Senior Systems (Sales) Engineer

Forward Networks, Inc.; Minnesota; On-site; USD 240,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Networks is seeking a Systems (Sales) Engineer to serve as the primary technical resource for the sales team, focusing on large enterprise accounts. You will advocate the product, drive tech evaluations, deliver demos/POCs, and build strategic customer relationships throughout the sales cycle.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years selling to enterprises in networking or related software, with scripting skills and excellent presentation abilities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience selling to Enterprise customers for a networking company or relevant software vendor.
• 2 years experience with some scripting or programming language; understanding of program flow, conditionals, basic logic handling.
• Superior presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical resource for the sales organization working with large enterprise accounts.
• Work with the sales team as the product advocate and key technical adviser.
• Drive and manage the technology evaluation stage of the sales process; answer technical questions and communicate business and technical value to all levels of management.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships throughout the sales cycle to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
• Establish technical feasibility and perform qualification of the potential technical deployment.
• Develop and deliver product demos and POCs.
• Respond to functional and technical elements of RFIs/RFPs.
• Work with internal product management and engineering teams to convey customer requirements.
• Represent the product to customers, partners and at field events such as conferences, seminars, etc.

Skills

Networking & security

Communication

Enterprise sales

Scripting basics

Presentation skills

Education

B.S. Computer Science or equivalent

Certifications: CCIE/JNCIE/VCDX

Job description

Forward Networks is transforming how the world’s most complex networks are managed and secured. Founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, we built the industry’s first network digital twin — a mathematically precise model of the production network that gives IT teams unmatched visibility, verification, and agility across every major cloud and vendor environment.

Our customers include global leaders such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&P Global, IBM, and Dell, as well as fast-growing enterprises and government agencies. According to IDC, Forward Networks customers realize an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits through improved efficiency and security.

Backed by world‑class investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, and Threshold Ventures, Forward Networks offers a people‑centric, innovative culture where brilliant minds are shaping the future of network reliability, security, and AI‑ready operations.

Forward Networks is looking for a Systems (Sales) Engineer

• Do you want to help sell a platform that solves real networking problems?
• Join a company that has been in the market 6+ years and has some of the top Federal agencies and F500/Global 2000 already buying and referenceable.
• If you have 5-10 years of wildly successful experience as a Systems Engineer selling to large enterprise accounts...you may be the one!
• We are building a special team and hope you consider us if you want to have the experience of changing the networking world as we know it.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical resource for the sales organization working with large enterprise accounts.
• Work with the sales team as the product advocate and key technical adviser.
• Drive and manage the technology evaluation stage of the sales process; answer technical questions and communicate business and technical value to all levels of management.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships throughout the sales cycle to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
• Establish technical feasibility and perform qualification of the potential technical deployment.
• Develop and deliver product demos and POCs.
• Respond to functional and technical elements of RFIs/RFPs.
• Work with internal product management and engineering teams to convey customer requirements.
• Represent the product to customers, partners and at field events such as conferences, seminars, etc.

Required Qualifications

• Strong understanding of networking and security solutions and vendors.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills with a focus on needs analysis, positioning, business justification, and closing techniques.
• 5+ years’ experience selling to Enterprise customers for a networking company or relevant software vendor.
• 2 Years experience with some scripting or programming language; understanding of program flow, conditionals, basic logic handling.
• Superior presentation skills.

Highly Desired

• Working knowledge of API driven workflows and scripting languages (Python, bash, jq, graphql, etc).
• Experience working with a startup company.
• B.S. Computer Science or equivalent educational experience.
• One or more of the following certificates: CCIE, JNCIE or VCDX.

The expected On-Target Cash Earning for this role is between $240,000 - $275,000 per year. Within this range, individual pay is determined by several factors including but not limited to, job-related skills, work experience, and relevant education/training.