Principal Presales Systems Engineer

Accountabilities:

• • Provide senior-level presales technical consultation across the design, engineering, sale, and implementation of sophisticated networking, security, and cloud solutions.
  • Partner with sales teams and strategic industry partners to assess customer requirements and develop optimized technical solutions.
  • Lead technical responses to RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, and other customer proposals, creating compelling and commercially viable solution approaches.
  • Develop and advise on architecture designs, engineering bills of materials, implementation specifications, and technical proposals for next-generation networks.
  • Engage technical and business stakeholders to understand strategic objectives, challenges, and requirements, translating them into differentiated solution architectures.
  • Deliver high-impact technical presentations, demonstrations, whiteboarding sessions, proof-of-concept engagements, and trials.
  • Influence customer technology strategies by demonstrating how advanced networking and security solutions can address real-world business challenges.
  • Build and maintain trusted relationships with customer IT decision-makers, senior stakeholders, and industry partners.
  • Provide technical training, enablement, and ongoing support to customers, partners, and engineering teams.
  • Stay current on networking technologies, industry trends, competitive offerings, and emerging solutions to maintain a strong technical and commercial perspective.
  • Collaborate across sales, engineering, product, and partner organizations to drive successful customer outcomes and business growth.
  • Travel as required to support customer engagements, business priorities, presentations, and technical activities.

  Requirements

  • At least 10 years of experience in a technical presales, sales engineering, systems engineering, or comparable customer-facing technical role.
  • Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
  • Extensive experience designing, engineering, or consulting on WAN, data center, security, and cloud networking solutions.
  • Strong experience implementing and operating large-scale WAN backbone networks.
  • Deep expertise across networking technologies, including routing, switching, and network security from an engineering, operational, or presales perspective.
  • Strong knowledge of routing protocols, including IGPs, EGPs, Layer 2/3 VPNs, and related technologies.
  • Extensive data center networking experience, including EVPN/VXLAN and Clos-based architectures.
  • Extensive MPLS and WAN design experience, including technologies such as LDP, RSVP, SR-TE, and SRv6.
  • Strong network security expertise covering areas such as next-generation firewalls, UTM, DDoS protection, IPSec, MACsec, and SIEM.
  • Hands-on experience with enterprise networking solutions from leading vendors, with deep expertise in at least one major networking platform.
  • Strong understanding of competitive networking products, solutions, and industry-specific use cases.
  • Proven customer-facing communication skills, including executive-level presentations, technical demonstrations, whiteboarding, and solution workshops.
  • Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value and influence both technical and business decision-makers.
  • Demonstrated ability to learn rapidly, solve complex problems, and apply new protocols, technologies, and applications to customer challenges.
  • Experience with network automation and DevOps technologies such as Python, Ansible, Chef, Puppet, YANG, JSON, and NETCONF is preferred.
  • Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure is advantageous.
  • Industry certifications such as JNCIP, JNCIE, CCNP, CCIE, or comparable credentials are desirable.
  • Positive, curious, and collaborative mindset with the ability to manage competing priorities in a demanding, results-oriented environment.
  • Willingness and ability to travel as required to meet customer and business needs.

  Benefits

  • Annual compensation range of $199,000–$411,500 USD for California-based positions.
  • Compensation represents combined base salary and target-level sales compensation at 100% achievement of the sales plan, with a 75% base / 25% target sales compensation structure.
  • Comprehensive benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional well-being.
  • Health and wellness benefits for employees and eligible dependents.
  • Retirement and financial planning support.
  • Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
  • Access to programs designed to support growth as a technical expert or transition into other areas of the organization.
  • Primarily remote/teleworker work arrangement.
  • Inclusive environment that values diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and individual contributions.
  • Opportunity to work with advanced networking, cloud, security, automation, AI, and emerging technology solutions.
  • High-impact customer-facing role with exposure to complex enterprise environments and strategic technology initiatives.