Head of Solution Architecture / Sales Engineering
Harmonic Security, Inc, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
About Harmonic Security
Harmonic Security lets teams adopt AI tools safely by protecting sensitive data in real time with minimal effort. It gives enterprises full control and stops leaks so that their teams can innovate confidently.
We are led by cybersecurity experts and backed by top investors including N47, Ten Eleven Ventures, and In-Q-Tel.
We’ve achieved early traction and product-market fit, and we’re now entering the phase where technical credibility, customer trust, and execution in the field will define the category. This role sits at the center of that inflection point. You’ll shape how our most strategic customers experience Harmonic, influence the product roadmap through real-world insight, and build the technical field organization that helps turn early momentum into a category-defining company.
About the Team You'll report to the VP GTM Strategy & Operations and work closely with product, engineering, marketing, and partner teams. This is a highly cross-functional role where you'll serve as the technical bridge between prospects evaluating our platform, customers deploying it, and partners extending our reach. You'll build and lead a world-class solution architecture team while delivering solutions that meet complex enterprise security requirements.
About the Role We're looking for a rare combination: a security architecture expert who can build and lead teams, architect enterprise solutions, and serve as a trusted technical advisor to our customers' security leaders. This is a player-coach role where you'll split your time between hands-on customer engagement, team building, and technical thought leadership. If you've ever been called a "field CTO" or wished you could combine deep security expertise with the thrill of customer-facing problem solving, this role is for you.
What You Will Do
Serve as the technical voice of our company in strategic customer conversations, from initial discovery through proof-of-concept and deployment
Conduct security architecture assessments and design solutions that address complex enterprise requirements
Present to CISOs, security architects, and engineering teams with credibility and executive presence
Handle technical objections and competitive scenarios with confidence and depth
Recruit, hire, and mentor a world-class team of solution architects
Partner with Director of Technical Enablement to create technical enablement programs for internal and partner teams
Establish best practices for customer engagement, technical discovery, and proof-of-concept delivery
Act as the voice of the customer to product and engineering teams, translating field insights into roadmap priorities
Publish technical content on GenAI security, MCP architecture, and modern threat landscapes
Speak at industry conferences and customer events
What Success Looks Like
Become the go-to technical leader for our most strategic customer opportunities
Refine and improve SA processes and customer facing interactions, maintain conversion rates from POV to close at 50%
Deliver SA enablement and field readiness for new product launches: Endpoint Agent, MCP Gateway
What You Bring
10+ years in enterprise security with deep knowledge of security architecture, zero trust, threat modeling, and compliance frameworks
Hands-on experience with SaaS security models, API security, and cloud-native architectures
Strong understanding of emerging GenAI security challenges: prompt injection, data leakage, model poisoning, and adversarial attacks
Familiarity with gateway architectures, proxy technologies, and protocol-level security (MCP/Model Context Protocol experience a major plus)
Experience with endpoint security, including agent deployment, telemetry collection, and EDR/XDR concepts, and real-time threat detection
Proven track record of closing complex, enterprise-level security deals through technical influence
Experience building technical teams from the ground up in startup or high-growth environments
Exceptional demo skills and ability to translate technical complexity into business value
Experience recruiting, developing, and retaining top technical talent
Strong coaching and mentoring skills with a focus on career development
Comfortable with the ambiguity and pace of Series A startup life
You Might Be a Fit If
You've been called a "field CTO" and loved it
You've built technical teams before and know what great looks like
You get energized by customer conversations and solving hard technical problems
You've navigated competitive deals and won on technical merit
You're excited about GenAI security and the opportunity to define a new category
You thrive in startup environments where you can shape both product and process
You believe the best technical leaders are also great coaches and mentors
Why Join Us This is not just a job. It is an opportunity to be part of a team that is redefining cybersecurity and AI safety. We believe today's talent is tomorrow's success, and we are committed to creating an environment where you can do the best work of your life.
Competitive compensation and meaningful equity with a direct stake in Harmonic's success
Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and 401k matching
A small, passionate team that values transparency, creativity, and learning
Thoughtful leadership that cares deeply about growth, impact, and people
Annual global offsites
The chance to directly shape both our product and our culture as we build a category-defining company
Harmonic's Core Values Flourish in the Unknown Never Full
We embrace new, unfamiliar situations that require initiative and rapid decision-making. We orient ourselves quickly and deliver results with minimal guidance.
Never Full
We raise our hands, take on challenges, and assist others whenever possible. We hunger for opportunities to learn and do more.
Perfect Harmony
We support one another to create cohesion and unity. We collaborate openly, share feedback honestly, and help everyone produce their best work.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
We are led by cybersecurity experts and backed by top investors including N47, Ten Eleven Ventures, and In-Q-Tel.
We’ve achieved early traction and product-market fit, and we’re now entering the phase where technical credibility, customer trust, and execution in the field will define the category. This role sits at the center of that inflection point. You’ll shape how our most strategic customers experience Harmonic, influence the product roadmap through real-world insight, and build the technical field organization that helps turn early momentum into a category-defining company.
About the Team You'll report to the VP GTM Strategy & Operations and work closely with product, engineering, marketing, and partner teams. This is a highly cross-functional role where you'll serve as the technical bridge between prospects evaluating our platform, customers deploying it, and partners extending our reach. You'll build and lead a world-class solution architecture team while delivering solutions that meet complex enterprise security requirements.
About the Role We're looking for a rare combination: a security architecture expert who can build and lead teams, architect enterprise solutions, and serve as a trusted technical advisor to our customers' security leaders. This is a player-coach role where you'll split your time between hands-on customer engagement, team building, and technical thought leadership. If you've ever been called a "field CTO" or wished you could combine deep security expertise with the thrill of customer-facing problem solving, this role is for you.
What You Will Do
Serve as the technical voice of our company in strategic customer conversations, from initial discovery through proof-of-concept and deployment
Conduct security architecture assessments and design solutions that address complex enterprise requirements
Present to CISOs, security architects, and engineering teams with credibility and executive presence
Handle technical objections and competitive scenarios with confidence and depth
Recruit, hire, and mentor a world-class team of solution architects
Partner with Director of Technical Enablement to create technical enablement programs for internal and partner teams
Establish best practices for customer engagement, technical discovery, and proof-of-concept delivery
Act as the voice of the customer to product and engineering teams, translating field insights into roadmap priorities
Publish technical content on GenAI security, MCP architecture, and modern threat landscapes
Speak at industry conferences and customer events
What Success Looks Like
Become the go-to technical leader for our most strategic customer opportunities
Refine and improve SA processes and customer facing interactions, maintain conversion rates from POV to close at 50%
Deliver SA enablement and field readiness for new product launches: Endpoint Agent, MCP Gateway
What You Bring
10+ years in enterprise security with deep knowledge of security architecture, zero trust, threat modeling, and compliance frameworks
Hands-on experience with SaaS security models, API security, and cloud-native architectures
Strong understanding of emerging GenAI security challenges: prompt injection, data leakage, model poisoning, and adversarial attacks
Familiarity with gateway architectures, proxy technologies, and protocol-level security (MCP/Model Context Protocol experience a major plus)
Experience with endpoint security, including agent deployment, telemetry collection, and EDR/XDR concepts, and real-time threat detection
Proven track record of closing complex, enterprise-level security deals through technical influence
Experience building technical teams from the ground up in startup or high-growth environments
Exceptional demo skills and ability to translate technical complexity into business value
Experience recruiting, developing, and retaining top technical talent
Strong coaching and mentoring skills with a focus on career development
Comfortable with the ambiguity and pace of Series A startup life
You Might Be a Fit If
You've been called a "field CTO" and loved it
You've built technical teams before and know what great looks like
You get energized by customer conversations and solving hard technical problems
You've navigated competitive deals and won on technical merit
You're excited about GenAI security and the opportunity to define a new category
You thrive in startup environments where you can shape both product and process
You believe the best technical leaders are also great coaches and mentors
Why Join Us This is not just a job. It is an opportunity to be part of a team that is redefining cybersecurity and AI safety. We believe today's talent is tomorrow's success, and we are committed to creating an environment where you can do the best work of your life.
Competitive compensation and meaningful equity with a direct stake in Harmonic's success
Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and 401k matching
A small, passionate team that values transparency, creativity, and learning
Thoughtful leadership that cares deeply about growth, impact, and people
Annual global offsites
The chance to directly shape both our product and our culture as we build a category-defining company
Harmonic's Core Values Flourish in the Unknown Never Full
We embrace new, unfamiliar situations that require initiative and rapid decision-making. We orient ourselves quickly and deliver results with minimal guidance.
Never Full
We raise our hands, take on challenges, and assist others whenever possible. We hunger for opportunities to learn and do more.
Perfect Harmony
We support one another to create cohesion and unity. We collaborate openly, share feedback honestly, and help everyone produce their best work.
#J-18808-Ljbffr