Senior Sales Engineer

Contrast Security•Pleasanton, CA

About The Position

At Contrast Security, we’re redefining how organizations protect their software at the speed of modern development. With industry-leading Application Detection and Response (ADR), we give teams the power to detect, stop and fix real threats in real time. If you're passionate about building smarter, faster, more effective security, you’ll fit right in. We’re looking for sharp minds, fearless builders, and problem-solvers who thrive on turning complex challenges into innovative solutions. We are seeking a Sales Engineer with significant security experience who will provide technical leadership throughout the sales process. Your thorough understanding of AppSec, DevSecOps, consulting, IT, developer, and sales, coupled with your excellent communication skills, will enable you to effectively articulate and demonstrate the value of Contrast Security’s solutions to technical and non-technical audiences. The SE is a key link between Sales, Product Management, and Engineering. You will synthesize messaging for executives, work with sales reps daily, and communicate with engineers when necessary. Candidates must be comfortable working in Linux and Windows environments and adept with their command-line tooling, OS services, and commands. You’ll play a critical role during significant company and team growth. During the first month, you’ll dive into the Contrast platform and learn an exciting technology that improves how software development teams secure their code. You’ll be immersed in DevSecOps and experience firsthand what “Shifting Left” means for Application Security. Within three months, you’ll be engaging directly with Contrast prospective customers, from Fortune 100 to technology leaders and ISVs, to show the value of continuous application security monitoring. As you progress, you’ll be called on to solve complex technical challenges for prospective clients. To succeed, you’ll need to be adept at analyzing prospective customer processes, defining the ideal end state, and helping the prospective customer derive value from the Contrast platform. The position requires a deep understanding of a DevOps-oriented SDLC and the ability to evangelize Contrast products to prospective customers. You will also participate in webinars, conferences, and blogs with expertise in discovering customer requirements, demonstrating product capabilities, executing Proofs of Value (POVs), and leading Enterprise Architecture discussions as essential factors to drive success in this role.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master’s degree in computer science or a related discipline
Development experience - you must have some scripting and/or programming experience and be able to walk through code-level results with clients when needed (JAVA and .NET experience preferred but not required)
Strong leadership skills with the ability to prioritize and execute in a methodical and disciplined manner
Exceptional written and oral communication skills. This role requires an ability to understand and articulate both the business benefits (value proposition) and technical advantages of Contrast products and solutions
The ability to tell a story convincingly is a must
Previous Presales experience in Enterprise software sales is highly preferred
Knowledge of Application security solutions and technologies (SAST, DAST, IAST, RASP, WAF), OWASP Top 10, software development concepts and the SDLC, Linux, Windows, Network architecture/implementation/configuration experience, DevOps, CI/CD, vulnerability remediation, WAFs, general bug tracking and build systems
Hands-on experience with the “modern software stacks” and tools and platforms such as Docker, Kubernetes, Git (and related systems such as Bitbucket), Amazon Web Services, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Foundry, and other IaaS and PaaS platforms
7+ years of relevant AppSec experience within a corporate environment (including consulting or pre-sales), which includes 3+ years of software development experience with Java, .NET, or Node.js
4+ years of enterprise sales engineering experience
Understand and be conversant about Contrast’s competitors, their solutions, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Ability to travel 40%+ within the territory (or as needed)

Responsibilities

Provide technical ownership of sales opportunities, including demonstrations, POV requirements capture and installations, troubleshooting, and knowledge transfer
Refine and research the technical requirements of the opportunity
Understand / Educate / Evangelize the concept of continuous real-time application security and the need for it
Act as a thought leader and an interface between the Sales organization and technical staff to resolve outstanding issues
Provide reporting and feedback on customer accounts and field activities to Sales, Product Management, and Engineering
Work closely with buyers in the process of integration of Contrast products
Ability to navigate an evaluation to success for both clients and Contrast
Understand the customer’s business drivers and how to map these to a Contrast solution
Develop technical materials for customers and other Sales Engineers
Document Sales Engineering processes
Set and manage expectations with senior stakeholders and team members and continuously maintain and develop technical knowledge