AI Solutions Engineer

Cisco Systems, Inc; Manchester; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc in Manchester seeks an AI & Connectivity Specialist sit at the intersection of infrastructure, software, and AI, helping enterprise clients navigate the shift toward AI-driven operations. You will establish credibility with executives and map Cisco’s AI stack to business outcomes.

In partnership with the AI Account Executive, you will guide customers through their AI journey from ideation to full-scale implementation, aligning technology with measurable value and security.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years in systems engineering or solution architecture in AI/cloud infra vendors.
• Proven track record in UK & Ireland enterprise or public sector markets.
• Deep understanding of Kubernetes, container orchestration, and microservices architecture.
• Strong knowledge of networking protocols, security frameworks, and API automation.
• Excellent communication for executive and technical audiences.
• Experience driving technical sales engagements and complex deals.

Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end solution outcomes from ideation to full-scale implementation.
• Strategic ecosystem alignment with ISVs and industry partners.
• Design robust, scalable, secure AI infrastructure using Cisco solutions.
• Execute POV projects to validate performance and business outcomes.
• Provide strategic feedback and represent Cisco at industry events.

Skills

Kubernetes

Container orchestration

Microservices

Networking fundamentals

Security frameworks

API automation

Executive communication

Sales engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Job description

Meet the Team As an AI & Connectivity Specialist, you will sit at the intersection of infrastructure, software, and artificial intelligence, helping our enterprise clients navigate the shift toward AI-driven operations. You are a skilled relationship builder, adept at quickly establishing credibility through deep subject matter expertise, executive presence, and clear communication. You will act as a trusted advisor to technical architects and C-suite stakeholders, mapping Cisco’s AI stack to specific business outcomes.

Your Impact In this role, you will partner with the AI Account Executive to serve as the technical authority for our AI Factory infrastructure solutions, guiding customers through their complete AI journey.

• Drive End-to-End Solution Outcomes: Lead customers from initial AI use case ideation through to full-scale implementation, ensuring technical and business alignment.
• Strategic Ecosystem Alignment: Facilitate seamless integration by aligning Cisco’s AI stack with key ISV and industry partners to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end solutions.
• Solution Design & Infrastructure Leadership: Architect robust, scalable, and secure environments, leveraging Cisco’s AI-optimized networking, compute, and observability solutions to support complex AI workloads.
• Proof of Value (POV) Execution: Design, implement, and drive Proof of Value (POV) projects, validating solution performance and business outcomes within customer environments.
• Strategic Feedback & Thought Leadership: Collaborate with internal product engineering to influence the roadmap based on field insights and represent Cisco at industry events as a leader in secure, intelligent AI infrastructure.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in systems engineering or solution architecture within AI, data center, or cloud infrastructure equipment vendors.
• Proven track record of success in the UK & Ireland enterprise or public sector market.
• Deep understanding of Kubernetes, container orchestration, and microservices architecture.
• Strong knowledge of networking protocols, security frameworks, and API-driven automation.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both executive and technical audiences.
• Demonstrated experience in driving technical sales engagements and managing complex deal cycles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with AI/ML infrastructure architecture and protocols, network fabric and software runtime
• Experience in AI application and Agentic development.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC), service orchestration
• Expertise in cybersecurity and infrastructure observability.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.