Associate Director, AI Connect Sales Engineering

Verizon • Irvine, CA

6d

About The Position

Verizon is building AI Connect as an intelligent fabric for the AI economy, connecting AI campuses, data centers, power-advantaged regions, and cloud on-ramps through physical fiber infrastructure. The Associate Director leads sales engineers designing dark fiber, ultra-long-haul, metro, and campus interconnect solutions for hyperscalers, neoclouds, and other strategic customers. The role shapes route strategy, fiber capacity, diversity, latency, and cost before deals are won, while ensuring proposed designs can be built and delivered profitably.

The Associate Director sets the strategy and design standards for AI Connect and dark fiber engineering, guides the team supporting top strategic customers across a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, and owns solutions spanning GPU campus and data center interconnect, long-haul and intercity routes, metro rings, and cloud on-ramps. The position evaluates commercial options and financial returns, coordinates design with delivery organizations, develops talent, improves engineering efficiency, and represents Verizon at industry events and customer forums.

This is a mobile role, primarily based at customer or field locations, with occasional visits to a Verizon location for in-person training and meetings. Scheduled weekly hours are 40. The position is commission-based, with potential additional compensation. The annual salary range is $130,000–$248,000 for listed locations, and $142,500–$248,000 for New York locations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline or directly related equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years of experience engineering and architecting telecom, IT, or network infrastructure, with deep expertise in dark fiber and the intersection of physical assets with AI/ML digital transformation.
• At least 3 years leading senior technical talent, including workforce planning, coaching, and performance management.
• Proven record designing and winning large, multi-year infrastructure deals, including technical qualification, pricing, and contract negotiation.
• Experience engaging senior executives and delivering effective customer presentations.
• Demonstrated financial analysis skills, including P&L, ROI, cost analysis, and business-case development.

Nice To Haves

• MS or MBA.
• Direct experience with hyperscalers or neoclouds.
• OSP engineering, construction, or delivery background, including ultra-long-haul or metro fiber programs, permitting and right-of-way, and contractor management.
• Knowledge of AI and GPU cluster networking, including scale-out and scale-across topologies and their requirements on the fiber layer.
• Familiarity with power-driven site selection and its effect on network routes.
• Experience with IRUs, swaps, anchor-tenant builds, SLAs, and MSAs.
• Relevant certifications such as CCIE/CCNP, optical vendor certifications, or FOA CFOS.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute the strategy for dark fiber and AI Connect design engineering.
• Lead sales engineers supporting Verizon’s top strategic AI Connect customers across a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, driving bookings and revenue growth.
• Own designs for GPU campus interconnect, data center interconnect, long-haul and intercity routes, metro rings, and cloud on-ramps.
• Define design standards for ultra-high-count fiber, route diversity, latency budgets, splice and handhole strategy, ILA/regen siting, and phased growth for multi-stage AI builds.
• Evaluate build, IRU, lease, and swap options with Finance and Product, and develop ROI and cost models for large pursuits.
• Coordinate with Network Planning, Construction, Right-of-Way, Legal, and Operations to ensure quoted routes are constructible and delivered on schedule and budget.
• Equip the team to explain Verizon’s AI Connect, Dark Fiber, Lit Fiber/Wave, and Edge Data Centers offerings and establish thought leadership.
• Improve efficiency through automation and off-loading low-value work so senior engineers can focus on customer-facing design.
• Hire, coach, and retain engineers; maintain certifications and build a succession bench.
• Represent Verizon at industry events, through thought leadership, and on customer advisory boards.
• Apply through Verizon’s careers site with a resume and a brief note about the largest infrastructure design or pursuit led and the team built around it.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and retirement benefits.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Basic and supplemental life insurance and AD&D insurance.
• Identity theft protection.
• Pet insurance and group home and auto insurance.
• Matched 401(k) savings plan.
• Up to 8 company-paid holidays per year and up to 6 personal days per year.
• Paid parental leave.
• Adoption assistance.
• Tuition assistance.
• Other incentives and an award-winning total rewards package.
• New hires receive up to 15 vacation days per year, increasing with additional service.
• Potential premium pay, such as overtime, shift differential, holiday pay, and allowances, depending on the role.
• Base salary, annual incentive, and long-term incentive.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager