How to hire a senior pre-sales engineer

How to hire a senior pre-sales engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior pre-sales engineer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior pre-sales engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   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 senior pre-sales engineer 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 senior pre-sales engineer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of senior pre-sales engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Pre-Sales Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Pre-Sales Engineer	Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.	$41-73
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Application Engineer	An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs... Show more	$33-60

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pre Sales
   • Technical Liaison
   • Sales Process
   • Linux
   • Technical Expertise
   • POC
   • Product Demonstrations
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Professional Services
   • Technical Support
   • Client Facing
   • RFP
   • Sales Cycle
   • IP

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coach new engineers and manage IP telephony sales in relation to branch office quota.
   • Architect solutions to support cloud computing IaaS, PaaS and SaaS infrastructures and help customers achieve SLA's.
   • Demonstrate ROI against Kofax solution.
   • Run tight POC and demos, keeping business value and success criteria in mind.
   • Engage channel partners in the analysis and design of custom CRM solutions for channel clients.
   • Coordinate, design, install, and maintain Unix base computer systems for Quotron systems customers.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior pre-sales engineers' average salary in missouri is 47% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior pre-sales engineers 43% less than senior-level senior pre-sales engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior pre-sales engineer 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 senior pre-sales engineer's salary.

   Average senior pre-sales engineer salary

   $115,532yearly

   $55.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior pre-sales engineer salary

   $87,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 2, 2026

4. Writing a senior pre-sales engineer job description

   A good senior pre-sales engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior pre-sales engineer job description:

   Senior pre-sales engineer job description example

   Marco is a one-stop shop for all things business tech. Our employees are “movers and shakers” and our company is always striving to do what's right. Does this sound like a culture you want to be a part of? We're hiring a new team member to help take Marco's technology further - working full-time, Monday - Friday, 8am-5pm.
   
   More about us. We do it all - from copy and print solutions to IT and managed services. We are an organization led by salespeople with 650+ engineers ready to fix any and all issues. We have offices in 12 states and service nationally.
   Join our growing team. You won't regret it.
   
   The Senior Solutions Engineer is responsible for providing quality services and solutions to our clients while maintaining a high level of client satisfaction. The Senior Solutions Engineer is the subject matter expert for the solutions products they support and will accurately design and scope solutions that yield client and Marco service satisfaction. You are responsible for supporting and optimizing solutions sales opportunities through product demonstrations, pre and post sales design support of products. You will guide and assist Sales Representatives by providing technical expertise along with manufacturer and product knowledge.
   
   This Sr. Solutions Engineer will be pre-sales on infrastructure, such as switches, routers, firewalls, access points, SD-WAN, etc.
   
   *Successful candidates must reside within one of the following states: CO, FL, IL, IA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, ND, NC, NJ, PA, SD, TX, WI, WY, VA, UT
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Work with a focused set of products in the solutions group to achieve the following: -Maintain technical expertise, including any necessary certifications.-Design engineering and development of products, lab management of products.-Demonstrations of solutions products.-Innovation and product development. -Reviews and assessments of solutions products.-Creation of solutions products.Provide sales consultation, design and support of opportunities involving all products in assigned categories Offer roadmap and strategic vision to new and existing clients that will result in specific tasks and recommendations of products.Ensure strong and effective market knowledge of product and services in collaboration with product development team. Serves as content expert for functional training for sales and service and acts as an escalation point of contact for questions and knowledge.Demonstrating extensive knowledge and key benefits of Marco solutions versus the competition.Lead or assist with presales including customer demonstrations, proof of concepts, briefings and marketing events sponsored by Marco.Lead functional projects such as testing, lab research and development, and proof of concept projects.Upkeep demo equipment and solutions centers.Stay knowledgeable on current and future offerings from manufacturers in preparation for Marco sales efforts. Keep well informed on industry changes and continually work to improve sales and presentation techniques.Stay advised on company procedures and objectives and always be prepared to accurately discuss them to our clients.Promptly assist and maintain documentation of client facing paperwork in a timely manner to include RFPs, PSEs, service requests and purchase agreements. Attend required company and department meetings.Assist Sales staff with RFP responses. Act in accordance with Marco policies and procedures as set forth in the employee handbook.Perform other related duties as assigned.
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCEAssociate's degree and five years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Proven experience working with virtualization, network systems and SAN technology preferred.
   LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:Current high level industry recognized certifications including one or more of the following: CCNP/Specialization, EMC-TA, CCE, VCAP, VCDX, BCNP or Call Center Applications preferred.Valid Driver's License, proof of personal insurance and clean driving record.
   REQUIRED SKILLS:Solid understanding of industry technologies as it pertains to presale responsibilities. Understand hardware and software related to Marco's current solution offerings to include both voice and data.Solid understanding of routing and switching.Proficiency with business collaboration tools such as MS Office applications, Visio, MS Project and company and client specific programs.Communication - Must possess superior communication skills in working with technical and non-technical people and the ability to develop and maintain collaborative relations among all levels of an organization.Commitment - This is needed to see a project or task from start to finish. Showing that you are a hard worker and committed to your job and improving yourself shows you can take something on and finish it.Initiative - Being able to demonstrate that you can handle problems on your own and deal with them. Not waiting to be told what to do when you see a problem. If you can't solve it yourself go find someone who can.Confidence - When you are assured of your own ability it shows you have the nerves to handle the tough situations that can arise.Team Work - The ability to work with others on a combined task, make contributions to the task and share the responsibility of the outcome.Time Management - Your ability to prioritize several tasks and keep them running simultaneously (multitasking). Also being able to recognize and respond to changing priorities in order to meet deadlines.Enthusiasm - You need to be able to not only motivate yourself, but motivate others as well.Flexibility - Adapt to changes in the work environment. Change approach or method to best fit the situation.Continuous Learning - Has desire and seeks to expand knowledge of virtualization, network systems and SAN technology.
   Benefits:
   
   We're not just competitive when it comes to business tech - we're also pretty proud of what we offer our employees. Our benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance. We also have paid holidays and vacation, 401k with generous company match, flexible spending accounts, employee purchase program, employer-paid life insurance, voluntary-term life insurance, short and long-term disability, critical illness and accident benefits, and pet insurance. Yes, we care about your furry family too.
   
   *all benefits are dependent on employment status
   
   To apply (and to learn more about what makes us great), visit: www.marconet.com/careers
   
   EEO/AA

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior pre-sales engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior pre-sales engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 senior pre-sales engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior pre-sales engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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