Lead Forward Deployed Engineer

Cohesity

Director responsible for leading the Forward Deployed Engineering team in delivering complex technical solutions. Manage global teams while ensuring customer success across top-tier accounts at AI-driven data security company.

Posted 7/15/2026full-timeSanta Clara • California, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $229,600 - $287,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading and developing high-performing teams in customer-facing technical roles, with a strong focus on complex enterprise-scale deployments and measurable customer outcomes. Proficient in managing globally distributed teams and driving technical delivery to influence Gross Revenue Retention.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Team LeadershipComplex Enterprise DeploymentsCustomer Success ManagementData Protection PlatformsCloud Infrastructure Familiarity

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Solutions EngineeringTechnical Account ManagementRoot Cause AnalysisDeployment OptimizationPerformance Standards Development

Soft Skills

Influencing SkillsCross-Functional CollaborationCustomer Advocacy

Tools & Technologies

CohesityCommvaultRubrikVeeamKubernetes

Industry Keywords

Data ProtectionStorageCloudSecurity PlatformsTechnical Delivery

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudKubernetes

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, develop, and grow a team of Forward Deployed Engineers at the Individual Contributor level (IC5) across Tier 1 and Tier 2 account coverage
Establish team operating rhythm, performance standards, and career development frameworks
Evolve FDE operating models, engagement playbooks, tooling, and documentation to support scale
Manage a globally distributed team (70% India / 30% US) with consistent standards and an inclusive culture
Own post-sale technical delivery for Cohesity's Top 300 accounts — from complex deployments and Proof of Concept (POC)-to-production conversions to ongoing optimization
Act as the senior technical escalation point for Tier 1 engagements; partner with Customer Success Managers (CSMs), Sales Engineers (SEs), and Strategic Technical Assistance Team (STAT) Centers of Excellence (CoEs) on at-risk accounts
Drive time-to-production, deployment success rates, and POC conversion outcomes
Ensure FDE engagement translates into measurable adoption, utilization, and renewal signals — grounded in customer outcomes, not activity metrics
Represent the customer perspective internally by translating deployment friction and adoption blockers into actionable product feedback
Lead structured root cause analysis on deployment failures, misconfigurations, and adoption stalls; convert findings into reusable playbooks
Assess customer infrastructure environments and prescribe Cohesity deployment patterns optimized for performance, resilience, and long-term manageability
Identify and address both technical and organizational blockers impacting customer outcomes
Drive accountability for reducing time-to-unblock across critical Tier 1 engagements
Influence Gross Revenue Retention by removing technical barriers that lead to churn in strategic accounts
Partner with Customer Success (CS) and Finance to track FDE-driven retention and expansion impact
Equip CSMs and renewal teams with proof-of-value artifacts, usage insights, and technical Return on Investment (ROI) narratives
Own and enforce high-quality technical handoffs from pre-sale Sales Engineer (SE) to FDE, including clear account context, risk assessment, and early success plans
Align cross-functional teams around shared customer outcomes
Maintain a structured view of product gaps and deployment friction; regularly present prioritized recommendations to Product and leadership
Partner with Sales Engineering leadership to strengthen pre-to-post-sale continuity for complex accounts
Act as a strategic partner to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Customer Success (CS) leadership on account prioritization, risk identification, and escalation strategy

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years in customer-facing technical roles (solutions engineering, FDE, professional services, or technical account management)
5+ years leading teams of senior engineers or technical specialists
Proven ownership of complex, enterprise-scale deployments in production environments
Experience leading distributed, global teams
Deep familiarity with data protection, storage, cloud, or security platforms (e.g., Cohesity, Commvault, Rubrik, Veeam, NetApp)
Demonstrated ability to influence GRR through technical delivery, with measurable impact
Strong track record diagnosing and resolving complex, multi-system failures in production environments
Experience acting as a trusted advisor to enterprise IT and security leaders (CISOs, VPs, Directors)
Familiarity with modern cloud and AI infrastructure (Kubernetes, hybrid cloud, object storage, unstructured data systems)

Benefits

Comp & perks

health and wellness benefits
vacation
paid holidays and refresh days
401(k) retirement plan
life and disability insurance coverages
equity grants