Solutions Architect – BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes

F5 Networks, Inc.; Field (NM); Hybrid; USD 202,000 - 302,000; Full time

Job summary

F5 Networks, Inc. is seeking a Solutions Architect – BNK for Kubernetes to lead architecture strategy for enterprise AI workloads and high‑performance networking.

You will partner with a Principal Account Executive, engage CTOs at Neoclouds, and drive technical wins through PoCs, with NVIDIA DOCA and BlueField offload.

This role aligns with F5's BNK career track and offers a base salary of $201,600–$302,400 per year plus incentive compensation.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in solutions architecture or related roles.
• Deep hands-on Kubernetes, CNIs, and container orchestration.
• Experience architecting massive-scale cloud infrastructure in HPC/AI data centers.
• Advanced understanding of Layer 2-7 networking and hardware acceleration.
• Proven ability to engage elite technical stakeholders and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture strategy for enterprise Kubernetes and AI workloads.
• Co-lead the sales team by mapping BNK capabilities to executive business cases.
• Be the trusted technical advisor to CTOs and platform engineering leaders.
• Conduct deep-dive technical discovery, architecture workshops, and PoCs.
• Architect AI Factory reference architectures and reusable playbooks.
• Bridge field feedback to Product and Engineering teams.

Skills

Kubernetes

Networking

AI Infrastructure

Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Tools

NVIDIA BlueField

NVIDIA DOCA

SmartNICs

BGP

VXLAN

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.

Solutions Architect – BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes (BNK) F5 is transforming how organizations deliver, secure, and operate modern applications. BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes (BNK) is F5's cloud-native platform for Kubernetes networking, application delivery, and security. We are building a specialized sales team to target the most explosive-growth sector in technology: Neoclouds, AI-Native Platforms, Hyperscalers, and AI Foundationals. The Solutions Architect BNK is a senior technical leader and trusted advisor. Operating in lockstep with a Principal Account Executive, you will help Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers design, modernize, and scale their AI Factories. This role drives technical strategy, customer adoption, and technical wins by aligning BNK solutions (including native NVIDIA BlueField DPU offload) to massive-scale AI workload requirements. This role aligns with F5's Solutions Architect (P6) career framework.

What You'll Do

• Lead AI Infrastructure Architecture: Drive architecture strategy and solution design for enterprise Kubernetes, high-performance networking, and AI workload ingress/egress initiatives.
• Co-Lead the Sales Team: Partner daily with a Principal Account Executive to qualify opportunities, drive technical win strategies, and map F5 capabilities to executive business cases.
• Be the Trusted Technical Advisor: Engage directly with CTOs, Chief Architects, and Platform Engineering leaders at hyper-scale Neoclouds and AI Native companies.
• Execute Technical Validation: Conduct deep-dive technical discovery, architecture workshops, demonstrations, and complex Proof of Concepts (PoCs) in high-throughput environments.
• Master the AI Stack: Architect solutions leveraging advanced networking (BGP, VRFs, Multus), NVIDIA DOCA, and hardware-accelerated traffic management to maximize GPU utilization and reclaim host CPU.
• Develop the Playbook: Create reusable AI Factory reference architectures, technical playbooks, and best practices for DPU-resident service layers.
• Bridge Field to Engineering: Represent cutting-edge Neocloud market trends and customer requirements directly to F5 Product and Engineering teams.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in Solutions Architecture, Solutions Engineering, Platform Engineering, or related customer-facing technical roles.
• Deep, hands‑on expertise in Kubernetes, container orchestration, cloud‑native networking (CNIs), and application delivery.
• Experience architecting massive‑scale cloud infrastructure, particularly in high‑performance computing (HPC) or AI data center environments.
• Advanced understanding of Layer 2-7 networking (BGP, EVPN, VXLAN) and hardware acceleration (SmartNICs, DPUs like NVIDIA BlueField).
• Proven ability to engage, challenge, and influence elite technical stakeholders (Network Architects, AI Platform Leads).
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and consultative problem‑solving skills.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep expertise in Kubernetes edge networking, security, and multi‑tenant isolation.
• Ability to design and communicate highly complex physical‑to‑logical network architectures (e.g., eSwitch hardware offload, SR‑IOV).
• Strong executive presence mixed with undeniable technical depth.
• Fierce collaboration skills, particularly in acting as the technical engine alongside a quota‑carrying Account Executive.
• Strategic mindset with a passion for AI infrastructure, GPU optimization, and next‑generation data center design.

Why F5?

You’ll help the world’s most ambitious Neoclouds and Hyperscalers build the AI Factories of the future. You will work with cutting‑edge technologies across Kubernetes, NVIDIA hardware, AI infrastructure, and extreme‑throughput networking, fundamentally changing how AI capacity is delivered to the market.

#LI-DJ1 #LI-Remote

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: $201,600.00 - $302,400.00 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. Please note that F5 only contacts candidates through F5 email address (ending with @f5.com) or auto email notification from Workday (ending with f5.com or @myworkday.com).

Equal Employment Opportunity It is the policy of F5 to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, discipline, and termination. F5 offers a variety of reasonable accommodations for candidates. Requesting an accommodation is completely voluntary. F5 will assess the need for accommodations in the application process separately from those that may be needed to perform the job. Request by contacting [e-mail].

Hybrid: Employees within 30 commutable miles of an F5 office are required to work from the office a minimum of 30 business days per quarter. Remote: Primarily work from the designated home location but can come into an F5 office to work or travel to an offsite location as needed.

Together, we’re building a better digital world.

Founded in 1996, F5 is a global leader in application delivery and security. Our premier platform helps customers secure and deliver every app, API, and piece of infrastructure across all environments. Backed by over three decades of expertise and 553 patents, our solutions protect against threats while ensuring fast, reliable digital experiences. With over 6,400 employees, we serve more than 23,000 customers in over 170 countries. To continue this work, we need people like you—the best minds in the industry. We’re committed to a unique, human‑first culture that encourages authenticity, prioritizes diversity and inclusion, and fosters the growth and success of our employees.