Senior Principal Engineer – Pre-Sales AI & Data Center Networking 

Senior Principal Engineer – Pre-Sales AI & Data Center Networking 

About HPE Networking & The Role 

HPE Networking simplifies networking through innovative, software-defined products and solutions for cloud, AI, and data center environments. HPE Networking develops industry-leading technologies that are ever more software-defined, helping to answer the most challenging issues in connectivity. Digital transformation is everywhere, with technologies such as Multi-Cloud, Cybersecurity, Automation, IoT, AI, Machine Learning, and 5G driving the next waves of innovation.  

Our Sales Engineering team empowers customers and partners to solve complex challenges with scalable, secure networking solutions. If you have over-the-top technical capability and curiosity; if you can influence both technical and business partners by translating business goals and challenges into technical solutions while differentiating HPE from competing solutions; if your interpersonal and high-impact presentation skills evoke passion and confidence; if you’re a born problem-solver that loves to get into the details and have a burning desire to answer the hard problems in a constantly evolving, results-oriented industry - HPE Networking is the place for you! 

We are seeking a Senior Distinguished Technologist to lead architecture and solution design for AI/ML Networking Infrastructure, Data Center, and WAN networking opportunities globally. This role requires deep technical expertise, experience, creative problem-solving, and strong customer engagement skills to influence and shape multi-billion-dollar deals. 

What You’ll Do 

• Act as a primary technical architect early in complex sales cycles, working independently or with Sales Engineers to translate business needs into scalable technical solutions. 

• Architect end-to-end networking infrastructure solutions with strong expertise in data center, AI networking, hyperscale environments, and WAN technologies. 

• Lead solution design and customization, orchestrating input from specialists, systems engineers, and product teams to meet customer requirements. 

• Deliver compelling demos, proof-of-concepts, and technical presentations that clearly articulate HPE Networking’s value in customer use cases. 

• Engage with hyperscalers, large enterprises, service providers and technology partners to co-design solutions addressing emerging challenges across industries and workloads. 

• Influence technical strategy throughout deal validation, solutioning, and initial execution, ensuring smooth handoff to delivery teams. 

• Develop best practices, enablement collateral, and architecture playbooks to scale solutions internally and with partners. 

• Mentor and provide technical leadership to junior technologists and sales engineering teams. 

• Navigate and adapt through complex technology transitions, maintaining thought leadership in networking innovations and industry trends. 

Role Requirements 

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field required, advanced degree preferred  

• 10+ years of technical experience in network infrastructure Architecture, design and solutions consulting, designing large-scale AI, Cloud Data Center in Hyperscale networking environments. 

• 10+ years of industry experience applying technical expertise with JunOS, EOS, IOS and hyperscale network architecture frameworks. JNCIE or equivalent certification. 

• Deep hands-on expertise with hyperscale routing, MPLS traffic engineering, switching, SDN overlays (EVPN/VXLAN, MP-BGP), Network Fabrics and DCI solutions, network provisioning, automation and monitoring (Apstra, Paragon, NETCONF/REST APIs, YANG), and  

• Familiarity with major networking silicon, hardware platforms and related software (e.g., Juniper, Arista, Cisco, SONiC, Cumulus etc.) 

• SME in Virtualization technologies on x86 and scaling using technologies such DPDK, SR-IOV, SmartNICs etc. 

• Proven success in complex pre-sales roles, with a strong ability to build relationships with senior technical and C-Level stakeholders. 

• Experience with programming/scripting (Python, APIs, JSON etc.) to enable solution integration and automation. 

• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence diverse technical and business audiences. 

• Demonstrated experience designing & developing playbooks, and delivering demonstrations or live walk throughs for a complex variety of networking products, solutions, tools and services 

• Experience preparing RFP/Tender response documents like compliance to the RFP, bill of materials, commercial/pricing, and solution documents to drive a successful response. 

• Willingness to travel up to 50%, including international travel on short notice.