Staff Solutions Engineer

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

📋 Description

• Assist field sales in demonstrating the advantages of the Kong API and AI connectivity platform to customers.

• Engage in discovery discussions to identify customer needs and align them with Kong solutions from initial product assessments to production.

• Facilitate Proof of Concepts (POCs) throughout the evaluation phase, managing technical validation and stakeholder alignment.

• Ensure customer satisfaction across the accounts assigned to you.

• Collaborate with support, product, and engineering teams to advocate for customer requirements.

• Develop technical documentation for DevOps, implementations, and service engagements.

• Lead and support evaluations of API Management and AI Governance, including API/AI use cases, LLM traffic management, and governance needs.

• Present demonstrations showcasing Kong’s API and AI governance capabilities, including MCP governance, semantic caching, prompt guardrails, and shadow AI detection.

• Conduct API and AI-focused Technical Feasibility Workshops to confirm Kong’s suitability for modern and/or AI/agentic architectures.

• Manage the technical strategy for intricate, multi-stakeholder enterprise deals from qualification through to closing.

• Mentor and guide junior Solutions Engineers on technical skills, discovery techniques, and deal strategies.

• Write technical blogs, host webinars, and present at industry events and conferences.

• Shape product direction by translating customer feedback and market trends into actionable insights for the product team.

• Carry out additional tasks as assigned by the manager.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 7 years of experience in software engineering and/or solutions engineering at a SaaS, open source, or enterprise software firm.

• Demonstrated history of managing complex, enterprise-level deals involving multiple technical and executive stakeholders.

• Experience in mentoring or coaching other Solutions Engineers or technical team members.

• Proficient with Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud-native platforms.

• Familiarity with REST and GraphQL APIs, CI/CD pipelines, and API security standards (OAuth2, OIDC, mTLS).

• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, or similar is essential.

• Understanding of AI/LLM architectures, including model routing, rate limiting, semantic caching, and prompt governance.

• Knowledge of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and agentic AI patterns.

• Strong grasp of cloud computing trends and open source business models.

• Excellent listening and communication skills — capable of leading discussions with engineers, architects, and executives with confidence.

• Passion for working in a dynamic, high-profile environment at the intersection of API and AI connectivity.

• Must be legally authorized to work in the country where this position will be based.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equity

• Commission

• Health insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• Paid holidays

• PTO

• Opportunities and resources for professional development