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Position details
Title of position: Innovation Lead - Office of the CTO
Position type:
Full time - Hybrid
Location:
Salem, NH | Morrisville, Raleigh, NC | San Jose, CA | Toronto, Canada
Position reports to:
Head of the Office of the CTO
Application deadline:
Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and this posting will remain open until filled.
Work authorization:
We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa, including H-1B visas, at this time
Scope:
Extreme Networks, Inc. (EXTR) is a global leader in AI-powered cloud networking, committed to simplifying and securing IT operations through its unified platform. We empower businesses to connect devices, applications, and users while addressing complex challenges with cutting-edge technology. By leveraging artificial intelligence, analytics, and automation, we drive value creation, innovation, and performance enhancement. Trusted by thousands of customers worldwide, our industry-leading solutions and exceptional support make us a partner of choice for organizations across industries.
At the Office of the CTO, we
- Have proven over years how to turn ideas into successful products and business models
- Operate at the intersection of business, customer, and technology
- Ask questions that are slightly too ambitious for the time
- Know that the next great invention is already being asked as a question
- Want the right people in the room when it is
The Role:
Innovation Lead – Office of the CTO (Full-time, Hybrid)
The Innovation Lead will discover, prototype, and develop transformative ML/AI and edge computing solutions that position Extreme Networks at the forefront of intelligent networking. You will be a hands-on contributor who turns ambitious ideas into real products and validated business cases. Working as an individual contributor within a matrix of cross-functional teams—data scientists, product managers, engineers, architects, and customers—you
Explore emerging technologies and build proofs of concept
Drive adoption and help define product roadmaps
Help commercialize innovations—ensuring that innovation without market realization remains just research
Success is measured by validated ideas that advance to product, launched innovations that expand our market position, customer and partner engagement on breakthrough solutions, and thought leadership that establishes Extreme as the industry voice on networked AI and edge intelligence.
Key Responsibilities:
Discovery & Development
Identify and evaluate emerging opportunities in ML/AI, edge computing, and adjacent technologies
Conceptualize, prototype, and validate innovative solutions—moving fast from question to proof of concept
Maintain awareness of industry trends, standards bodies, and competitive innovation
Hands-On Prototyping & Implementation
Build and architect real solution prototypes, not just advise on them—coding, validating, and documenting as needed
Partner with data scientists, engineers, and product teams to turn validated ideas into production-ready features
Contribute directly to solution delivery through prototyping, testing, and technical demonstrations
Drive continuous improvement by identifying and fixing technical and architectural bottlenecks
Customer & Partner Co-Innovation
Engage customers, partners, and prospects to co-develop solutions and understand unmet needs
Translate complex technical ideas into compelling narratives for CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and business executives
Build reference and lighthouse accounts by delivering early access to breakthrough capabilities
Help commercialize innovations—market realization is essential for innovation success
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence
Work effectively in a matrix with product management, engineering, marketing, and field teams
Participate in standards bodies and open-source communities to shape industry direction
Influence product roadmaps and feature prioritization based on customer insights
Champion a culture of critical thinking, experimentation, and calculated risk-taking
Thought Leadership & Evangelism
Author and present on emerging technologies, innovation frameworks, and breakthrough solutions
Evangelize our leadership in AI-powered networking and edge intelligence to customers and prospects
Build visibility for Extreme's innovation strategy and technical differentiation in the marketplace
Basic Requirements:
Experience & Background
Proven track, success record of ownership from Ideation to productization with GenAI and Multi Agent solutions either in a large corporation Or in a startup
Proven experience to build engineering team for GenAI and Multi Agent solutions
Proven experience with complex AI and data centric projects outside of the networking market
Technical Skills
Fluent in at least one programming language; expertise in Python, Java, or Go is highly preferred
Deep knowledge of ML/AI principles, emerging architectures, and practical applications in enterprise systems
Understanding of edge computing, distributed systems, and cloud networking architectures
Knowledge of efficient data structures, query optimization, and analytics technologies
Ability to evaluate and integrate third-party technologies and frameworks
Collaboration & Communication
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills—able to work effectively across diverse audiences
Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear narratives for CTOs, VPs, and executives
Proven track record of driving issues to resolution with strong customer satisfaction
Thrive working both independently and within high-performing cross-functional teams
Comfortable with ambiguity and defining problems before solutions exist
Professional Qualities
Ambitious and driven, thriving in a demanding and fast-paced environment
Willing to roll up your sleeves, take ownership, and be a proactive team player
Excellent critical thinking and business acumen to identify solutions with widespread adoption potential
Ability to balance exploration with execution, knowing when to pivot and when to commit
Comfortable with occasional travel and significant remote engagement with customers and partners
Education
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, related field, or equivalent professional experience
Nice to Have:
10+ years Experience in networking, security, or cloud platforms (especially cloud-driven networking)
Participation in open-source projects or standards bodies
Background in product management or go-to-market strategy
Published thought leadership or speaking experience at industry conferences
Experience with AI operations (MLOps), data platforms, or analytics systems
What Success Looks Like
In your first year, you will
Identify and validate 2–3 high-impact innovation opportunities
Deliver working prototypes that demonstrate customer value
Build relationships with key customers and partners co-innovating with us
Contribute to product roadmap decisions that accelerate our leadership
Establish thought leadership through speaking, writing, or industry participation
Help evangelize our innovation strategy to the market
Why Join the OCTO
At Extreme Networks' Office of the CTO, you will work on problems that matter—networking the edge, securing cloud infrastructure, and bringing intelligence to billions of connected devices. You
Be part of a team where critical thinking and human creativity set us apart in the age of AI
Have the freedom to define the questions we need to ask
Have support to pursue ambitious ideas
See your innovations become products that change an industry
If you like being at the intersection of business, customer, and technology; if you have built real things and understand that innovation without commercialization is just research; and if you thrive in ambiguity and are energized by working on the next big question—we want you in the room.
Equal Employment Opportunity
- Extreme Networks, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. We are committed to taking affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans, including disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active-duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans.
- Extreme Networks also strives to prevent other, subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (for example, stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our organization. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at Extreme Networks. We encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply.
Fair chance and background checks
Extreme Networks will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, Philadelphia Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance, Illinois Human Rights Act, Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, Seattle Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. An applicant's conviction history will not be considered until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. Following any individualized assessment, applicants will be provided with the opportunity to respond before any adverse action is taken.
Extreme Networks does not seek salary history information from applicants and will not rely on salary history in determining whether to offer employment or in setting compensation.
