Staff Forward Deployed Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Collaborate directly with enterprise clients to design, develop, and deploy Kong-based solutions across cloud, hybrid, and on-premise settings.

• Spearhead hands-on implementation efforts for API gateways, AI gateways, service mesh, developer portals, and associated connectivity technologies.

• Create automation frameworks, migration tools, custom integrations, and reusable accelerators.

• Lead migration projects from traditional API management platforms to Kong.

• Engage with customer developers, platform teams, architects, security teams, and executives to address intricate technical and operational challenges.

• Produce production-grade code, scripts, plugins, CI/CD integrations, Kubernetes automation, and infrastructure tools.

• Partner with Kong Product and Engineering teams to shape roadmap priorities based on client feedback and implementation insights.

• Develop reusable best practices, technical assets, reference architectures, documentation, and design patterns.

• Assist in strategic customer initiatives involving AI connectivity, governance, platform modernization, and cloud-native transformation.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 8 years of experience in customer-facing engineering, platform engineering, professional services, site reliability engineering, or software engineering roles.

• Robust hands-on experience in software engineering and implementation.

• Proficient in API gateways, API management, integrations, or distributed systems platforms.

• Strong expertise in Kubernetes and cloud-native infrastructure.

• Experience in creating automation frameworks, deployment tools, CI/CD pipelines, or migration tools.

• High proficiency in Linux, networking, cloud infrastructure, and DevOps practices.

• Familiarity with AWS, Azure, or GCP.

• Programming skills in Python, Go, Java, JavaScript, or Lua.

• Experience with Infrastructure-as-Code and automation tools such as Terraform, Helm, Ansible, or GitOps frameworks.

• Previous experience in API Management, Open Source, Middleware, SaaS, or Infrastructure software companies is highly desirable.

• Capability to resolve complex technical issues with minimal oversight.

• Comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-paced enterprise environments.

• Enthusiastic about working directly with customers to achieve measurable business results.

• Exceptional communication and collaboration abilities across both technical and executive audiences.

• Strong skills in prioritization and execution.

• Passionate about innovation, modern infrastructure, APIs, AI, and cloud-native technologies.

• Team-oriented with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equity

• Bonus

• Healthcare benefits

• 401(k) plan

• Short- and long-term disability benefits

• Basic life and AD&D insurance

• Exposure to cutting-edge cloud-native technologies, distributed systems, AI connectivity, automation frameworks, and large-scale enterprise architectures

• Opportunity to influence product direction and roadmap priorities