Network Systems Engineer (Pre-Sales)

Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large data center, campus, and routing environments. We leverage the latest advancements in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and software-defined networking to provide clients with a competitive edge. Our solutions anticipate and adapt to future challenges, and we value diversity of thought and perspectives to drive creativity and innovation.

About the role

We are seeking a creative, collaborative, and self-motivated Pre-Sales Network Systems Engineer to partner with our Account teams and provide pre-sales technical systems engineering support for enterprise customers in the Houston, Southeast Texas, and Louisiana area. As a trusted advisor, you will gather requirements, identify opportunities, and support both existing and new customers.

Who You’ll Work With

You will join a team of industry experts and technical leaders, typically reporting to the Regional Engineering Manager. Collaborating with skilled field engineers, Product Management, and Software Development teams, you will help steer product developments and strategic direction. You’ll also work closely with Arista’s world-class TAC, proof-of-concept resources, and executive team.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Arista Account Managers to understand enterprise clients’ business and technological needs.
• Conduct whiteboard network architectural reviews to identify improvements in network performance and efficiency.
• Deliver presentations on Arista’s Open Networking Data Center, Cognitive Campus (including Wi-Fi), CloudVision (Network Automation), Security (Network Detection), Endpoint Security, and Real-time Fabric Monitoring solutions.
• Own the pre-sales and post-sales technical relationship with assigned customers and channel partners.
• Build and maintain deep knowledge of Arista technologies to support and enable channel partner engineers and customers’ engineers and architects.
• Execute technical Quarterly Business Reviews with customers.
• Support onsite requirements at customer locations.
• Facilitate technical training on Arista’s products, differentiators, solutions, and demos.
• Architect, design, and propose Arista Data Center & Campus network solutions using leaf-spine architectures (VxLAN, EVPN) and network overlays.
• Perform hands-on testing to validate customer proof-of-concept setups, Data Center and/or Campus network designs, and network deployments.
• Develop design guidelines and recommend network improvements for customer-supported networks.
• Partner with the Sales Team to respond to RFP/RFQs.
• Author feature requests, business justifications, and provide feedback to Product Management, Hardware Development, and Software Development teams.
• Represent Arista at industry events and conferences, including potential speaking roles.
• Present technical content to worldwide organizations both virtually and in-person.
• Create technical marketing materials for the global Arista organization.
• Author white papers on technology and products.

Requirements

• BS/CS/CE, Business, or Technical degree required; MBA/MS degree a strong plus.
• Network Industry Certification preferred (e.g., CCIE (R&S), JNCIE, ACE-5,6,7).
• Minimum of 5+ years of L2/L3 networking design and implementation experience, with a focus on Data Center, Campus, and Wi-Fi solutions.
• Strong presentation and selling skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical material.
• Solid understanding of building successful relationships with executives, architects, engineers, and operations teams.
• Good interpersonal skills, customer relations skills, and problem management skills.
• Experience creating technical material (slides, white papers, battle cards, solution guides, etc.).
• Recent experience in leaf-spine architecture design.
• Demonstrated work experience as a Sales Engineer, Solutions Architect, Pre-Sales SE, or Network Consulting Engineer.

Skills

• Expert knowledge in Ethernet, RSTP/MSTP, VLANs, IP Routing, TCP/IP, OSPF, BGP, eBGP, VxLAN, EVPN, Multicast, Spanning Tree, and QoS.
• Expert-level knowledge of industry-standard CLI.
• Previous experience building network automation using Python and Ansible (highly desired).
• Strong writing skills and ability to create informative white papers on technology and products (highly desired).

Schedule

Travel expectations are approximately 15-30%.