Pre-Sales Engineer - Public Safety

About Octave Federal

Octave provides mission-critical software that empowers organizations to make informed decisions across every stage of the asset lifecycle - Design, Build, Operate and Protect - where performance, safety, and reliability are non-negotiable and failure is not an option.

Turning complex operational data into actionable intelligence, Octave connects expertise, real-world conditions and enterprise-scale insight to improve performance, resilience and incident response where it matters most.

Octave Federal, the new brand identity for Hexagon US Federal, is an independent subsidiary of Octave exclusively focused on bringing the broad range of Octave technologies to the US Federal government and its partners. With more than 40 years of experience, we empower agencies and industry partners to operate with speed, precision and greater confidence.

Quick Hits

Employees: 150

Operating Locations: Chantilly, VA (HQ); Huntsville, AL; Lanham, MD, and other client sites across the US

Position Overview

Reports To: Director of Sales

The Public Safety Pre-Sales Solutions Engineer is a technical member of the Octave Federal sales organization responsible for helping customers understand, design, and adopt public safety and Digital Stand Off solutions that address complex mission and operational requirements.

• Working closely with Account Executives, customers, partners, product teams, and Business Unit colleagues, the Solutions Engineer serves as the technical lead throughout the sales process—from initial discovery and requirements development through solution design, demonstration, technical validation, proposal development, and transition to delivery.
• The Public Safety Solutions Engineer operates as a shared technical resource across the Octave Federal sales organization, partnering with multiple Account Executives and supporting Inside Sales activities as required. The role requires the ability to prioritize technical resources across multiple customers and opportunities based on business potential, customer requirements, and sales priorities.
• This role requires a combination of public safety technology expertise, customer-facing communication skills, and an understanding of the unique technical, operational, and mission requirements of the U.S. Federal Government.
• The successful candidate will be equally comfortable discussing operational requirements with dispatchers, first responders, and mission leaders; architecture and integration with technical teams; and solution capabilities with executive stakeholders.

\n Key Responsibilities:

Customer Discovery and Solution Development

• Partner with Account Executives to engage Federal customers and understand their mission, operational, technical, and business requirements.
• Lead technical discovery sessions and workshops to identify customer challenges, existing architectures, operational workflows, communications environments, data sources, integration requirements, and desired mission outcomes.
• Translate customer requirements into practical public safety solution architectures incorporating software, cloud services, communications systems, geospatial capabilities, data, integrations, and related technologies as appropriate.
• Develop solution concepts demonstrating how public safety technologies can improve emergency response, situational awareness, incident management, command and control, dispatch operations, responder safety, information sharing, and operational decision-making.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to customers throughout the evaluation and acquisition process.

Technical Sales and Opportunity Support

• Provide technical leadership throughout the Federal sales cycle in partnership with Account Executives.
• Assist Account Executives in developing opportunity strategies by identifying technical requirements, stakeholders, risks, competitive considerations, and differentiators necessary to advance and close opportunities.
• Develop and deliver technical demonstrations, presentations, workshops, and proofs of concept tailored to specific customer missions and operational use cases.
• Lead technical evaluations, pilot programs, and proofs of concept designed to validate solution capabilities within customer environments.
• Support technical responses to RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, Sources Sought notices, and other Federal acquisition activities.
• Contribute technical content to proposals, statements of work, architecture documents, white papers, presentations, and solution briefs.
• Participate in customer meetings, industry events, conferences, partner engagements, and technical exchanges as a public safety subject-matter expert.

Solution Architecture and Technical Validation

• Design public safety solutions spanning dispatch, command and control, communications, mobile, web, cloud, geospatial, and enterprise environments.
• Develop architectures integrating public safety technologies with customer communications systems, geospatial platforms, enterprise applications, data sources, sensors, APIs, and mission applications.
• Evaluate customer environments and recommend appropriate deployment approaches, including cloud, on-premises, hybrid, disconnected, and mission-specific architectures.
• Understand and communicate considerations associated with availability, resiliency, cybersecurity, interoperability, scalability, data management, system integration, and mission continuity in public safety environments.
• Maintain familiarity with Federal cloud and security requirements, including FedRAMP, DoD Impact Levels, Zero Trust architectures, and other applicable Federal cybersecurity frameworks.
• Work with product and engineering teams to address technical questions, product limitations, integration requirements, and emerging customer needs.

Demonstrations and Technical Enablement

• Develop and maintain reusable demonstrations that showcase Octave public safety capabilities against priority Federal mission scenarios.
• Configure and integrate software, geospatial data, communications workflows, APIs, and supporting technologies to demonstrate complete end-to-end customer workflows.
• Develop reusable solution architectures, demonstration environments, technical content, and other assets that can be leveraged across the Federal sales organization rather than relying exclusively on opportunity-specific demonstrations.
• Support technical enablement of Account Executives and Inside Sales personnel, helping the broader sales organization understand Octave capabilities, identify appropriate use cases, conduct effective discovery, and recognize technically viable opportunities.

Public Safety Expertise

• Maintain strong working knowledge of modern public safety technologies and operational workflows, including computer-aided dispatch; emergency communications; incident management; command and control; mobile and field operations; situational awareness; location and geospatial intelligence; emergency response; information sharing; and integration across public safety and mission-critical systems.
• Understand the operational relationship between communications, dispatch, location, personnel, assets, sensors, and other sources of information required to establish a common operating picture and support effective incident response.
• Maintain familiarity with interoperability standards, interfaces, and data exchange requirements relevant to public safety and emergency communications environments.
• Stay current on emerging technologies, competitive capabilities, standards, and industry trends affecting Federal public safety missions.

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with Account Executives to develop account strategies, opportunity plans, and technical engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with product management, engineering, professional services, customer success, marketing, Business Units, and partner organizations to develop complete customer solutions.
• Provide structured feedback to product teams regarding Federal customer requirements, competitive capabilities, technical gaps, and emerging market needs.
• Support the development of technical enablement materials for the Federal sales organization and partner ecosystem.
• Assist in developing repeatable solution offerings and reference architectures for priority Federal public safety mission areas.

What we are expecting from you (i.e. the qualifications you must have):

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience working with public safety technologies, mission-critical software, communications systems, enterprise software, systems integration, or related technical disciplines.
• 5+ years of experience in customer-facing technical roles such as Solutions Engineering, Sales Engineering, Solution Architecture, Technical Consulting, or Professional Services.
• Experience supporting U.S. Federal Government customers, particularly within the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Federal law enforcement, Federal Civilian agencies, or other public safety and emergency-response organizations.
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, or supporting public safety, emergency communications, command-and-control, or other mission-critical solutions.
• Strong understanding of public safety operational workflows, enterprise architectures, systems integration, data exchange, APIs, and mission-critical application environments.
• Experience delivering technical demonstrations, workshops, presentations, and proofs of concept to customers.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear explanations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written communication skills and experience contributing to technical proposals, solution documents, or architecture documentation.
• Ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively with sales, engineering, product, services, and partner teams.
• Ability to manage and prioritize technical support across multiple Account Executives, customers, and concurrent opportunities.
• Ability to travel approximately 50% in support of customers, partners, conferences, and sales activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Geography/GIS, Emergency Management, Public Safety, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience with Octave and Octave Federal public safety technologies such as OnCall, Connect, and Octave Coda , or other enterprise public safety, emergency communications, command-and-control, and geospatial platforms.
• Experience with Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), emergency communications, incident management, common operating picture, mobile response, or command-and-control technologies.
• Experience integrating public safety systems with GIS, mapping, location services, communications systems, sensors, video, records systems, or other operational data sources.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services.
• Understanding of containerized and cloud-native technologies including Kubernetes and Docker.
• Experience working with APIs, web services, databases, and enterprise integration technologies.
• Working knowledge of scripting or development technologies such as Python, JavaScript, SQL, or PowerShell.
• Familiarity with Federal cybersecurity and cloud requirements including FedRAMP, Zero Trust, and DoD Impact Levels.
• Familiarity with public safety interoperability standards and mission-critical communications environments.
• Active or previously held U.S. Government security clearance is preferred.

Success in the Role:

• Success will be measured by the Solutions Engineer's ability to increase the technical effectiveness of the Federal sales organization, accelerate customer evaluations, improve solution quality, reduce technical risk in opportunities, and help convert customer mission requirements into successful public safety solutions.
• The Solutions Engineer will share accountability for the overall performance of the Federal sales organization through measurable contribution to qualified pipeline development, opportunity advancement, and Federal bookings.
• Individual success will also be demonstrated through effective technical execution of strategic opportunities, development of repeatable demonstrations and solution architectures, enablement of Account Executives and Inside Sales, and achievement of defined technical and organizational commitments.
• The Public Safety Solutions Engineer should become a trusted technical partner to both the Federal Account Executives and their customers, bringing the technical depth and operational understanding necessary to design credible solutions while maintaining the communication and business awareness necessary to advance complex Federal opportunities.

Required Level of Security Clearance

None

Expected Travel:

Up to 50%

Essential Functions:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Ability to remain in a stationary position and operate a computer for extended periods.
• Occasional ability to move or transport items up to 25 pounds.
• Communicate effectively in English (verbal, written) and possess visual and auditory acuity for tasks and safety.
• Manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and maintain focus in dynamic environments.
• Demonstrate strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills.
• Maintain consistent attendance, punctuality, and high professional standards.

Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a professional office and/or remote home office environment, subject to typical conditions.

At Octave Federal, we prioritize a secure and thorough hiring process. Be aware that we will never extend an employment offer without a careful review and interview process, and all official communications from our representatives will come from a verified Octave Federal email address, never requesting upfront fees or sensitive information.

Salary Transparency:

Octave Federal provides compensation information in accordance with applicable multi‑state pay transparency laws. The projected annual salary range for this position is $155,000-$200,000 (USD) and an incentive compensation plan that is on top of the base salary range.

Actual compensation within this range will depend on factors such as work location, education, experience, skills, organizational requirements, and contract‑specific budget parameters. This range reflects what is typically offered for the role and represents only one component of Octave Federal’s total compensation package, which may also include benefits and other forms of remuneration.

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What we will provide in return:

- Competitive health care plans with savings accounts

- Dental and vision plans

- 401k with 100% company match up to 6%, with immediate vesting on company match

- Life and disability insurance

- Learning Management System with robust offerings

- Tuition Reimbursement Program

- Flexible working arrangements where possible

- 13 paid holidays per year

- Veterans’ focused Employee Resources Group with regular educational sessions and communications

Octave Federal is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We comply with all applicable federal anti-discrimination laws and provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in its job application procedures. If you have any difficulty using our online system and need an accommodation due to a disability, you may use the following email address, View email address on aiapply.co and/or phone number View phone number on aiapply.co to contact us about your interest in employment with Octave Federal.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability status, or any other protected class covered by federal, state, or local law. Octave Federal participates in E-Verify.

At Octave Federal, we prioritize a secure and thorough hiring process. Be aware that we will never extend an employment offer without a careful review and interview process, and all official communications from our representatives will come from a verified Octave Federal email address, never requesting upfront fees or sensitive information.

Why work for Octave?

All in. Always forward. That's the way we do things around here. We put trust in our people because we believe it's the best way to unleash potential, bring ideas to life, and keep moving ahead. And it's why we're committed to creating an environment that's truly supportive, providing you with the resources you need to support your ambitions, no matter who you are or where you are in the world.

Everyone is welcome

Everyone is welcome. At Octave, we believe that bringing together people with different perspectives strengthens both our team and our work. We are committed to providing equal opportunities, treating all individuals with fairness, and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

Respect is the cornerstone of how we operate, so speak up and be yourself. You're valued here.