Pre-Sales Solutions Architect — Data Center & AI

Gruve • Redwood City, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced and technically accomplished Pre-Sales Solutions Architect to join our growing team. This customer-facing role is central to Gruve's go-to-market motion, supporting enterprise clients across the full pre-sales lifecycle — from discovery and solution design through proof-of-concept execution and proposal development. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in the Cisco Secure AI Factory ecosystem, including its core components: Cisco AI Defense, Isovalent (eBPF/Cilium), and Red Hat OpenShift with Cilium CNI. You will serve as the primary technical advisor to prospective customers, translating complex business challenges into compelling, architecturally sound solutions.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a pre-sales solutions architect, sales engineer, or technical pre-sales role — this is a firm requirement.
• Demonstrated expertise with Cisco networking and security technologies across data center, cloud, and security portfolios.
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and container networking in production or enterprise environments.
• Working knowledge of Red Hat OpenShift architecture and deployment patterns.
• Familiarity with eBPF-based networking concepts and Cilium CNI or equivalent container network interfaces.
• Strong understanding of Zero Trust security principles, microsegmentation, and AI workload security.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both engineering teams and executive audiences.
• Demonstrated track record of supporting and contributing to the closure of enterprise-level deals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; proficiency in creating polished architecture documentation and presentations.
• Ability to travel up to 30–40% for customer engagements, PoCs, and events.

Nice To Haves

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) — strongly preferred; relevant tracks include Enterprise, Data Center, or Security.
• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) — highly desirable; demonstrates elite-level technical mastery.
• Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Red Hat OpenShift certifications.
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS).
• Experience with Cisco AI/ML infrastructure, Secure Workload, or Panoptica platforms.
• Prior experience in a Cisco partner, VAR, or systems integrator pre-sales environment.
• Familiarity with GPU clusters, AI/ML pipeline infrastructure, and accelerated computing (NVIDIA, AMD).
• Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP in hybrid cloud architecture contexts.
• Background in DevSecOps, GitOps, or platform engineering practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical discovery sessions with enterprise prospects to understand business requirements, existing infrastructure, and security posture.
• Develop and deliver tailored solution presentations, architecture diagrams, and technical demonstrations aligned to the Cisco Secure AI Factory framework.
• Serve as the primary technical point-of-contact throughout the pre-sales cycle, building trust and credibility with customer stakeholders — architects, engineers, CISOs, and CTOs.
• Collaborate closely with Gruve's sales team to develop winning strategies, respond to RFPs/RFIs, and craft compelling proposals and statements of work (SOWs).
• Design and shepherd proof-of-concept (PoC) and pilot engagements from planning through successful customer sign-off.
• Architect end-to-end solutions leveraging the Cisco Secure AI Factory portfolio, including: Cisco AI Defense — AI workload visibility, threat detection, and policy enforcement for AI/ML pipelines.
• Isovalent Enterprise for Kubernetes — eBPF-based networking, security, and observability for containerized workloads.
• Red Hat OpenShift with Cilium CNI — Container networking, network policy enforcement, and advanced observability in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Design secure, scalable AI infrastructure architectures integrating GPU compute, high-performance networking, and layered security.
• Maintain Gruve's technical differentiation messaging relative to competing solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Cisco and Red Hat field teams to support co-selling and joint customer engagements.
• Represent Gruve at customer executive briefings, Cisco partner summits, and industry events.
• Contribute to reusable technical assets including reference architectures, solution briefs, demo environments, and competitive battle cards.
• Provide market and technical feedback to Gruve's practice leadership.
• Mentor junior solutions architects and pre-sales engineers.
• Stay current on emerging AI infrastructure trends, cloud-native security developments, and Cisco/Red Hat technology roadmaps.

Benefits

• At Gruve, we foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best work.

What This Job Offers

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