Sales Engineer

Top Priorities for This Role 

• Business development and sales leadership: independently identify and develop opportunities, build customer momentum, and serve as the go-to solutions expert from initial engagement through proof of concept and deal progression. 

• Core network and DCI technical expertise: Apply hands-on experience with core network and/or DCI architectures using fiber-optic and Ethernet transport, including direct experience with fiber-optic and Ethernet test and measurement. This role requires practical application expertise—not only classroom or conceptual knowledge—and the ability to serve as a trusted solutions and applications expert. 

Market & Scope 

• Hyperscale data centers and cloud/AI fiber-optic network infrastructure 

• Colocation and multi-tenant data centers 

• Contractors and ecosystem partners, including dark-fiber and lit-fiber providers supporting DCI builds and wavelength services 

Key Responsibilities 

Business Development & Sales Leadership 

• Independently identify, develop, and advance opportunities across hyperscale data centers, campus networks, and DCI environments, from initial engagement through proof of concept and deal progression. 

• Drive market development and go-to-market strategy, build relationships across the ecosystem, and create competitive momentum by positioning VIAVI against incumbent solutions. 

Technical Expertise & Hyperscaler Engagement 

• Serve as VIAVI go-to technical expert, providing deep, hands-on technical understanding of fiber network test and measurement—spanning data center fiber infrastructure, DCI architectures, fiber certification and characterization, high-speed Ethernet service activation, test automation, and reporting. 

• Lead expert-level technical discussions, workshops, demonstrations, trials, and proofs of concept with teams responsible for optical network design and operations, infrastructure delivery, and metro and long-haul deployments. 

• Translate complex requirements into credible solutions and clear business outcomes. 

Voice of Customer & Enablement 

• Capture customer, competitive, and market insights to shape product roadmaps, solution positioning, and go-to-market priorities. 

• Enable the Sales team through customer presentations, methods of procedure, workshops, technical training, and strategic participation in customer engagements and industry forums. 

Required Experience & Technical Background 

Must Have 

• 5+ years of experience proactively generating, developing, and closing business opportunities—not solely in product marketing, technical support, or sales support 

• Hands-on technical experience with core network and/or DCI architectures over fiber-optic or metro Ethernet transport, including direct experience with test and measurement tools and methods such as OTDR, IL/ORL, CD/PMD, BERT, and RFC 2544 service activation, and working familiarity with relevant industry standards (e.g., IEC, Telcordia, IEEE 802.3) 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, telecommunications, computer science, physics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience 

Preferred 

• Experience working with network equipment vendors, fiber ecosystem partners, and fiber contractors 

• Direct experience engaging hyperscalers, cloud providers, or large-scale data center operators 

• Familiarity with hollow-core fiber, multicore fiber, and 800G+ Ethernet testing 

• Fluency in written and spoken English 

Key Competencies 

• Proven business development skills and a strong hunter mindset—consistently self-generating pipeline rather than relying on inbound leads 

• Technical credibility with network engineers, operations teams, and network architects 

• Self-driven and able to work independently while advancing opportunities from initial engagement through closure 

• Confident engaging senior leaders and executive stakeholders 

Travel