Sales Engineer, SLED

Perception Point; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 200,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

medical

dental

vision

life and disability insurance

401(k)

11 paid holidays

vacation time

sick time

comprehensive leave program

Job summary

Fortinet is seeking a Systems Engineer, SLED to support Fortinet's SLED business unit in the United States. You will work with District Sales teams to assist in pre-sales, sales calls, and post-sales, bridging technical requirements with business outcomes.

Responsibilities include crafting demos, leading PoCs, and producing precise content for RFPs, with travel up to 70% as needed. Strong IC/OT cybersecurity experience is required.

Qualifications

• SLED Market Mastery: Proven track record supporting State, Local, and Education (SLED) accounts and understanding procurement cycles.
• Cybersecurity with emphasis on IC/OT environments.
• 5+ years in a customer-facing Pre-Sales Engineering or technical consulting role.

Responsibilities

• Own the Technical Relationship: bridge technical needs to business outcomes for customers.
• Consultative Approach: provide expert-level recommendations and best-practice guidance.
• Custom Demos: craft and present high-impact product demos for prospects.
• Event Support: be the technical face at key industry events and trade shows.
• Sales Partnership: collaborate with Account Executives to design winning solutions.
• PoC Mastery: drive Proof of Concept deployments end-to-end.
• RFP Leadership: deliver precise technical content for inbound queries and proposals.

Job description

We are looking for a Systems Engineer, SLED with experience in cyber security and IC/OT technologies to work closely with our District Sales teams supporting Fortinet's SLED business unit. The Systems Engineer's main mission will be to support the sales organization in all technical matters regarding pre-sales, sales calls, and post-sales.

Responsibilities:

• Own the Technical Relationship: Dive deep into customer environments to bridge the gap between technical needs and business outcomes.
• Consultative Approach: Empower clients with expert-level recommendations and best-practice guidance.
• Custom Demos: Craft and present high-impact product demos that tell a compelling story for every prospect.
• Event Support: Be the technical face of the company at key industry events and trade shows.
• Sales Partnership: Collaborate with Account Executives to design winning solutions for complex client needs.
• PoC Mastery: Drive successful Proof of Concept deployments, managing everything from initial setup to final troubleshooting.
• RFP Leadership: Deliver precise, technical content for inbound queries, proposals, and project scopes.

Industry & Sector Expertise

• SLED Market Mastery: Proven track record supporting State, Local, and Education (SLED) accounts, with a deep understanding of public sector procurement cycles, regulatory compliance, and government-specific RFP processes.
• Sector Tenure: Minimum of 5 years of professional experience within the Cybersecurity industry with heavy emphasis in IC/OT environments.
• Functional Experience: At least 5 years in a customer-facing Pre-Sales Engineering or technical consulting capacity.

Technical & Architectural Proficiency

• Industrial Cybersecurity: Practical familiarity with IC/OT environments, including industrial protocols, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and SCADA architectures.
• Network & Security Fundamentals: Strong command of networking and systems architecture, including the OSI and Purdue models, TCP/IP, and Linux CLI environments.
• Threat Analysis & Monitoring: Hands-on experience with packet analysis (Wireshark/Tshark) and managing log/telemetry data in support of customer security operations.
• Cloud & Virtualization: Proficiency in deploying and managing solutions within cloud and virtualized infrastructures.

Professional Skills & Mobility

• Communication & Presence: Exceptional presentation skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into business value for executive-level stakeholders.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills to drive technical win strategies alongside sales partners.
• Mobility: Ability and willingness to travel regularly (up to 70%) to engage with clients and partners on-site.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life and disability insurance
• 401(k)
• 11 paid holidays
• vacation time
• sick time
• comprehensive leave program

Wage ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, and job level. On target earnings for this position is expected to be $200,000 - $240,000 per year. Exact salary offers will be determined by factors such as the candidate's subject knowledge, skill level, qualifications, experience, and geographic location.

All roles are eligible to participate in the Fortinet equity program, and this position is also eligible for commissions based on the terms of the Sales Compensation Plan

Fortinet makes possible a digital world that we can always trust through its mission to protect people, devices, and data everywhere. This is why the world's largest enterprises, service providers, and government organizations choose Fortinet to securely accelerate their digital journey. The Fortinet Security Fabric platform delivers broad, integrated, and automated protections across the entire digital attack surface, securing critical devices, data, applications, and connections from the data center to the cloud to the home office. Ranking #1 in the most security appliances shipped worldwide, more than 615,000 customers trust Fortinet to protect their businesses. And the Fortinet NSE Training Institute, an initiative of Fortinet's Training Advancement Agenda (TAA), provides one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry to make cyber training and new career opportunities available to everyone.

We are looking for a Systems Engineer, SLED with experience in cyber security and IC/OT technologies to work closely with our District Sales teams supporting Fortinet's SLED business unit. The Systems Engineer's main mission will be to support the sales organization in all technical matters regarding pre-sales, sales calls, and post-sales.