Solutions Engineer - AI Driven

Relay, a Raleigh-based high growth company, is looking to change the way we communicate. We’re on a mission that matters, and we're hiring for a Solutions Engineer who will thrive in a dynamic high-growth environment.

Frontline workers are the lifeblood of our economy, and we're building the cloud platform that makes them better, faster and safer than ever before. Our cloud solution offers a data driven approach to frontline work through real time communications, real time location information and powerful real time data and insights. Here at Relay, we've designed, built and launched an entirely new product category and we're disrupting the handheld radio industry.

The Solutions team is central to our revenue growth and customer value strategy, serving as the technical experts for our most important strategic sales opportunities. Our mission is to design innovative, AI-driven solutions that transform complex business problems, showcase the power of the Relay SaaS platform and its advanced AI capabilities for large prospective clients, and accelerate deals by expertly navigating technical diligence and removing IT or technical roadblocks.

As a Solutions Engineer specializing in AI & Business Transformation, you will be a key technical member on the Solutions team. You will leverage deep technical expertise and business acumen to architect sophisticated, AI-driven solutions for our largest prospective enterprise customers, demonstrating how Relay's platform drives significant business transformation. You will play a crucial role throughout the sales cycle, from initial discovery and design to technical validation and post-sale knowledge transfer, with a particular focus on pioneering new and emerging AI-powered solutions. You are a trusted technical advisor, adept at handling complex requirements, overcoming objections, and ensuring our most strategic customers derive maximum value and achieve transformative outcomes from our AI offerings.

Please note this role will be based in our Raleigh, NC amenity rich headquarters and you should be interested in working in person onsite at our HQ. This role requires 1-3 days per week of travel within North America. You can anticipate this to equate to 50-60% travel.

Why Join Relay?

• Make a Tangible Impact:  Our platform directly enhances the lives of frontline workers, improving their responsiveness to customers (72%) and overall efficiency (77%). We've already facilitated over 2.5 billion messages and supported countless deskless workers.
• Be Part of a Winning Team:  We're not just growing - we're recognized as a leader in our field. Relay has been honored by Inc. 5000, Deloitte 500, and NC Tech, and we've achieved over 40% YoY revenue growth for two consecutive years.
• Thrive in a World-Class Environment: Our Raleigh campus boasts a fitness center, outdoor sports courts, a cafeteria, and modern workspaces designed to inspire collaboration and innovation.
• Embrace a Vibrant Culture: With over 215 team members, we've cultivated a culture of empowerment and engagement, where every employee is encouraged to do their best work.
• Invest in Your Future: Our comprehensive benefits package prioritizes work/life integration and supports your personal and professional development.

If you're passionate about technology, driven to make a difference, and excited to join a company that's shaping the future of frontline work, we encourage you to explore opportunities at Relay.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Pre-Sales AI Solution Architecture:
  • Partner with assigned Business Development and Enterprise Sales teams to gain a deep understanding of their business goals, complex technical landscapes, and critical pain points, identifying opportunities for AI-driven transformation.
  • Design and architect robust, scalable, and innovative AI solutions using our core product suite and open APIs, tailored to specific customer needs and demonstrating significant value through AI-powered business process re-engineering.
  • Develop and deliver highly customized, compelling product demonstrations and technical presentations that effectively communicate the value and technical feasibility of AI-driven solutions to diverse audiences, including C-suite and IT leadership.
  • Lead the development and management of Proof-of-Concept (PoC) solutions to validate technical requirements and showcase the transformative power of Relay's AI capabilities in complex scenarios.

• Technical Sales Cycle Leadership:
  • Act as the primary technical contact and trusted advisor for prospective customers during strategic sales cycles, guiding them through technical evaluations of our platform.
  • Lead and manage the technical diligence process, expertly addressing intricate technical questions, security inquiries (RFIs/RFPs, security questionnaires), and integration challenges related to AI deployments, leveraging internal Security/Support for standard items.
  • Proactively identify, address, and overcome technical objections, securing technical validation and buy-in from key customer stakeholders, including IT and leadership, regarding AI solution adoption.
  • Provide significant technical contributions to proposals, Statements of Work (SOWs), and commercial negotiations, emphasizing the value of AI-driven transformation.

• Implementation & Knowledge Transfer:
  • Meticulously document designed AI solution architectures, including critical configurations, API utilization for AI integrations, and integration points defined during pre-sales.
  • Conduct thorough handover sessions to Customer Success and Implementation teams for standardized AI solutions, ensuring they have the necessary technical context and design rationale.
  • Serve as a point of escalation for implementation teams.
  • Manage the implementation process and provide direct post-implementation support for "emerging solutions" (e.g., initial integrations using new AI APIs or cutting-edge AI models) until they become standardized and transitionable to Operations.

• Cross-Functional Influence & Enablement :
  • Proactively engage and influence cross-functionally to create revenue momentum across Product Management, Operations, Marketing and Sales, specifically focusing on AI and business transformation.
  • Synthesize and deliver valuable field feedback to Product Management regarding strategic customer needs for AI, feature gaps, and AI API usability to influence roadmap direction.
  • Partner with Operations to develop robust playbooks for onboarding and supporting novel or frontier AI customer solutions.
  • Collaborate with Security and Support teams to equip them with the knowledge needed for routine technical and security questionnaires related to AI implementations.
  • Develop technical cheat sheets and one-pagers focused on AI capabilities and business transformation for BD and Enterprise sales teams.
  • Collaborate with Marketing on technical content generation (e.g., whitepapers on AI use cases, case studies on business transformation through Relay AI) as needed.

Qualifications:

• Experience (e.g., 1-3+ years) in a technical pre-sales role such as Solutions Engineer, Sales Engineer, or Technical Consultant, preferably within an enterprise software or SaaS environment with a focus on AI, machine learning, or data science solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to understand complex business challenges and architect sophisticated, AI-driven technical solutions using a SaaS platform's core features and APIs to achieve business transformation.
• Strong experience designing and delivering compelling technical demonstrations and presentations focused on AI capabilities and their business impact to both technical and business audiences.
• Experience leading technical diligence processes for AI-driven solutions, including responding to RFPs/RFIs, security questionnaires, and technical objections related to AI.
• Hands-on ability to build and manage Proof-of-Concept solutions leveraging modern web technologies and AI/ML frameworks.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills, with an ability to clearly articulate the value of AI.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate ambiguity, particularly in the evolving AI landscape.
• Experience working effectively with business development and enterprise sales teams and engaging directly with large prospective customers to drive AI adoption.
• Ability to translate complex technical AI concepts into clear, understandable language for various stakeholders, including C-suite executives.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Travel:

• Ability to travel 1-3 days per week to meet with prospective customers and support sales engagements, particularly for strategic AI opportunities.

About us: Relay culture, benefits & perks:

First and foremost our culture hinges on Relayers getting LIT up in an environment that fosters learning, impact, and teamwork (LIT) where we can do the best work in our lives. We call this BWIML (pronounced bee wimmel = Best Work In My Life)!

It's truly amazing what engaged team members can achieve together. Our ever evolving list of benefits and perks mean you'll be able to integrate work into your whole life, focus on health, perform impactful work, grow and learn in your role, look after yourself/your family, and invest in your future. 

At Relay, we offer...

• 100% Paid Insurance Health, Dental, Vision, Long/Short Term Disability and Life Insurance benefits for you and those who depend on you
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 401(K) Savings Plan + Company Match
• Baby Cash Reward + Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Perks, including a world-class onsite fitness center with instructor led classes + locker room as well as endless outdoor amenities whether tennis, basketball, cycling, or pickleball is your jam
• Free Snacks and Fun Times
• Latest tech, standing desks, and all the accessories and software you need to succeed in your role

Please note this role is based onsite at our HQ in Raleigh, NC with up to 50% travel