Forward Deployed Security Engineer
TENEX.AI · Kansas City, MO SOC ·
- Work mode
- Hybrid
- Category
- Security
- Experience
- 3+ years
- Company size
- 11-50
TENEX is an AI-native, automation-first, built-for-scale Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider. We are a force multiplier for defenders, helping organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture through advanced threat detection, rapid response, and continuous protection. Our team is composed of industry experts with deep experience in cybersecurity, automation and AI-driven solutions. Backed by leading investors, we are rapidly growing and seeking top talent to join our mission of revolutionizing the AI-Native MDR landscape.
We’re a fast growing startup backed by industry experts and top tier investors led by Crosspoint Capital Partners and also backed by Shield Capital, DTCP (formerly Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners), Deepwork Capital, and the Florida Opportunity Fund. Seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). As an early employee, you’ll play a meaningful role in defining and building our culture. Get in on the ground floor. We’re a small but well-funded team that just raised a substantial round – joining now comes with limited risk and unlimited upside.
Culture is one of the most important things at —explore our culture deck at to witness how we embody it, prioritizing the irreplaceable collaboration and community of in-person work.
As a FDE Security Solution Engineer at TENEX, you deploy, manage, and advise on specialized security tooling across one or more assigned domains. Every SE&A engineer operates a dual mandate: technical practitioner and trusted security advisor. You keep customer environments healthy, help them improve their posture, and enable them to understand and act on their security risks.
Deploy, configure, and manage specialized security tooling across one or more assigned domains — Cloud (Wiz, SCCE, Defender for Cloud), AI Security (WitnessAI, ModelArmor, Purview), Network (ExtraHop, CEP), Endpoint (, Defender for Endpoint, Thinkst Canary), and Identity (Defender for Identity)
Maintain ongoing health of customer security tooling across assigned domains — remediating misconfigurations, detecting drift, and continuously optimizing tool performance
Deliver advisory services as part of the dual-function mandate — including tabletop exercises, maturity assessments, and compliance readiness support (SOC 2, NIST, ISO, CMMC)
Develop customer-facing security roadmaps and posture improvement recommendations tailored to the customer's environment and risk profile
Enable customers through training on deployed tools and security best practices within their environment
Collaborate with the Rapid Deployment team on log source onboarding and cross-tool integrations into the SIEM
Document all configurations, advisory outputs, and customer environment details
Escalate complex technical or advisory challenges to Security Solution Architects or the Manager
3+ years in information security engineering or a related technical field
Hands-on experience deploying and managing security tools in one or more domains: cloud, AI, network, endpoint, or identity security
Experience delivering technical advisory services, security assessments, or consulting engagements
Familiarity with compliance frameworks including SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, and CMMC
Knowledge of MITRE ATT&CK and how it applies to relevant security domains
Experience developing customer-facing security roadmaps and remediation recommendations
Strong technical documentation skills
Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills with a bias toward action
Excellent customer-facing communication and collaboration abilities
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance startup environment
Passion for cybersecurity, automation, and continuous improvement
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications, Google Cloud Professional, Microsoft SC-200/AZ-500, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect are a plus
Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI-driven cybersecurity technologies and next-generation security platforms
Collaborate with a talented and innovative team focused on continuously improving security operations
Competitive salary and benefits package
A culture of growth and development, with opportunities to expand your expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and engineering
Be part of building something new — TENEX's Forward Deployed Engineering organization is a greenfield opportunity to define how enterprise security is delivered at scale