Solutions Engineer

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in San Jose, CA is seeking a Senior Solutions Engineer to own the technical relationship with Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers. You will lead end-to-end engagements, craft architectures, and position Cisco solutions to win commitments.

The role requires hybrid work with 2 days in the office and relocation compatibility for the Bay Area. Responsibilities include steering architecture, POC execution, and translating tech visions into business outcomes with

Qualifications

• 8+ years in technical pre-sales, solutions architecture, or customer-facing systems engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical relationship with Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers.
• Lead end-to-end technical engagements: discovery, architecture, validation, POC, and close.
• Position Cisco architectures against competitors and resolve objections at engineering/executive levels.
• Translate architectural vision into account strategy with AE and team.
• Deliver demos, whiteboard sessions, and executive briefings connecting design to business outcomes.

Skills

Pre-sales

Solutions architecture

Customer-facing

Communication

Problem solving

Tools

Cisco IOS-XR

NX-OS

Networking hardware

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 11/18/2026 Note: This role is based in our San Jose, CA office. To support team collaboration and onsite engagement, this position requires a hybrid work schedule of 2 days per week in the office. We are seeking candidates who are currently located in or are willing to relocate to the Bay Area to meet this requirement.

Meet the Team

You'll join Cisco's Webscale and Neocloud provider segment, covering next-generation cloud builders ("Neoclouds") and strategic AI accounts. These customers are standing up some of the largest AI training and inference fabrics in the world — GPU clusters, high-radix Ethernet back-end networks, and the optical transport connecting them. The pace is unlike anything else in the industry, and the technical bar is high. Our team is deeply customer-centric, and success is measured by the technical win and the customer's outcome.

Your Impact

As a Senior Solutions Engineer, you own the technical relationship with Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers. You'll partner with Account Executives to build and execute account strategy, earn credibility through architectural depth, and convert that credibility into design wins.

• Customer-facing ownership
• Lead technical engagements end-to-end: discovery, architecture, validation, POC, and technical close
• Own the technical win — position Cisco architectures against competitive alternatives and resolve objections at the engineering and executive level
• Translate architectural vision into account strategy alongside your AE and extended account team
• Deliver demonstrations, whiteboard sessions, and executive briefings that connect technical design to business outcomes
• Mobilize stakeholders across engineering, product, and BU teams to unblock customer requirements and influence roadmap
• Lead demand generation and enablement initiatives for your accounts and segment

Technical depth you'll apply

• Design AI, data center, and service provider networks at scale
• Architect AI back-end and front-end fabrics, including compute, storage, and optics
• Apply deep routing expertise: BGP, MPLS, EVPN, and Segment Routing
• Work hands-on with Cisco IOS-XR, NX-OS, or equivalent network operating systems
• Stay current on AI infrastructure trends and adjust technical strategy as the market shifts

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years in technical pre-sales, solutions architecture, or customer-facing systems engineering, with a track record of owning the technical win
• Deep expertise in data center networking and service provider technologies, including BGP, EVPN, MPLS, or Segment Routing
• Hands-on experience with Cisco IOS-XR / NX-OS or equivalent network operating systems
• Strong technical expertise with Cisco or competitor data center and routing platforms
• Excellent communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills with a customer-focused mindset
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to build durable technical relationships at customer accounts

Preferred Qualifications

• CCIE (Data