Solutions Engineer

Shift5; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus program

Equity in startup

Health, dental and vision coverage

Health Savings Account

Life Insurance

Unlimited PTO

Transit benefits

Job summary

Shift5 is seeking a customer-focused Solution Engineer to help customers understand and adopt its platform. You will deliver technical demonstrations, support evaluations, and translate complex cybersecurity and OT capabilities into business value for defense and commercial fleets.

Ideal candidates have experience presenting software solutions, strong communication skills, and the ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance. Travel up to 20–35% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, CS, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related technical discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 2–5 years of experience in customer-facing technical roles.
• Experience presenting software or technical solutions to customers.
• Experience supporting defense technology, cybersecurity, SaaS, aerospace, transportation, or government contracting organizations is strongly preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Strategic Account Executives throughout the sales cycle to support technical discovery, customer meetings, and solution development.
• Deliver engaging product demonstrations tailored to customer missions, environments, and technical requirements.
• Assist customers with technical evaluations, proof-of-concept activities, workshops, and pilot programs.
• Develop a strong understanding of Shift5's platform, cybersecurity capabilities, predictive maintenance analytics, and OT.
• Answer customer technical questions and collaborate with Product and Engineering to address complex requirements.
• Support solution design by aligning Shift5's capabilities to customer objectives and challenges.
• Partner with Product Marketing to support industry events, coordinate product demonstrations, and participate in customer engagements.
• Assist with technical presentations, proposal responses, capability briefs, and customer-facing technical documentation.
• Capture customer feedback and communicate product enhancement opportunities to Product and Engineering.
• Represent Shift5 at meetings, industry conferences, trade shows, and demonstrations.

Skills

Networking

Cybersecurity

Cloud technologies

OT

Embedded systems

Enterprise software

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Job description

Shift5 is building the data platform for onboard operational technology (OT). We deliver cybersecurity, predictive maintenance, and compliance capabilities that enable defense and commercial fleets to operate with greater readiness, resilience, and mission assurance.

We are seeking a customer-focused, technically curious Solution Engineer to help customers understand, evaluate, and adopt Shift5's platform. This role partners closely with Sales, Product, Engineering, Customer Success, and Product Marketing to deliver technical demonstrations, support customer evaluations, and communicate how Shift5's technology solves complex operational and cybersecurity challenges.

The Solution Engineer serves as the technical bridge between our platform and our customers, helping translate complex technical capabilities into clear business value while supporting the overall sales process.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving customer problems, presenting technology, collaborating across teams, and growing their technical expertise in defense technology and operational technology.

Note: This position requires U.S. citizenship due to federal contract requirements and access to controlled information.

What You'll Do

• Partner with Strategic Account Executives throughout the sales cycle to support technical discovery, customer meetings, and solution development.
• Deliver engaging product demonstrations tailored to customer missions, operational environments, and technical requirements.
• Assist customers with technical evaluations, proof-of-concept activities, workshops, and pilot programs.
• Develop a strong understanding of Shift5's platform, cybersecurity capabilities, predictive maintenance analytics, and onboard operational technology.
• Answer customer technical questions and collaborate with Product and Engineering to address more complex technical requirements.
• Support solution design by helping align Shift5's capabilities to customer objectives and operational challenges.
• Partner with Product Marketing to support industry events, coordinate product demonstrations, and participate in customer engagements.
• Assist with technical presentations, proposal responses, capability briefs, and customer-facing technical documentation.
• Capture customer feedback and communicate product enhancement opportunities to Product and Engineering.
• Represent Shift5 at customer meetings, industry conferences, trade shows, and technical demonstrations.
• Stay informed on competitive offerings, industry trends, and emerging technologies to better support customer conversations.
• Build trusted relationships with customers by providing responsive, professional technical support throughout the sales process.

What Success Looks Like

• Deliver compelling technical demonstrations that clearly communicate Shift5's value proposition.
• Build credibility and trust with customer technical and operational stakeholders.
• Effectively support Account Executives throughout the sales cycle by providing technical expertise.
• Develop deep knowledge of Shift5's platform and confidently communicate product capabilities.
• Contribute to successful customer evaluations, proof-of-concepts, and technical workshops.
• Collaborate effectively across Sales, Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Customer Success.
• Consistently provide customer feedback that helps improve Shift5's products and go-to-market strategy.
• Represent Shift5 professionally across customer engagements, demonstrations, and industry events.

What We're Looking For

• 2–5 years of experience as a Solution Engineer, Sales Engineer, Systems Engineer, Technical Consultant, or in a similar customer-facing technical role.
• Experience presenting software or technical solutions to customers.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Working knowledge of networking, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, operational technology (OT), embedded systems, or enterprise software.
• Experience supporting customer demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, or technical evaluations.
• Strong collaboration and problem-solving skills with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Experience supporting defense technology, cybersecurity, SaaS, aerospace, transportation, or government contracting organizations is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting Department of Defense or Intelligence Community customers is preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Expected travel: 20–35%.

• Bonus program and equity in a fast-growing startup
• Competitive salary and stock options in a fast-growing startup
• Employer-paid medical, dental and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions
• Life Insurance
• Uncapped paid time off policy
• Tax-deferred public transit benefits with Metro SmartBenefits (DC/MD/VA)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Shift5 is committed to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file. As set forth in Shift5’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years. Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp .