Principal Sales Engineer - Federal

Zscaler, Inc.; Carpendale (WV); Remote; USD 176,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Time off plans

Parental leave options

Retirement options

Education reimbursement

In-office perks

Job summary

Zscaler, Inc. is seeking a Principal Sales Engineer for our Public Sector team.

This remote role on the East Coast reports to the Sales Engineering Manager in the Federal department and partners with Federal Civilian entities to architect solutions and guide Zero Trust transformation. You will lead value demonstrations, manage the end-to-end technical sales process, and run Proof of Value engagements while collaborating across internal teams to ensure customer success and trusted advisory

Qualifications

• Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to act as a Consultative AI Advisor, guiding customers through AI change management, including mapping manual business workflows to agentic AI systems and managing expectations around non-deterministic outputs
• Experience in security operations, firewall or proxy operations, and networking
• Demonstrated ability and proactive desire to learn new technical concepts quickly

Responsibilities

• Present and demonstrate the Zscaler platform to prospects, customers, and partners to articulate value and drive technical alignment
• Oversee the technical sales process end to end to accelerate deals and ensure technical success
• Run Proof of Value engagements from start to finish to validate outcomes and secure technical buy-in
• Collaborate across internal Zscaler teams to ensure seamless execution and customer success
• Act as a trusted advisor, translating customer desired outcomes into technical recommendations and guiding their Zero Trust transformation

Skills

AI fluency

Consultative AI advising

Security operations

Networking basics

Learning agility

Tools

LLMs

Coding assistants

Automation scripting

Job description

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across 200+ public data centers globally and thousands of private sites at the edge, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

We believe the future of work is Human + AI and are building an AI-native enterprise where human potential is amplified by machine intelligence to solve the world’s hardest security challenges. Driven by deep customer obsession, we are committed to the mission, outcome, and to each other. We bring these commitments to life through three core behaviors: ownership and collaboration, trust through outcomes and impact, and a challenge culture with ongoing feedback. Ready to make an impact at the company pioneering security transformation in the AI era? Join us at Zscaler.

Role

We are looking for a Principal Sales Engineer to join our Public Sector team. This is a remote role in the East Coast, reporting to the Sales Engineering Manager in the Federal department. As a key technical driver in our Federal organization, you will partner directly with Federal Civilian entities to architect solutions, demonstrate value, and guide their Zero Trust transformation.

What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)

• Present and demonstrate the Zscaler platform to prospects, customers, and partners to articulate value and drive technical alignment
• Oversee the technical sales process end to end to accelerate deals and ensure technical success
• Run Proof of Value engagements from start to finish to validate outcomes and secure technical buy-in
• Collaborate across internal Zscaler teams to ensure seamless execution and customer success
• Act as a trusted advisor, translating customer desired outcomes into technical recommendations and guiding their Zero Trust transformation

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity and feel comfortable building the path as you walk it, viewing dynamic environments as the raw material to create something meaningful.
• You act like an owner with a strong bias for action, operating with integrity and navigating seamlessly between strategic vision and hands-on execution.
• You are a continuous learner with a true growth mindset, actively seeking feedback to hone your skills, support your team, and deliver work with purpose.
• You are customer-obsessed, building deep empathy for user challenges and anchoring every technical recommendation in solving real-world problems.
• You are resilient and adaptable, viewing change as an opportunity and maintaining composure in high-pressure situations to guide partners through complexity.

What We’re Looking For (Minimum Qualifications)

• Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving
• Demonstrated ability to act as a Consultative AI Advisor, guiding customers through AI change management, including mapping manual business workflows to agentic AI systems and managing expectations around non-deterministic outputs
• Experience in security operations, firewall or proxy operations, and networking
• Demonstrated ability and proactive desire to learn new technical concepts quickly

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Demonstrate strong AI fluency by leveraging coding assistants, LLMs, and Generative AI tools to accelerate troubleshooting, solution design, automation, and customer problem-solving, while applying sound technical judgment to validate outputs.
• Utilization of AI tools, coding skills, or technical project development using AI to drive operational efficiency and outcomes
• Strong technical background in enterprise security and modern networking architectures
• Industry certifications including CCIE, CCNP, JNCIP, PCNSA, CISSP, or CCSP

Base Pay Range

$175,875-$251,250 USD

At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.

Benefits

• Various health plans
• Time off plans for vacation and sick time
• Parental leave options
• Retirement options
• Education reimbursement
• In-office perks, and more!

Learn more about Zscaler's hybrid working model and benefits here.

Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.

Pay Transparency

Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.

Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.