Forward Deployed Engineer
Kong · Remote · New Jersey, United States ·
COMPENSATION
$192k – $274k
Listed on the employer's job board (Ashby)
- US Citizen required
- 8+ years experience
- Fully remote (US)
- Kubernetes + Go/Python
- Customer-facing role
Join Kong’s Professional Services team to help Fortune 500 companies modernize their API infrastructure and adopt AI connectivity. You will work directly with client engineering teams to solve complex technical challenges, build automation tooling, and deliver production-grade solutions.
This strategic role sits at the intersection of software engineering and customer delivery, allowing you to influence product direction while driving successful outcomes for major enterprises.
What you'll do
- Design and implement Kong-based solutions across cloud, hybrid, and on-premise environments
- Lead hands-on deployment of API gateways, service meshes, and developer portals
- Build automation frameworks and migration tooling to accelerate customer adoption
- Drive migration initiatives from legacy API management platforms to Kong
- Develop production-grade code, plugins, and CI/CD integrations for client projects
- Collaborate with product teams to refine roadmap based on field implementation insights
- Create reference architectures and best practices to scale delivery excellence
What you'll need
- 8+ years in customer-facing engineering, SRE, or professional services roles
- Strong hands-on experience with API gateways and distributed systems
- Expertise in Kubernetes and cloud-native infrastructure
- Proficiency in Linux, networking, and DevOps practices
- Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud providers
- Programming skills in Python, Go, Java, JavaScript, or Lua
- Knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code tools like Terraform, Helm, or Ansible
- Must be a US Citizen to support government and public sector customers
Nice to have
- Background in API Management, Middleware, or SaaS companies
- Experience with Open Source software communities
- Ability to solve ambiguous problems with minimal supervision
- Strong communication skills for technical and executive audiences
Stack
- Kong
- Kubernetes
- Python
- Go
- Java
- JavaScript
- Lua
- Terraform
- Helm
- Ansible
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
How you'll work
- Remote work within the United States
- US Citizenship mandatory for security clearance eligibility
- Customer-facing engagements with enterprise clients