Forward Deployed Engineer

Are you ready to unlock intelligence

If you dont think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job please apply. Nobody checks every box - were looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas and have some interest and capabilities in others.

The Mission

As a Forward Deployed Engineer at Kong you will be a critical bridge between our cutting-edge products and our most strategic customers. You will drive the successful adoption and expansion of Kongs API management and service connectivity solutions ensuring our clients can architect and scale their systems with unparalleled efficiency and developer delight. Your impact directly fuels our growth in the Agentic Era by transforming complex technical challenges into seamless high-performance customer solutions.

What Youll Do

• Architect and implement advanced API gateway and service mesh solutions directly with enterprise clients translating complex business requirements into robust technical designs.

• Lead technical deep-dive sessions workshops and proof-of-concepts demonstrating Kongs capabilities and value proposition to diverse technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Drive the resolution of critical customer technical issues collaborating closely with Kongs engineering and product teams to provide rapid and effective solutions.

• Own the technical success of strategic customer accounts from pre-sales engagement through post-implementation ensuring long-term satisfaction and expansion.

• Influence product roadmap development by capturing critical customer feedback and translating it into actionable insights for our engineering and product organizations.

• Mentor junior engineers and technical account managers fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the customer-facing teams.

• Travel approximately 30-50% to client sites and industry events to support engagements and foster key relationships.

What Youll Bring

The Toolkit

• 7 years of experience in a customer-facing technical role such as Forward Deployed Engineer Solutions Architect or Technical Consultant ideally within an enterprise software environment.

• Deep expertise with API lifecycle management microservices architectures and distributed systems.

• Strong command of cloud-native technologies including Kubernetes Docker and public cloud platforms (AWS Azure GCP).

• Proficiency in programming/scripting languages such as Golang Python Lua or JavaScript with a strong ability to build integrations and custom solutions.

• Experience with Open Source APIs or Infrastructure is essential.

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues across various layers of the software stack.

The Kong DNA

• Ownership: You take full accountability for customer success and technical outcomes acting as a trusted advisor and driving initiatives to completion.

• Urgency: You thrive in a fast-paced environment prioritize effectively and respond with agility to customer needs and evolving technical landscapes.

• Collaboration: You seamlessly work with internal teams (Engineering Product Sales) and external stakeholders fostering strong relationships and shared goals.

Bonus Points

• Prior experience with Kong Gateway Kong Mesh or other API management/service mesh platforms.

• Active contributions to open-source projects or a strong personal technical portfolio.

• Experience working with customers in highly regulated industries (e.g. Finance Healthcare Government).

• Certifications in cloud platforms (e.g. AWS Solutions Architect Kubernetes Administrator).

About Kong:

Kong Inc. a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies is building the infrastructure that powers the agentic era. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and startups alike Kongs unified API and AI platform Kong Konnect enables organizations to secure manage accelerate govern and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI models. For more information visit .

Required Experience:

IC