Staff Solutions Engineer - FDSE Public Sector - Splunk (Remote)

Cisco • Reston, VA

8d • Remote

About The Position

Cisco is seeking an accomplished, hands-on Forward Deployed Solutions Engineer (FDSE) with AI expertise and post-sales and/or pre-sales experience. The FDSE team works directly alongside strategic U.S.-based defense and intelligence customers to lead AI transformation, co-develop and integrate solutions, and demonstrate capabilities that support critical mission outcomes and fast time to value. The team works with Sales, Product and Technology, Software Development, Customer Success, and partners in agile, customer-embedded environments.

In this embedded engineering role, you will architect and prototype solutions that combine Cisco AI infrastructure and the Splunk portfolio with complex, heterogeneous enterprise environments. You will help accelerate customer business outcomes, influence technical decision-makers, and deliver tangible proof that supports customer retention and growth. You will also collaborate with Cisco product engineering teams to provide field insights and help evolve the AI-integrated portfolio, while mentoring and collaborating with other Forward Deployed Solution Engineers and fostering technical excellence, continuous learning, customer focus, and ownership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical engineering experience.
• At least 9 years of professional experience in post-sales and pre-sales roles working directly with customers on distributed software and system architecture deployments.
• At least 3 years of experience in generative and agentic AI, machine learning platforms, Kubernetes or other container orchestration, event-driven architectures across cloud-native and hybrid platforms, and large-scale enterprise data architectures.
• Experience using AI to realize customer business outcomes with fast time to value.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Top Secret security clearance or ability to obtain one.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the assigned territory to meet business and customer engagement requirements.

Nice To Haves

• At least 7 years leading technical customer-facing engagements involving ambiguous, high-impact enterprise projects.
• At least 5 years of Cisco and Splunk experience, or equivalent experience with a top competitor.
• Ability to explain how AI and automation solve complex business problems and achieve rapid return on investment.
• Strong narrative skills and ability to connect deep technical AI implementation with executive-level business requirements.
• AI, data science, and enterprise certifications and/or education.

Responsibilities

• Architect and prototype solutions with customers, leveraging Cisco AI infrastructure and the Splunk portfolio in complex enterprise environments.
• Accelerate customer business outcomes and reduce time to value through hands-on embedded engineering and tangible proofs of solution value.
• Influence technical decision-makers and support durable customer growth through retention and expansion.
• Collaborate with Cisco product engineering teams and provide field-level insights to inform portfolio development.
• Mentor and collaborate with Forward Deployed Solution Engineers, promoting technical excellence, continuous learning, customer focus, and ownership.
• Work closely with Sales, Product and Technology, Software Development, Customer Success, and partners.

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
• Paid holidays and floating holiday
• Paid birthday day off
• Paid year-end holiday shutdown
• Paid personal wellness days
• Paid vacation or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification
• Paid sick time
• Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
• Optional paid volunteer time
• Annual bonus eligibility for non-sales roles, subject to company policies
• Performance-based incentive pay for employees on sales plans
• Employees may be eligible for Cisco restricted stock unit grants, subject to continued employment and vesting terms

What This Job Offers

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