Solutions Engineer, Enterprise

Cisco Systems, Inc; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 229,000 - 345,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with matching contribution

Parental leave

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an experienced Solutions Engineer to bridge Cisco’s innovations with our public sector customers in the enterprise space.

You will work with Account Executives to architect and present high-value network solutions, from BoMs to PoCs, and drive adoption of Cisco technologies. The role emphasizes technical leadership, solution design, and continuous learning in Data Center, Security, and Cloud.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in technical pre-sales, systems engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years hands-on experience deploying/supported Cisco portfolios or comparable enterprise networking products.
• Demonstrated knowledge of internetworking concepts including routing and IP addressing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical advisor aligning Cisco portfolio with customer business drivers.
• Design, present, and demonstrate high-value solutions from BoMs to PoCs.
• Educate stakeholders on Cisco differentiators and solutions to build confidence and demand.
• Collaborate with Account Executives to develop and execute account plans across Cisco technology suites.
• Stay current on Data Center, Security, and Cloud technologies to guide customer conversations.

Skills

Technical pre-sales

Systems engineering

Networking concepts

Routing protocols (OSPF, BGP)

Education

CCNP certification

Tools

Cisco Product Portfolios

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/08/2026

MEET THE TEAM

You will be joining a collaborative environment where Solutions Engineers (SEs) and Account Executives (AEs) work in lockstep to solve complex technical challenges for our public sector clients. Our team is defined by a culture of technical excellence and strategic partnership; we don't just sell technology, we architect outcomes. You will be supported by a deep bench of Cisco specialists, allowing you to leverage the full weight of our product and services portfolio to drive meaningful change within the ENTERPRISE sector.

YOUR IMPACT

In this role, you serve as the critical bridge between Cisco’s innovation and our customers' most pressing business objectives. Your technical expertise, combined with your ability to influence and inspire, will be the primary driver for setting brand preference for Cisco.

Your day-to-day impact will include:

• Strategic Technical Consulting: Act as the primary technical advisor, aligning Cisco’s broad portfolio with specific customer business drivers to ensure successful, long-term outcomes.
• Architecting Solutions: Collaborate with account teams to design, present, and demonstrate high-value solutions. From initial BoMs to complex proof-of-concept (PoC) activities, you will be the technical lead on the ground.
• Driving Demand through Education: Educate stakeholders on Cisco’s unique market differentiators, building confidence in our technology through your passion, presentation, and troubleshooting skills.
• Unified Account Planning: Work in direct partnership with Account Executives to develop and execute account plans, leveraging the vast array of Cisco technology and support specialists to penetrate and expand our footprint.
• Continuous Innovation: Maintain a constant pulse on the evolving technology landscape (specifically Data Center, Security, and Cloud), ensuring that you and your customers stay ahead of the curve.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in technical pre-sales, systems engineering, or an industry-related technology environment.

Minimum of 3 years of hands‑on technical experience deploying, supporting, or architecting Cisco product portfolios or equivalent competing enterprise‑grade networking product portfolios.

Demonstrated work history applying foundational internetworking concepts, including routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP), switching architectures, and IP addressing/subnetting, substantiated through previous job duties or technical project deliverables.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Active Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification or higher.

Demonstrated experience designing, presenting, and defending multi‑tier enterprise network solutions across hybrid cloud or campus environments for commercial or enterprise‑level clients.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $229,000.00 to $299,800.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.

Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job‑related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long‑term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:

• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non‑exempt employees
• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year‑end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
• Non‑exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full‑time employees
• Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto the next
• Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer

For non‑sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance‑based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non‑quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota‑based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

• .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
• 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
• 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and
• Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non‑quota‑based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:

$229,000.00 - $344,700.00

Non‑Metro New York state & Washington state:

$218,600.00 - $329,000.00

* For quota‑based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non‑exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.