Forward Deployed Engineer - AI Security

F5 Networks, Inc.; Buffalo (NY); Hybrid; USD 138,000 - 208,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Commission

Benefits package

Career growth

Job summary

F5 Networks, Inc. is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to drive customer success after sale, leading onboarding and implementations while serving as the primary technical contact for clients in a rapid AI security market.

You will own the post-sales technical relationship, coordinating with Solutions Engineering, Services, and Support to ensure rapid value realization and long-term partnerships across complex environments.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in a post-sales technical role.
• Experience building and/or deploying AI systems.
• Strong understanding of enterprise infrastructure (e.g., networking, containers, security protocols).
• Experience leading technical deployments (on-prem, hybrid, or complex SaaS integrations).
• Experience working with enterprise customers in regulated industries.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical onboarding and implementation for new customers, including planning, scoping, milestones, and success metrics.
• Own the post-sales relationship from a technical standpoint, serving as the main point of contact for customer engineering and security teams.
• Develop and execute structured implementation plans to ensure customers achieve First Time to Value quickly and reliably.
• Proactively manage risk by identifying blockers, misaligned expectations, or skill gaps, and escalating as needed.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Services and Product to ensure successful handoffs and knowledge sharing.
• Document repeatable processes, technical guides, implementation templates, and internal runbooks.
• Coordinate support needs, triage technical issues, and ensure efficient collaboration with Support and Dev. teams.
• Act as a customer advocate, gathering feedback and insights to inform roadmap and future services.

Skills

Post-Sales engineering

AI systems deployment

Enterprise networking

Container security

Project management

Customer engagement

OpenShift (nice to have)

Education

RH OpenShift Administration (cert)

Tools

OpenShift

Kubernetes

Job description

At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation. Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive.**About F5:** At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation. Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive. **About the Role**: **\\*Central / MidEast / Midwest US opportunity - This role will be located in the CST / MST time zone and work with clients in that territory. Please apply to this role if you are in or able to relocate to the Central United States\\*** As our Forward Deployed Engineer, you’ll play a critical role in ensuring customer success from the moment a deal is signed. You’ll lead technical onboarding and implementation efforts, serve as the customer’s primary post-sales technical point of contact, and work closely with Solutions Engineering, and Support to drive adoption, reduce time-to-value, and lay the foundation for successful long-term partnerships. This is a hands-on, high-impact role for someone who thrives in early-stage environments, wears many hats, and wants to help shape the customer journey in a fast-growing AI security market. **Key Responsibilities**:* Lead technical onboarding and implementation for new customers, including planning, scoping, milestones, and success metrics* Own the post-sales relationship from a technical standpoint, serving as the main point of contact for customer engineering and security teams* Develop and execute structured implementation plans to ensure customers achieve First Time to Value quickly and reliably* Proactively manage risk by identifying blockers, misaligned expectations, or skill gaps - on either side - and escalating as needed* Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Services and Product to ensure successful handoffs and knowledge sharing* Document repeatable processes, technical guides, implementation templates, and internal runbooks* Coordinate support needs, triage technical issues, and ensure efficient collaboration with Support and Dev. teams* Act as a customer advocate, gathering feedback and insights to inform roadmap and future services**Skills & Experience**:* 8+ years in a Post-Sales technical role (e.g., TAM, Solutions Engineer, Integration Engineer, Implementation Consultant, or similar)* Experience building and/or deploying AI Systems/Applications* Strong understanding of enterprise infrastructure (e.g., networking, containers, security protocols)* Experience leading technical deployments (on-prem, hybrid, or complex SaaS integrations)* Experience working with enterprise customers in regulated industries (huge bonus: AI/ML or cybersecurity products)* Excellent communication and project management skills - you can set expectations, drive timelines, and keep everyone aligned* **Ability to thrive in a high growth environment - comfortable with ambiguity, self-directed, and proactive.*** Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration - nice to haveWe offer a competitive salary, commission, and benefits package, as well as opportunities for career growth and advancement. If you are a self-starter with a passion for sales and business development, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.F5 maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, geographic locations, and market conditions, as well as to reflect F5’s differing products, industries, and lines of business. The pay range referenced is as of the time of the job posting and is subject to change. You may also be offered incentive compensation, bonus, restricted stock units, and benefits. More details about F5’s benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.f5.com/company/careers/benefits. F5 reserves the right to change or terminate any benefit plan without notice.The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.The annual base pay for this position is: $138,400.00 - $207,600.00