How to hire a director of sales engineering

How to hire a director of sales engineering, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of sales engineering hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of sales engineering job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of sales engineering
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a director of sales engineering do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the director of sales engineering you need to hire. Certain director of sales engineering roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a director of sales engineering to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a director of sales engineering that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of sales engineering.

   Type of Director Of Sales Engineering	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Sales Engineering	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$50-97
   Sales Vice President	Sales vice presidents are top-level executives at a sales, retail, or marketing corporation. Primarily these executives are tasked to direct and lead a sales department or team within the organization... Show more	$43-108
   National Sales Director	A national sales director is responsible for monitoring the sales targets and performance of the sales force across the country's regions. National sales directors handle the execution and release of goods and services according to market trends and public demands... Show more	$35-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pre Sales
   • Cloud
   • Product Management
   • Professional Services
   • Sales Process
   • Customer Feedback
   • Sales Organization
   • Saas
   • Enterprise Sales
   • Business Development
   • IP
   • Java
   • Account Management
   • Virtualization

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the design and development of Kryterion software-as-a-service (SAAS) products.
   • Support the design and deployment of an IP multicast application by managing the pilot program.
   • Support multiple client web application in SaaS manage services environment.
   • Manage relationships with toll manufacturers and logistics providers to exceed cost reduction and inventory turn targets.
   • Initiate regional campaign to assess and grow field readiness of sales team to effectively communicate corporate software solutions and capabilities.
   • Develop the largest aerospace aftermarket business in the company world-wide.

   More director of sales engineering duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of sales engineering job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A director of sales engineering can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, directors of sales engineering' average salary in oklahoma is 34% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of sales engineering 49% less than senior-level directors of sales engineering.
   • Certifications. A director of sales engineering with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a director of sales engineering's salary.

   Average director of sales engineering salary

   $145,655yearly

   $70.03 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of sales engineering salary

   $104,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average director of sales engineering salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$176,022	$85
   2	California	$160,292	$77
   3	New York	$153,887	$74
   4	Massachusetts	$150,241	$72
   5	Minnesota	$148,550	$71
   6	New Jersey	$148,032	$71
   7	North Carolina	$143,156	$69
   8	Colorado	$142,469	$68
   9	Arkansas	$141,695	$68
   10	Texas	$138,892	$67
   11	Arizona	$137,211	$66
   12	Illinois	$134,057	$64
   13	Connecticut	$129,796	$62
   14	Florida	$126,502	$61
   15	Maryland	$120,110	$58
   16	Virginia	$119,989	$58

   Average director of sales engineering salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Instabase	$174,640	$83.96	2
   2	Brightcove	$162,609	$78.18
   3	Zscaler	$158,391	$76.15	23
   4	Boingo Wireless	$155,999	$75.00	5
   5	Amobee	$153,029	$73.57
   6	Oracle	$151,586	$72.88	715
   7	Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display)	$150,185	$72.20	16
   8	3CLogic	$149,543	$71.90
   9	Orion Systems Integrators	$147,522	$70.92
   10	HIMS	$147,252	$70.79
   11	IGT	$147,166	$70.75
   12	Ooyala Holdings Inc	$146,387	$70.38
   13	Comcast	$146,096	$70.24	83
   14	Seoul Semiconductor	$145,653	$70.03
   15	Tata Technologies	$145,565	$69.98	2
   16	Imagine Communications	$145,537	$69.97	5
   17	RGB	$145,294	$69.85
   18	Recurly	$145,030	$69.73
   19	Ocrolus	$144,836	$69.63
   20	UK Power Networks	$144,711	$69.57

4. Writing a director of sales engineering job description

   A job description for a director of sales engineering role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a director of sales engineering job description:

   Director of sales engineering job description example

   Comcast brings together the best in media and technology. We drive innovation to create the world's best entertainment and online experiences. As a Fortune 50 leader, we set the pace in a variety of innovative and fascinating businesses and create career opportunities across a wide range of locations and disciplines. We are at the forefront of change and move at an amazing pace, thanks to our remarkable people, who bring cutting-edge products and services to life for millions of customers every day. If you share in our passion for teamwork, our vision to revolutionize industries and our goal to lead the future in media and technology, we want you to fast-forward your career at Comcast.
   
   Responsible for overseeing multiple Client/Sales Engineering teams selling Comcast High Capacity Ethernet Networks, Internet, Video and Advanced Voice based services to Enterprise/Metro E, Mid-Market and National Accounts. Will direct a team of sales engineering managers responsible for individual territory results. Influences and integrates overall team strategy to meet and exceed company goals. Creates and monitors the overall departmental budget.
   Job Description
   
   Core Responsibilities
   
   * Drive Comcast Business Class sales by developing the overall strategy of the department focused on meeting team objectives and goals.
   * Monitors team processes and procedures and makes necessary modifications to improve sales effectiveness and cycle time reduction.
   * Act as a subject matter expert for all Comcast Business Service's products and services.
   * Develops key leadership relationships to ensure the collaboration between the sales engineering team, National Engineering and Technical Operations (NETO).
   * Stay abreast of competitive landscape and emerging technologies to best position Comcast in the marketplace.
   * Monitors the overall operating budget, adjusts team strategy as needed and accurately reports out to leadership on any budget issues.
   * Develops new strategies to be employed by the sales engineering team to meet company goals and objectives.
   * Consistent exercise of independent judgment and discretion in matters of significance.
   * Regular, consistent and punctual attendance. Must be able to work nights and weekends, variable schedule(s) and overtime as necessary.
   * Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
   
   Employees at all levels are expected to:
   
   * Understand our Operating Principles; make them the guidelines for how you do your job.
   * Own the customer experience - think and act in ways that put our customers first, give them seamless digital options at every touchpoint, and make them promoters of our products and services.
   * Know your stuff - be enthusiastic learners, users and advocates of our game-changing technology, products and services, especially our digital tools and experiences.
   * Win as a team - make big things happen by working together and being open to new ideas.
   * Be an active part of the Net Promoter System - a way of working that brings more employee and customer feedback into the company - by joining huddles, making call backs and helping us elevate opportunities to do better for our customers.
   * Drive results and growth.
   * Respect and promote inclusion & diversity.
   * Do what's right for each other, our customers, investors and our communities.
   
   Disclaimer:
   
   * This information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this role. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications.
   
   Comcast is an EOE/Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer.
   
   Comcast is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
   
   Education
   
   Bachelor's Degree
   
   While possessing the stated degree is preferred, Comcast also may consider applicants who hold some combination of coursework and experience, or who have extensive related professional experience.
   
   Relevant Work Experience
   
   10 Years +
   
   Base pay is one part of the Total Rewards that Comcast provides to compensate and recognize employees for their work. Most sales positions are eligible for a Commission under the terms of an applicable plan, while most non-sales positions are eligible for a Bonus. Additionally, Comcast provides best-in-class Benefits. We believe that benefits should connect you to the support you need when it matters most, and should help you care for those who matter most. That's why we provide an array of options, expert guidance and always-on tools, that are personalized to meet the needs of your reality - to help support you physically, financially and emotionally through the big milestones and in your everyday life. Please visit the compensation and benefits summary on our careers site for more details.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director of sales engineering for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of sales engineering job on Zippia to find and recruit director of sales engineering candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting directors of sales engineering requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of sales engineering

   Once you've found the director of sales engineering candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new director of sales engineering first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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