Principal Presales Systems Engineer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Principal Presales Systems Engineer based in the United States.

This is a senior, customer-facing technical leadership role focused on designing sophisticated networking and security solutions for complex enterprise environments.
You’ll partner closely with sales teams, customers, and strategic partners to translate business challenges into differentiated technical architectures.
The role spans presales consulting, solution design, technical presentations, proof-of-concept engagements, and customer strategy.
You’ll work across advanced networking domains including WAN, data center, cloud, routing, switching, and cybersecurity.
Your expertise will help customers navigate digital transformation while positioning innovative technologies against competitive solutions.
The environment is fast-moving and technically demanding, offering significant exposure to emerging areas such as automation, multi-cloud, AI, IoT, and 5G.
This opportunity is ideal for an experienced systems engineer who combines deep technical expertise with executive presence, curiosity, and exceptional customer influence.

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.

How Jobgether works:

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

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We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.