Operation Solutions Engineer - SLED

Cisco • Chicago, IL

1d

About The Position

As a Solutions Engineer in the SLED – North Star Operation, this is a pre-sales, field-based, customer-facing engineering role supporting strategic and innovative business opportunities across a 14-state geography. The engineer spends 50–75% of their time with customers and collaborates with Account Teams, Connected Teams, Partners, and Product Teams. The role focuses on business outcomes through customer intimacy, thought leadership, executive engagement, and technical excellence.

The position serves as a trusted technical advisor to SLED Account Teams and customers, bringing deep knowledge across Cisco solutions and architectures and applying it across verticals. It includes leading high-impact customer engagements and developing executive relationships and champions for strategic technical initiatives. The engineer also represents customer feedback to product and business groups, supports innovation pilots and field trials, and helps drive business growth and modernization opportunities.

This role is not primarily responsible for escalation ownership or post-sales support, is not heavily internal-facing or meeting-bound, and is not tied to a single sales counterpart or dependent on a partner. The preferred locations are Chicago, Denver, and Seattle. The employee must live in or relocate to a state within the operation: IL, CO, WA, OR, UT, ID, MT, KS, NE, MN, IA, MO, or WI. Travel is expected 50–75% of the time.

Requirements

• 10+ years of industry experience, including significant experience as a pre-sales solutions engineer.
• Deep knowledge of Cisco’s Route/Switch and Security portfolio, as well as competitive offerings.
• Proven track record leading strategic multi-architecture sales cycles, competitive takeouts, franchise wins, and innovation.
• CCNP or similar competitive certification.
• For internal applicants: operation/area support from Senior Leadership.
• Ability to live in or relocate to a state in the operation: IL, CO, WA, OR, UT, ID, MT, KS, NE, MN, IA, MO, or WI.
• Ability to travel 50–75% of the time.

Nice To Haves

• CCIE or equivalent expert-level competitive certification.
• Market expertise in relevant verticals: State/Local Government, Education (K12 and Secondary/Higher Education), and Healthcare.
• A “Serve” mindset.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical, trusted advisor to SLED Account Teams and customers.
• Bring thought leadership and deep technical knowledge across Cisco solutions and architectures, applying it across verticals.
• Participate in and lead high-impact customer engagements, including Tech Days, Connect, Cisco Experience Center Briefings, executive discussions, EFT opportunities, Stay Ready, and Cisco Live.
• Champion a culture of learning, coaching, and technical excellence.
• Develop executive relationships and champions for strategic technical strategies.
• Participate in relevant advisory boards and tiger teams to represent USPS/SLED customer feedback and needs and help shape the future portfolio and offerings.
• Help create and drive operation campaigns and initiatives based on business needs and growth.
• Invest in personal development through certifications, self-study, soft-skills development, executive coaching, market trend analysis, competitive training, and other relevant learning.
• Engage with Product Teams through innovation pilots, early field trials, and field feedback loops into development.
• Measure impact and contribute to balanced portfolio business growth and pipeline growth.
• Uncover and drive modernization opportunities, competitive takeouts, and franchise wins.
• Build trusted executive leadership relationships in strategic accounts.
• Travel 50–75% of the time.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Basic life insurance
• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year
• One floating holiday for non-exempt employees
• One paid day off for employee’s birthday
• Paid year-end holiday shutdown
• Four paid days off for personal wellness
• Paid vacation time for non-exempt employees; exempt employees participate in a flexible vacation time-off program with no defined limit, subject to availability and business limitations
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1, with up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward
• Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
• Optional 10 paid volunteer days per full calendar year
• Annual bonuses for eligible employees in non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies
• Performance-based incentive pay for employees on sales plans
• Potential grants of Cisco restricted stock units, subject to eligibility and vesting conditions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed