Senior Sales Engineer

Zendesk: Transform Customer & Employee Service with AI Agents; United States; Hybrid; USD 226,000 - 338,000; Full time

Job summary

Zendesk seeks a Senior Sales Engineer to lead discovery and translate AI/ML capabilities into business value for CX and ES. You’ll own end-to-end technical engagements, architect scalable solutions with Zendesk APIs and cloud platforms, and collaborate with Sales, Product, and Customer Success to accelerate customer growth.

You’ll drive AI adoption, measure ROI, and stay ahead of evolving CX technologies, while occasionally traveling to engage with customers and partners across the US.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of presales or solutions consulting in SaaS or CX.
• Strong knowledge of web/scripting tech and SaaS architectures.
• Proven pilots/POCs showing business value.
• Deep AI tech understanding (LLMs, NLP) in CX contexts.
• Experience in CCaaS, ITSM, BI, WFM, or integration projects.
• Analytical storytelling and strong communication skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical and business discovery to uncover challenges.
• Architect AI-driven CX & ES solutions for various stakeholders.
• Own end-to-end technical engagement through pilots and design.
• Integrate secure, scalable workflows using Zendesk APIs & cloud platforms.
• Collaborate across teams to align needs with product roadmap.
• Measure impact with analytics and ROI metrics; drive adoption.
• Stay ahead on AI trends and evangelize new capabilities.

Skills

Presales

SaaS

AI in CX

POC design

CCaaS / ITSM

Analytical storytelling

Communication

Willing to travel

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Zendesk APIs

Middleware

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Senior Sales Engineer

Location: Remote, California, United States of America, Remote, Colorado, United States of America

Remote Type: In Office

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Job Description

At Zendesk, we’re revolutionizing what’s possible in Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Services (ES). Every interaction becomes impactful through our unified Resolution Platform, powered by best-in-class AI, data, and transformative cloud technologies.

We’re leading the charge against outdated contact center solutions, helping top brands worldwide deliver smarter, faster, and more personal service at scale. Our rapid innovation and AI leadership have earned the trust of thousands of forward-thinking businesses.

As a Senior Sales Engineer, you’ll be at the forefront of transforming how leading brands leverage Zendesk’s AI-powered platform. As a trusted advisor and technical thought leader, you’ll take the lead in navigating complex customer challenges. Delivering innovative, scalable solutions that turn ambitious goals into measurable results. Working closely with Sales, Product, Engineering, and Customer Success, you’ll architect strategies that drive operational excellence, empower customer growth, and set new standards for service in a rapidly evolving landscape.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Lead Technical & Business Discovery: Conduct thorough discovery sessions to understand customer challenges, perform AI readiness assessments, and design tailored demos, and proofs of value that demonstrate Zendesk’s differentiated value.
• Architect AI-Driven CX & ES Solutions: Translate advanced AI/ML capabilities (such as automation, conversational bots, predictive analytics, and orchestration)into clear, business-focused narratives for diverse audiences from IT to the C-suite.
• Drive Technical Strategy Through the Sales Cycle: Own the end-to-end technical engagement, from qualification and design through pilot execution. , Ensuring each solution aligns with customer goals and compliance standards.
• Integrate & Scale: Architect secure, scalable solutions leveraging Zendesk APIs, middleware, telephony systems, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) that enable seamless workflows and automation.
• Collaborate & Influence: Work cross-functionally to align customer needs with Zendesk’s product roadmap, influence future innovations, and ensure a unified go-to-market strategy.
• Measure & Optimize Impact: Use Zendesk analytics and AI performance metrics (sentiment analysis, ticket deflection, time-to-resolution) to demonstrate ROI and inform continuous improvement.
• Champion AI Adoption: Collaborate with Customer Success to drive AI adoption through value realization initiatives and continued promotion of new AI capabilities.
• Stay Ahead of the Curve: Continuously build your expertise in AI, automation, and evolving CX and ES technologies, sharing insights that position Zendesk as a market thought leader.
  

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of presales or solutions consulting experience in SaaS, CX, enterprise software environments, or equivalent experience in similar environments.
• Strong knowledge of web/scripting technologies and SaaS architectures.
• Proven experience designing and executing customer pilots and proofs of concept that demonstrate business value.
• Deep understanding of AI technologies (LLMs, ChatGPT, NLP, MCP automation frameworks) and their practical applications in CX.
• Expertise in one or more of the following domains: CCaaS, Customer Service software, ITSM, Business Intelligence, Workforce Management, or Integration & Middleware.
• Strong analytical and storytelling abilities. Able to connect technical capabilities to strategic business impact.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation, and writing skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience (graduate degree a plus).
• Willingness and ability to travel as required

Who You Are:

• Strategic & Consultative: You think beyond features. Framing solutions around measurable customer outcomes.
• Technically Fluent: You have a deep curiosity for how AI and automation are reshaping customer experience.
• Collaborative Influencer: You work seamlessly across functions, aligning teams and earning stakeholder trust.
• Customer-Obsessed: You listen deeply, empathize authentically, and design with the customer at the center.
• Analytical Storyteller: You turn data and metrics into compelling business insights.
• Innovative Problem Solver: You approach challenges creatively leveraging technology to unlock new opportunities and value.

The US annualized OTE (On Target Earnings) range for this position is $226,000.00-$338,000.00 with a pay mix of 80/20 (base/commission). This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e‑mail to [e-mail] with your specific accommodation request.