Principal Solution Engineer

Description

WHO WE ARE:

The company is pioneering the Cloud Native Security Fabric — the architecture the Containment Era requires. The Cloud Native Security Fabric governs every workload communication path across every cloud, every VPC, every Kubernetes cluster, and every serverless function, from a single policy plane. One rule. Universal propagation. Enforced at the workload, not at a chokepoint. For more information, visit the company's site .

ABOUT THE ROLE: Principal Solution Engineer

The company is seeking a dynamic Principal Solution Engineer in the Midwest area ( preferred Central Time Zone ), with a focus on Security to join our sales team as a Solution Engineer. This role combines deep cybersecurity expertise with sales acumen to drive revenue growth by positioning the company's cloud networking and security solutions. The successful candidate will serve as the primary technical security advisor for enterprise prospects and customers, working closely with the sales team to identify opportunities, architect solutions, and accelerate deal closure.

Responsibilities

• Technical Sales Support
• Serve as the primary security subject matter expert during the sales process
• Conduct technical discovery sessions to identify security requirements and pain points
• Design and present customized security architectures using the company solutions
• Lead technical demonstrations and proof-of-concept implementations
• Respond to RFPs and technical questionnaires with security-focused content
• Support competitive differentiation discussions highlighting the company security advantages
• Customer Engagement
• Build trusted advisor relationships with customer security teams (CISOs, security architects, network security engineers)
• Facilitate technical workshops and white boarding sessions
• Present at customer security forums and industry events
• Provide technical guidance throughout the sales cycle and post-sale implementation planning
• Sales Collaboration
• Partner with Account Executives to develop territory and account strategies
• Qualify technical opportunities and provide accurate sales forecasting input
• Support deal negotiations with technical expertise and solution positioning
• Collaborate with channel partners on joint security initiatives
• Product and Market Intelligence
• Provide customer feedback to product management and engineering teams
• Stay current with cloud security trends, threats, and regulatory requirements
• Contribute to competitive analysis and positioning materials
• Support marketing with technical content creation and thought leadership (blogs, white-papers, and webinars)

Requirements

• Technical Expertise
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in network security and/or cloud security
• Strong understanding of enterprise security frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2)
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their native security services
• Knowledge of network security technologies: firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, micro segmentation
• Familiarity with zero-trust architecture principles and implementation
• Understanding of compliance requirements (PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR
• Sales and Communication Skills
• 5+ years of experience in technical sales, sales engineering, or customer-facing technical roles
• Proven track record of supporting complex B2B sales cycles
• Excellent presentation and communication skills for both technical and executive audiences
• Experience with Salesforce preferred and MEDDPICC
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business value propositions
• Industry Knowledge
• Deep understanding of Cloud networking concepts and technologies
• Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)
• DevSecOps practices and security automation
• Container and Kubernetes security
• Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Advanced degree in relevant field
• Industry certifications (CISSP, CCSP, CISSP, AWS/Azure/GCP security certifications)
• Previous experience with the company or similar cloud networking solutions
• Experience in enterprise software sales or security consulting
• Public speaking experience at industry conferences or events
• Background in networking or security product management
• Key Performance Indicators
• Sales pipeline contribution and revenue attainment
• Technical win rate in supported opportunities
• Customer satisfaction scores for technical interactions
• Number of qualified opportunities generated through technical activities
• Time to technical qualification/proof of concept completion
• Competencies
• Technical Acumen: Deep understanding of security technologies and ability to quickly learn new solutions
• Customer Focus: Commitment to understanding and solving customer security challenges
• Sales Orientation: Drive to achieve revenue goals and support team success
• Communication: Clear, compelling communication across all organizational levels
• Collaboration: Effective partnership with sales, marketing, and technical teams
• Adaptability: Flexibility to work in a fast-paced, evolving technology environment
• TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
• Up to 60% travel for customer meetings, trade shows, and company events
• Occasional international travel may be required

Conditions

Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

Performance-based commission structure

Comprehensive benefits package

Stock options/equity participation

Professional development opportunities

SECURITY SPECIALIST KPIs

Primary Revenue Metrics

Pipeline & Revenue Generation

Influenced Pipeline Value - Total $ value of opportunities where security specialist provided technical support

Influenced Revenue Closed - Total $ value of closed-won deals with security specialist involvement

Pipeline to Revenue Conversion Rate - % of influenced pipeline that converts to closed revenue

Revenue per Supported Opportunity - Average deal size for opportunities with security specialist engagement

Year-over-Year Revenue Growth - Growth in influenced revenue compared to previous period

OPPORTUNITY METRICS

Number of Opportunities Supported - Total opportunities receiving technical security overlay

New Opportunities Generated - Net new opportunities created through security specialist activities

Technical Win Rate - % of opportunities won where security specialist provided technical support

Competitive Win Rate - % of competitive deals won with security specialist involvement

SALES PROCES EFFICIENCY

Velocity & Acceleration

Sales Cycle Reduction - Average reduction in sales cycle time for supported opportunities

Time to Technical Qualification - Average days from initial engagement to technical qualification

Proof of Concept (PoC) Success Rate - % of PoCs that result in purchase decisions

Average Time to PoC Completion - Days from PoC initiation to completion

ACTIVITY METRICS

Customer Technical Meetings per Month - Number of customer-facing technical sessions; number of partner facing activities

Demonstrations Delivered - Number of security-focused product demonstrations

RFP Responses Completed - Number of technical RFP sections completed per quarter, including security assessments

Technical Proposals Delivered - Number of custom security architecture proposals

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Content Contributions - Number of technical blogs, whitepapers, or case studies authored

Speaking Engagements - Number of conference presentations or webinar participations

Customer Workshop Facilitation - Number of technical workshops conducted

MARKET & PRODUCT IMPACT

Market Intelligence

Customer Requirements Documented - Number of detailed technical requirements gathered

Product Enhancement Requests - Number of customer-driven feature requests submitted

Competitive Analysis Updates - Frequency of competitive positioning updates provided

PRODUCT ADVOCACY

Beta Program Participation - Number of customers enrolled in product beta programs, and early adoption programs

Product Feedback Quality Score - Rating of feedback provided to product management

The Chicago OTE compensation range for this full-time position is $247,745 - $291,465 + benefits + 401(k) match + equity. The pay range is determined by the role, work location, job-related skills, level, experience and relevant education. The range displayed is applicable only for new hires for the listed position located in the US. Your Talent Advisor can share more details regarding salary ranges, benefits, and equity for your location during the hiring process.

Benefits

• US : We cover 100% of employee premiums and 88% of dependent(s) premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) match, short and long-term disability, life/AD&D insurance, $1,000/year education reimbursement, and a flexible vacation policy.
• Outside the US: We offer a comprehensive benefits package which, (subject to regional variations) could include pension, private medical for you and dependents, generous holiday allowance, life assurance, long-term disability, annual wellbeing stipend
• Your total compensation package will be based on job-related knowledge, education, certifications and location, per our aligned ranges.
• About the company
• As cloud infrastructures become more complex and costly, the the company Cloud Network Security platform gives companies back the power, control, security, and simplicity they need to modernize their cloud strategies. The company is the only secure networking solution built specifically for the cloud, that ensures companies are ready for AI and what’s next. Combined with the the company Certified Engineer (ACE) Program , the industry’s leading secure multicloud networking certification, the company unifies cloud, networking, and security teams and unlocks greater potential across any cloud.​
• WE WANT TO INCLUDE YOU
• We embrace the fact that not everyone’s journey took the same route or started at the same place. If your experience doesn’t quite meet the requirements but the opportunity excites you and you believe you could be great, don’t let that hold you back from applying. Tell us what you CAN bring and what makes you special.
• The company is a community where everyone's career can grow and we want to help you achieve your goals and be “your best YOU,” however that looks. If you're seeking an opportunity where you can be excited to start work every morning with enthusiastic people, make a real difference and be part of something amazing then let’s talk. We want to get to know you and how we could grow together.