AI Customer Engineer (Director)
About the role
As an AI Customer Engineer (Director), you will make an impact by shaping and delivering innovative AI-driven solutions that help clients unlock business value. You will partner with sales, engineering, and industry experts to translate client challenges into scalable AI solutions, driving both technical design and commercial success.
You will be a valued member of the AI Sales Engineering team and work collaboratively with account teams, offering specialists, and client stakeholders to bring cutting-edge GenAI/AI use cases to life.
In this role, you will:
• Participate in early-stage discovery and ideation sessions with clients and account teams to explore the art of the possible with GenAI/AI
• Conduct structured discovery to identify pain points, opportunity areas, and high-value AI use cases
• Translate ambiguous client questions into solution hypotheses, conceptual flows, and initial narratives
• Build 'North Star' AI scenarios that demonstrate business impact, differentiation, and value
• Define end-to-end solution architecture options, including data/ML needs, integration patterns, and partner components
• Develop multiple solution pathways (good/better/best) with clearly defined trade-offs and feasibility considerations
• Produce client-ready artifacts including proposals, SoWs, architecture decks, value frameworks, and demo narratives
• Lead client walkthroughs, deep-dive sessions, and technical Q&A to progress opportunities
• Refine solution positioning based on client feedback and competitive context
• Orchestrate cross-functional pursuit collaboration across sales, industry, engineering, and ecosystem partners
• Ensure alignment with delivery teams, validating feasibility, risks, and implementation readiness
Work model
We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 2–3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in the United States.
Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements.
What you need to have to be considered
• Experience in AI/ML, GenAI, or solution architecture, with hands-on exposure to LLMs and enterprise AI solutions
• Proven experience in solution shaping and technical presales, including proposals, SoWs, and architecture design
• Strong ability to lead client discovery, ideation sessions, and technical discussions
• Experience designing end-to-end solutions across data, AI/ML, integration, and cloud ecosystems
• Ability to collaborate across sales, engineering, and delivery teams to drive deal progression
These will help you stand out
• Experience building POCs, MVPs, or prototypes in AI-led sales cycles
• Exposure to hyperscalers, GenAI ecosystem partners, and co-sell motions
• Experience supporting or leading complex pursuits and multi-stakeholder deals
• Strong storytelling skills with the ability to translate technical concepts into business value narratives
• Familiarity with AI governance, risk, and enterprise deployment considerations
We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $190,000-$240,00,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
Benefits
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to apply
Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
- Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term/Short-term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, based on applicable law.
The Cognizant community:
We are a high caliber team who appreciate and support one another. Our people uphold an energetic, collaborative and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.
- Cognizant is a global community with more than 300,000+ associates around the world.
- We don’t just dream of a better way – we make it happen.
- We take care of our people, clients, company, communities and climate by doing what’s right.
- We foster an innovative environment where you can build the career path that’s right for you.
About us:
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Disclaimer:
Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.