Solutions Engineer - SLED, Sacramento
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Location:Rancho Cordova, California, US
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Alternate LocationSacramento, CA
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Area of InterestEngineer - Pre Sales and Product Management
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Compensation Range194000 USD - 277600 USD
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Job TypeProfessional
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Technology InterestPortfolio
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Job Id1447296
Job Title: Solutions Engineer – SLED Higher Education
Location: Sacramento, CA (Hybrid)
About the Role:
Join our dynamic team as a Solutions Engineer, specializing in supporting higher education institutions and university health care customers within the State, Local Government, and Education (SLED) sector. In this pivotal role, you’ll partner with universities and their associated health care organizations across Northern and Bay Area California to design and deliver innovative Cisco solutions that drive digital transformation in education and health care environments.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with higher education clients to understand their business and technical requirements.
- Design, present, and demonstrate Cisco technology solutions tailored to academic environments, including networking, security, collaboration, and cloud services.
- Serve as a trusted technical advisor throughout the sales cycle, from discovery and proof-of-concept to solution implementation.
- Lead technical workshops, webinars, and on-site presentations for IT and administrative staff.
- Develop and maintain strong customer relationships to ensure satisfaction and long-term partnership.
- Work cross-functionally with sales, product management, and Cisco partners to deliver comprehensive solutions.
- Stay current on industry trends and emerging technologies relevant to higher education.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, OR equivalent practical experience.
- 3+ years of experience in a customer-facing technical role (e.g., solutions engineering, systems engineering, pre-sales, or consulting).
- Strong knowledge of Cisco technologies: networking, security, wireless, and collaboration platforms.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Experience working with SLED or higher education customers preferred.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Cisco certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, or higher are highly desirable.
- Experience with cloud solutions (Cisco Meraki, Webex, or comparable platforms).
- Familiarity with public sector procurement processes and compliance requirements.
- Experience working with AI tools or platforms is highly preferred, though not required above a degree or Cisco certifications.
What We Offer:
- Competitive compensation and benefits
- Opportunities for professional growth and Cisco certification support
- A collaborative and mission-driven work environment
- The chance to make a tangible impact on the future of education in California
How to Apply:
Ready to help shape the digital future of higher education? Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in the SLED sector.
When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.
U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.
Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco’s flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco’s Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter. Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.
Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. 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 up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.
