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Senior Sales Engineer

Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.

How Will You Contribute:

Customer-facing technical systems/sales engineer focused on enterprise market including healthcare, financial services, local government, R&E and other Fortune 100 companies. Develops and maintains relationships with customer network planning, engineering, architecture, IT and operations personnel. Leads technical assignments, including customer meetings, RFX strategy, written proposals, network designs, product configuration engineering and sales quotes. Must be able to lead solution discussions with customers and drive internal meetings within Ciena. This individual will perform essential duties and responsibilities as indicated below with limited supervision and provide mentorship to junior members of the Field Sales Systems Engineering staff.

The Must Haves:

  • Lead technical engagements with customers during Sales meetings; gather, analyze, and evaluate networking requirements
    • Consult with potential and current customers on application of CIENA solutions for next generation architectures
    • Develop advanced uses cases for next generation converged architecture applications
    • Perform network modeling, create detailed solution drawings including rack face and system connectivity diagrams using MS Visio
    • Develop complex network designs, application engineering, quotes, and presentations for Adaptive Network solutions
    • Create accurate and timely presales product configurations/pricing, lead responses for RFPs and responses to customer technical inquiries
    • Lead meetings with Sales, PLM, and Marketing teams to develop and/or propose product enhancements to meet customer requirements
    • Participate in SE/PLM focus groups identifying future product needs and discussing potential solution alternatives
    • Provide mentorship and feedback to junior members of the Sales Systems Engineering staff
    • 30-50% travel required for internal and customer facing meetings
    • Performs other duties as assigned
    • Excellent listening, learning, problem solving, relationship building and follow-up skills
    • Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
    • Excellent PC and Microsoft Office application skills required, Unix knowledge important and automation programming a plus
    • Proficient in use of Ciena network modeling, design, quoting tools, Zoom and Teams environments, SalesForce and Sharepoint tools
    • Technical expertise in telecom, fiber optic transmission systems (SONET, OTN, WDM, ROADMs), network architectures and management.
    • Technical expertise in data networking including Carrier Ethernet, IP/MPLS, Segment Routing, EVPN and other IGP/EGP/transport/service networking protocols and IP network architectures
    • Experience supporting enterprise customer base
    • Understanding of legacy networking options (SONET, TDM, circuit emulation)
    • Familiarity in test equipment (power meters, traffic generators, OSA’s, OTDR’s, etc) configuration and automation, understands results
    • Support for Data Center Interconnection (High density network, leaf and spine architectures, Fibre Channel SAN networking)
    • Familiarity with SDN, network virtualization as well as Public, Private and Edge cloud solutions
    • Familiarity with 4G and 5G wireless networking, xRAN and front/mid/backhaul network systems
    • Familiarity with automation, analytics, and AI usage in networking operations
    • Strong teaching skills of customers as well as internal Ciena personnel
    • Flexible, able to handle multiple tasks and multiple customer relationships with limited supervision
  • Motivated technical individual that enjoys working in Sales for applications of advanced networking solutions
    • Humble and confident, enjoys customer engagements, enjoys competition, solid team member, team leader and mentor
    • Continued curiosity about many things (technology, people, business, best practices) and desire to improve existing knowledge
    • Develops and maintains strategic customer relationships and work well with multiple customer organizations
    • Ability to demonstrate expertise, creativity, consultancy, and leadership during technical sales activities
    • Ability to conduct professional customer meetings, understand their networks, applications, business drivers,
      challenges, construct technical solutions to meet those requirements and articulate implementation and migration strategies
    • Seeks career development opportunities and volunteers for assignments that will stretch their understanding of Ciena solutions
    • Ability to work effectively with members of the Systems Engineering, Sales, Services, PLM, R&D, HR and Management teams
    • Manages time appropriately, knows when to lead, when to mentor and knows when to escalate
    • Comfortable traveling and independently meeting with customers
    • Bachelors Degree in Engineering (BSEE preferred) or Computer Science or relevant experience
    • 7 - 10+ years telecommunication industry experience
    • Prior experience as a contributor on a sales account team or relevant experience
    • Routing, Switching and Cloud certifications a plus

Pay Range:

The annual total target compensation pay range for this position is $144,000 - $230,000 USD.  This includes both base and incentive compensation.

#LI-WH1

#LI-Remote

Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.

Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission. In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time. We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community to get relevant job alerts straight to your inbox.

At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard.  Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.

Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.

Average salary estimate

$187000 / YEARLY (est.)
min
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$144000K
$230000K

If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.

What You Should Know About Senior Sales Engineer, Ciena

Are you a technical wizard with a knack for building relationships? Ciena is on the lookout for a Senior Sales Engineer to join our remote team! In this role, you'll engage directly with customers in the enterprise market, spanning industries such as healthcare, finance, and local government. Your day-to-day will involve deep dives into customer networks, assessing their needs and presenting solutions that drive success. You'll work closely with network planning, engineering, and IT teams to develop cutting-edge network architectures that align with their goals. As a Senior Sales Engineer, you’ll also mentor junior team members, sharing your expertise while collaborating on exciting technical assignments. Your strong communication skills will come into play as you conduct professional meetings and possess the confidence to lead discussions that create value. With a passion for technology and a solid understanding of telecom systems, you’ll guide our customers through the complexities of network configurations, ensuring they receive the best Ciena solutions tailored to their unique needs. Plus, who doesn’t love a role that combines meaningful work with a people-first culture? If you're looking for a stimulating career with flexibility and opportunities for growth, Ciena is the perfect fit for you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Senior Sales Engineer Role at Ciena
What are the responsibilities of a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena?

As a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena, you'll lead customer-facing technical engagements, collaborate with customers to analyze their networking requirements, develop advanced use cases, and create detailed network designs. You’ll also be responsible for managing RFX responses, conducting sales proposal presentations, and mentoring junior team members, making this role critical for our successful customer relations.

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What qualifications are required for the Senior Sales Engineer position at Ciena?

To qualify as a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena, candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Computer Science, along with 7-10 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Experience with advanced networking technology and cloud solutions is crucial, as is a history of working closely with enterprise customers to solve complex networking challenges.

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How does Ciena support the career development of a Senior Sales Engineer?

Ciena supports the career development of Senior Sales Engineers through mentorship opportunities, participation in focus groups for product enhancements, and encouraging staff to seek advanced training or certifications. We also foster a culture of continuous learning and curiosity, allowing our employees to expand their expertise and grow their professional network.

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What skills are essential for a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena?

Essential skills for a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena include excellent problem-solving abilities, superior communication, strong technical knowledge in telecom and networking technologies, and the ability to foster robust customer relationships. Additionally, proficiency in tools like MS Visio for design and Salesforce for quoting is vital for success in this role.

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What is the travel requirement for a Senior Sales Engineer at Ciena?

The Senior Sales Engineer position at Ciena typically requires 30-50% travel for internal meetings and customer-facing visits. This flexibility is ideal for maintaining and strengthening customer relationships while also ensuring that you can actively participate in solution discussions across various locations.

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Common Interview Questions for Senior Sales Engineer
Can you describe your experience with customer engagement as a Senior Sales Engineer?

Highlight your ability to foster relationships with customers, detailing specific instances where you've successfully gathered networking requirements or presented solutions that led to fulfillment of customer needs.

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How do you approach analyzing customer networking needs?

Discuss your methodology for conducting needs assessments, utilizing tools to gather information, and your ability to translate those needs into actionable networking solutions.

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What strategies do you use to create compelling proposals and presentations?

Emphasize your understanding of customer needs and your ability to communicate technical details clearly—enhancing your proposals with visuals and data that demonstrate the solution's benefits.

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Describe your technical expertise in network architectures.

Provide examples of network architectures you've worked with, including your work with telecom systems and how you apply this knowledge to address customer challenges.

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How do you stay updated on the latest networking technologies?

Mention your commitment to continuous learning, citing specific resources like industry publications, webinars, or professional organizations you engage with to enhance your knowledge.

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Can you give an example of a complex technical issue you've resolved in a sales context?

Share a story that illustrates your problem-solving skills, detailing the challenge, your approach to resolving it, and the outcome that benefited the customer and your team.

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What role does teamwork play in your position as a Senior Sales Engineer?

Highlight your collaborative skills, detailing how you work with internal teams like Sales, Product Management, or Engineering to deliver effective solutions to customers.

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How do you prioritize tasks in a rapidly changing environment?

Explain your organizational skills and tools you use to manage priorities, showcasing your ability to adapt to changing customer needs while meeting deadlines.

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What do you consider the most important metrics for success in a Senior Sales Engineer role?

Discuss metrics such as customer satisfaction and retention rates, the accuracy of presales configurations, and the success of proposals, and how you measure these outcomes.

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Why do you want to work as a Senior Sales Engineer for Ciena?

Express your alignment with Ciena’s people-first philosophy, your passion for technology in networking, and your enthusiasm for contributing to innovative solutions that drive impactful change.

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Since 1992, Ciena has been driven by a relentless pursuit of network innovation. We believe in a network that grows smarter, more agile, and more responsive every day. This means that when you digitally interact in your world - picking up the pho...

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April 14, 2025

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