HPE Networking, Presales Systems Engineer SLED

Hewlett Packard Enterprise•All, Kentucky, United States of America, OH

2d•$175,000 - $411,500•Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a Pre-Sales Systems Engineer to support State Government and Higher Education customers throughout Kentucky. As a Systems Engineer, you will serve as a technical leader and trusted advisor, partnering closely with Account Managers, customers, and channel partners throughout the sales cycle. You will help customers understand their current challenges, define their future-state network architectures, and evaluate solutions across the HPE Networking portfolio. This role combines deep networking expertise with consultative selling and relationship building. You should be equally comfortable whiteboarding an architecture with network engineers, demonstrating technology, and helping IT leaders understand how AI-native networking, automation, security, and the self-driving network can transform network operations and user experiences. The ideal candidate brings strong networking fundamentals, intellectual curiosity, excellent communication skills, and a passion for solving customer problems.

Requirements

Candidates should reside in Kentucky or within reasonable proximity to the territory. Candidates based in nearby areas of Ohio or Indiana may also be considered.
Comfortable with travel up to 60% throughout the assigned territory.
5+ years of experience in pre-sales engineering, systems engineering, network architecture, technical consulting, network engineering, or a related technical role.
Strong Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking fundamentals, with experience across enterprise routing, switching, wireless, and network security technologies.
Experience designing, implementing, supporting, or positioning enterprise networking solutions.
Ability to lead technical discovery, understand complex customer environments, and translate requirements into practical solution architectures and business outcomes.
Strong customer-facing communication, presentation, demonstration, and whiteboarding skills, with the ability to engage both technical teams and executive leadership.
Knowledge of modern networking technologies such as cloud-managed networking, SD-WAN, data center networking, network automation, and AI-driven operations is preferred.
Strong problem-solving skills, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to quickly learn and apply new technologies.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with sales teams, customers, partners, and internal technical resources.
Customer-first mindset with strong ownership, accountability, urgency, and follow-through.
Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Higher Education, State Government, or other public-sector customers is beneficial but not required.
Industry certifications from Aruba, Juniper, HPE, Cisco, or other relevant networking vendors are preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a technical leader and trusted advisor for State Government and Higher Education customers throughout Kentucky, building relationships from network engineers and architects to IT and executive leadership.
Partner with Account Managers to develop account strategies and identify, qualify, and advance opportunities through successful closure and adoption.
Lead technical discovery, understand customer challenges and future-state goals, and translate requirements into compelling solution architectures across the HPE Networking portfolio.
Help customers understand how AI-native networking and the evolution toward self-driving networks can simplify operations, improve user experience, strengthen security, and increase resiliency.
Deliver engaging customer presentations, demonstrations, whiteboarding sessions, workshops, Proof of Concept (POCs), and technical evaluations.
Position HPE Networking solutions against competitive offerings and clearly articulate technical differentiation and customer value.
Collaborate with channel partners and internal specialists to support RFPs, complex technical engagements, and successful customer outcomes.
Continuously develop expertise across HPE Aruba Networking and HPE Juniper Networking technologies, industry trends, and emerging network architectures.