Pre-Sales Engineer

As a Pre-Sales Engineer at Gradle Inc., you will engage closely with customers and prospective clients to understand their needs and demonstrate how our Develocity solution can enhance their developer productivity. Your typical day will involve delivering demos, solution presentations, and collaborating with various teams to ensure a seamless experience for our clients, particularly in optimizing their software build processes.

To thrive as a Pre-Sales Engineer at Gradle, candidates should have 10+ years of experience in a related field such as Pre-Sales Engineering, Consulting, or DevOps. Familiarity with SDLC tools, build tools such as Maven and Gradle, CI/CD tooling, and container technologies is essential. Strong communication, time management skills, and a continuous learning mindset are also crucial to succeed in this role.

At Gradle, we place a strong emphasis on professional development. We provide an annual learning stipend and designate a monthly Learning Day for team members to focus on growth. Moreover, the collaborative environment allows Pre-Sales Engineers to work with experienced teams, offering a unique opportunity to learn and mentor others while contributing to impactful solutions.

The Pre-Sales Engineer position at Gradle may require up to 35% travel to customer sites and events. This travel enables you to foster relationships with clients and stakeholders directly, ensuring that you capture important feedback and insights that can enhance our offerings and strengthen our partnerships.

Yes! Gradle Inc. offers a fully remote working environment for the Pre-Sales Engineer role, allowing you to work from anywhere in Europe. This remote-first culture enables a flexible schedule and a work-life balance that promotes productivity and well-being.

In conducting a software demo for Develocity, focus on understanding the client's specific challenges beforehand. Tailor your presentation to highlight the features that directly address their needs, using real-world scenarios and data to illustrate the impact of Develocity on their developer productivity. Encourage engagement by allowing attendees to ask questions throughout the demo.

To effectively prioritize client needs during a busy sales period, I follow a structured approach such as the MEDDICC framework, evaluating opportunities based on their potential impact, engagement level, and alignment with our solutions. Maintaining open communication with my Sales team helps ensure everyone is on the same page, allowing for coordinated efforts.

Understanding a prospect's technical environment starts with active listening during initial conversations. I would ask targeted questions about their current tools, practices, and pain points in the build and testing processes. Following this, I would conduct a thorough analysis of their existing systems to formulate tailored solutions that leverage Develocity for optimal results.

Becoming a trusted technical advisor involves establishing strong relationships, demonstrating expert knowledge, and consistently delivering value. This can be achieved by maintaining regular communication, providing insights on industry trends, and sharing best practices while ensuring that you follow through with your commitments and provide actionable recommendations.

My experience with build tools, particularly Maven and Gradle, has equipped me with a deep understanding of the complexities involved in modern software development. I have utilized these tools to optimize build processes and can effectively communicate their benefits and best practices to prospects, showcasing how Develocity enhances their existing workflows.

I handle feedback from sales or engineering teams constructively by approaching it with an open mind and a collaborative spirit. I ensure to listen actively and ask clarifying questions before reflecting on how this feedback can improve my demo strategies or service delivery to clients. It's important to view feedback as a learning opportunity for continual personal and team growth.

Staying current in Developer Productivity Engineering entails regularly reading industry publications, following influential thought leaders on platforms like LinkedIn, and participating in relevant webinars and conferences. Additionally, I engage in continuous learning through online courses, ensuring that I bring the latest insights back to my team and clients.

I have hands-on experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins and GitLab, which has allowed me to optimize deployment pipelines effectively. I am comfortable discussing their functionalities and can guide prospective customers on integrating these tools with Develocity to streamline their software development processes.

In addressing technical challenges during client engagements, I maintain a calm and analytical approach. I would first assess the situation by gathering relevant data and collaborating with my colleagues or technical experts. Following this, I would communicate solutions clearly while ensuring the client feels supported throughout the process.

Preparing for a client presentation involves thorough research into the client’s business model and needs. I develop a compelling narrative that aligns Develocity's capabilities with their challenges and rehearse my delivery for clarity and confidence. I also ensure I have supporting materials and a Q&A prepared to address any emerging client concerns.