Principal Solution Engineer

WHO WE ARE:

Aviatrix® is pioneering the Cloud Native Security Fabric — the architecture the Containment Era requires. The Cloud Native Security Fabric governs every workload communication path across every cloud, every VPC, every Kubernetes cluster, and every serverless function, from a single policy plane. One rule. Universal propagation. Enforced at the workload, not at a chokepoint. Trusted by more than 500 of the world's leading enterprises. For more information, visit aviatrix.ai .

ABOUT THE ROLE: Principal Solution Engineer

Aviatrix is seeking a dynamic Principal Solution Engineer in the Midwest area ( preferred Central Time Zone ), with a focus on Security to join our sales team as a Solution Engineer. This role combines deep cybersecurity expertise with sales acumen to drive revenue growth by positioning Aviatrix's cloud networking and security solutions. The successful candidate will serve as the primary technical security advisor for enterprise prospects and customers, working closely with the sales team to identify opportunities, architect solutions, and accelerate deal closure.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Sales Support

Serve as the primary security subject matter expert during the sales process

Conduct technical discovery sessions to identify security requirements and pain points

Design and present customized security architectures using Aviatrix solutions

Lead technical demonstrations and proof-of-concept implementations

Respond to RFPs and technical questionnaires with security-focused content

Support competitive differentiation discussions highlighting Aviatrix security advantages

Customer Engagement

Build trusted advisor relationships with customer security teams (CISOs, security architects, network security engineers)

Facilitate technical workshops and white boarding sessions

Present at customer security forums and industry events

Provide technical guidance throughout the sales cycle and post-sale implementation planning

Sales Collaboration

Partner with Account Executives to develop territory and account strategies

Qualify technical opportunities and provide accurate sales forecasting input

Support deal negotiations with technical expertise and solution positioning

Collaborate with channel partners on joint security initiatives

Product and Market Intelligence

Provide customer feedback to product management and engineering teams

Stay current with cloud security trends, threats, and regulatory requirements

Contribute to competitive analysis and positioning materials

Support marketing with technical content creation and thought leadership (blogs, white-papers, and webinars)

QUALIFICATIONS

Technical Expertise

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field

5+ years of hands-on experience in network security and/or cloud security

Strong understanding of enterprise security frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2)

Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their native security services

Knowledge of network security technologies: firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, micro segmentation

Familiarity with zero-trust architecture principles and implementation

Understanding of compliance requirements (PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR

Sales and Communication Skills

5+ years of experience in technical sales, sales engineering, or customer-facing technical roles

Proven track record of supporting complex B2B sales cycles

Excellent presentation and communication skills for both technical and executive audiences

Experience with Salesforce preferred and MEDDPICC

Ability to translate technical concepts into business value propositions

Industry Knowledge

Deep understanding of Cloud networking concepts and technologies

Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)

DevSecOps practices and security automation

Container and Kubernetes security

Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Advanced degree in relevant field

Industry certifications (CISSP, CCSP, CISSP, AWS/Azure/GCP security certifications)

Previous experience with Aviatrix or similar cloud networking solutions

Experience in enterprise software sales or security consulting

Public speaking experience at industry conferences or events

Background in networking or security product management

Key Performance Indicators

Sales pipeline contribution and revenue attainment

Technical win rate in supported opportunities

Customer satisfaction scores for technical interactions

Number of qualified opportunities generated through technical activities

Time to technical qualification/proof of concept completion

Competencies

Technical Acumen: Deep understanding of security technologies and ability to quickly learn new solutions

Customer Focus: Commitment to understanding and solving customer security challenges

Sales Orientation: Drive to achieve revenue goals and support team success

Communication: Clear, compelling communication across all organizational levels

Collaboration: Effective partnership with sales, marketing, and technical teams

Adaptability: Flexibility to work in a fast-paced, evolving technology environment

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Up to 60% travel for customer meetings, trade shows, and company events

Occasional international travel may be required

COMPENSATION

Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

Performance-based commission structure

Comprehensive benefits package

Stock options/equity participation

Professional development opportunities

SECURITY SPECIALIST KPIs

Primary Revenue Metrics

Pipeline & Revenue Generation

Influenced Pipeline Value - Total $ value of opportunities where security specialist provided technical support

Influenced Revenue Closed - Total $ value of closed-won deals with security specialist involvement

Pipeline to Revenue Conversion Rate - % of influenced pipeline that converts to closed revenue

Revenue per Supported Opportunity - Average deal size for opportunities with security specialist engagement

Year-over-Year Revenue Growth - Growth in influenced revenue compared to previous period

OPPORTUNITY METRICS

Number of Opportunities Supported - Total opportunities receiving technical security overlay

New Opportunities Generated - Net new opportunities created through security specialist activities

Technical Win Rate - % of opportunities won where security specialist provided technical support

Competitive Win Rate - % of competitive deals won with security specialist involvement

SALES PROCES EFFICIENCY

Velocity & Acceleration

Sales Cycle Reduction - Average reduction in sales cycle time for supported opportunities

Time to Technical Qualification - Average days from initial engagement to technical qualification

Proof of Concept (PoC) Success Rate - % of PoCs that result in purchase decisions

Average Time to PoC Completion - Days from PoC initiation to completion

ACTIVITY METRICS

Customer Technical Meetings per Month - Number of customer-facing technical sessions; number of partner facing activities

Demonstrations Delivered - Number of security-focused product demonstrations

RFP Responses Completed - Number of technical RFP sections completed per quarter, including security assessments

Technical Proposals Delivered - Number of custom security architecture proposals

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Content Contributions - Number of technical blogs, whitepapers, or case studies authored

Speaking Engagements - Number of conference presentations or webinar participations

Customer Workshop Facilitation - Number of technical workshops conducted

MARKET & PRODUCT IMPACT

Market Intelligence

Customer Requirements Documented - Number of detailed technical requirements gathered

Product Enhancement Requests - Number of customer-driven featur