Forward Deployed Engineer

Job Description

Forward Deployed Engineer | IBM

The Tone:
This is a role within IBM Software’s Client Adoption Team, embedded directly with clients to transform their challenges into solutions. IBM builds leading AI-powered, cloud-native software solutions. This position is crucial for accelerating client outcomes, connecting product development to real-world value, and ensuring a smoother adoption of zTPS strategic software offerings.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Global / Flexible

• Team: Client Adoption Team, embedded within IBM’s Software Development organization
• Mission: To reduce client time-to-value and ensure measurable outcomes for zTPS strategic software through hands-on technical enablement and a tight feedback loop to product design.
• Tech Stack: watsonx Code Assistant for Z, Test Accelerator for Z, HashiCorp Terraform for Z, IBM Concert for Z, watsonx Assistant for Z, AI Platforms and AI Toolkit (AI Optimizer) on Z with Spyre, HashiCorp Vault for Z, Linux, Windows, zOS, TCP/IP network, LDAP, APM solutions on IBM Z, IBM CICS, IMS, Enterprise COBOL, Java, OpenTelemetry (OTeL), Ansible Automation Platform, REX, JCL, YAML, Large Language Models, RAG models, Conversational AI, VS Code

What You’ll Actually Do
• Client Enablement: Assist with pilots and proof-of-value engagements, then transition successful use cases into production and full value realization for clients.
• Implementation Management: Work directly with end clients, planning for and executing comprehensive implementation plans for strategic software offerings.
• Technical Communication: Communicate complex technical concepts and their associated business value effectively to diverse client and internal audiences.
• Product Feedback Loop: Interact with IBM development labs to provide valuable product feedback, influencing feature design, roadmap prioritization, and overall release quality.
• Asset Development: Contribute to and deploy reusable assets such as documentation, playbooks, scripts, and best practices to scale client enablement efforts.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Proven ability to deeply understand how systems function, experimenting and iterating with tenacity until solutions are achieved, and demonstrating resourcefulness when documentation is incomplete.
• Experience: Practical experience with two or more of the following: Operating system administration (Linux, Windows, zOS), TCP/IP network and LDAP administration, APM solutions on IBM Z, IBM CICS and/or IMS administration, or Enterprise COBOL and/or Java development (read, write, modify, troubleshoot).
• Skills: Strong written and verbal communication, comfort working with global teams across time zones, familiarity with various project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall), strong organizational skills, and an ability to manage dependencies and anticipate delivery risks.
• Bonus: Experience interoperating COBOL and Java within a zOS subsystem.