forward-Deployed AI Engineering

TENEX.AI; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

TENEX.AI is seeking a Director of Forward Deployed AI Engineering to lead a dual-function team of customer-embedded engineers and AI/Data Scientists. You will shape engagement models, guide productized solutions, and accelerate AI-native tooling that scales across customers.

In this role, you will work closely with Sales, SE&A, and Rapid Deployment teams, define the roadmap for embedded engagements, and hire and mentor engineers while reporting to the VP of Forward Deployed Engineering.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in technical leadership with customer-facing experience.
• Deep understanding of AI/ML, data science, and cybersecurity.
• Experience building customer-embedded engineering teams.
• Ability to define engagement models, scoping frameworks, and delivery approaches.
• Proven experience partnering with Sales on strategic accounts.
• Strong executive-level communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience coordinating across engineering, security, data science.

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.

Skills

Embedded engineering

AI/ML

Customer-facing leadership

Engagement models

Sales collaboration

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in CS/Engineering/C cybersecurity

Cybersecurity certifications (CISSP/CISM/GIAC)

Job description

TENEX.AI is seeking a Director of Forward Deployed AI Engineering to lead a dual-function team of customer-embedded engineers and AI/Data Scientists. You will shape engagement models, guide productized solutions, and accelerate AI-native tooling that scales across customers.

In this role, you will work closely with Sales, SE&A, and Rapid Deployment teams, define the roadmap for embedded engagements, and hire and mentor engineers while reporting to the VP of Forward Deployed Engineering.