How to hire a senior sales engineer

How to hire a senior sales engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior 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 sales engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior sales engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior sales engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior 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 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 sales engineer that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior sales engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Sales Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior 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.	$41-74
   Technical Sales Representative	A technical sales representative is responsible for selling products and services by demonstrating the product's details and features to existing and potential clients. Technical sales representatives evaluate clients' needs and recommend solutions through the organization's technology-based products... Show more	$18-62
   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
   • Cloud
   • Product Demonstrations
   • Product Management
   • Technical Expertise
   • RFI
   • SQL
   • Sales Process
   • RFP
   • Windows
   • Technical Support
   • Linux
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Java

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create tools to manage customer projects, such as standardized proposals, technical templates, and SQL tracking database.
   • Provide pre-sales, complex technical solutions for client voice/data applications with sales team.
   • Coordinate all pre-sales support resources including product development, engineering, and technical support.
   • Perform equipment configuration of DSLAM equipment, routers, and switches.
   • Establish software value and drive customer sales by establishing ROI and TCO initiatives.
   • Develop complex data models and implement complex workflows using webhooks, javascript and multiple APIs.

   More senior sales engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior sales engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior sales engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior sales engineers' average salary in hawaii is 57% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior sales engineers earn 44% less than senior-level senior sales engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior sales engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior sales engineer's salary.

   Average senior sales engineer salary

   $116,026yearly

   $55.78 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior sales engineer salary

   $86,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average senior sales engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$145,209	$70
   2	Virginia	$141,512	$68
   3	California	$140,827	$68
   4	Oregon	$139,083	$67
   5	Maryland	$136,782	$66
   6	New York	$132,965	$64
   7	New Hampshire	$124,400	$60
   8	Arizona	$121,015	$58
   9	New Jersey	$119,235	$57
   10	Pennsylvania	$116,747	$56
   11	Massachusetts	$116,172	$56
   12	Georgia	$112,010	$54
   13	Florida	$108,643	$52
   14	West Virginia	$108,242	$52
   15	Illinois	$108,099	$52
   16	South Carolina	$108,079	$52
   17	Colorado	$107,669	$52
   18	Texas	$107,167	$52
   19	North Carolina	$104,268	$50
   20	Ohio	$102,857	$49

   Average senior sales engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tesla	$154,318	$74.19
   2	Snowflake Computing	$146,182	$70.28	26
   3	SADA	$142,535	$68.53
   4	Instabase	$142,252	$68.39	2
   5	Box	$141,626	$68.09	27
   6	Okta	$138,510	$66.59	55
   7	Cloudera	$138,502	$66.59
   8	Zscaler	$136,839	$65.79	16
   9	CyberCoders	$136,561	$65.65
   10	Juniper Networks	$135,679	$65.23
   11	Rubrik	$135,452	$65.12	236
   12	UiPath	$135,202	$65.00	3
   13	Cisco	$134,605	$64.71	175
   14	Cohesity	$134,124	$64.48	27
   15	Amazon	$133,942	$64.40	167
   16	VMware	$133,913	$64.38
   17	Conga	$133,623	$64.24
   18	Anomali	$133,352	$64.11	4
   19	CloudBolt Software	$132,001	$63.46
   20	Recorded Future	$131,667	$63.30	5

4. Writing a senior sales engineer job description

   A senior sales engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a senior sales engineer job description:

   Senior sales engineer job description example

   EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) headquartered in Englewood, CO, with additional locations world-wide, is a premier global provider of satellite solutions and technology services. Together with its major subsidiaries-EchoStar Satellite Services and Hughes Network Systems- EchoStar offers employees the opportunity to explore the boundaries of what's possible in the fields of engineering and the business functions transforming this engineering into revenue.
   
   Hughes has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Sales Engineer. This position will work within our International Division and will be located at our headquarters in Germantown, MD.
   Responsibilities:
   Performs customer requirements analysis and maintains product catalog/ roadmap Leads partner SATCOM equipment evaluation, integration and procurement activities Supports RFP responses including requirements, compliance and gap analysis Supports Business Development activities as needed Serve as a Hughes product expert, providing system engineering and system architecture best practices and techniques, both internally and externally Develop industry leading VSAT solutions including connectivity and beyond Manages engineering activities to include transmission planning, link budget analysis, network design, budgetary pricing, network enhancements, and technical briefings Develop winning technical solutions and strategies for satellite wide-area networking, network security solutions, Global connectivity solutions, Mobility solutions for multiple verticals, cloud service solutions and digital media services Identify and design solutions built around value added services including VoIP, community Wi-Fi , tactical applications for public security and defense Develop and present technical and business benefits to decision makers and Program stake holders for million-dollar opportunities Support sales efforts to close new major, multi-million-dollar business opportunities.Complete RFP/RFI documents submitted by potential clients, with particular attention to technical and advanced product questions Engage directly with potential clients to solve technical questions, barriers, and architectural hurdles
   Basic Requirements:
   Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication 5+ years of overall experience in satellite and telecommunications industry3 years of experience in technical pre-sales/sales engineering, consulting, and/or other customer facing role consulting on and delivering technical products or services
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively present technical and business-related subjects to all audiences Ability to make good business judgment, ability to make decisions, and a passion for excellence Enthusiastic, action oriented, capable of independently solving complex technical problems and able to communicate clearly and effectively to both technical and business audiences Possess excellent technical aptitude and a desire to learn constantly
   
   Will be eligible for discretionary bonus, with funding based on company performance.
   
   EchoStar is committed to offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. Our programs are designed to provide you with the ability to customize your benefits to best meet the needs of you and your family. Our philosophy for these programs is to support and encourage healthy living and wellness. Our benefits package covers it all-from healthcare savings plans to education assistance and more!
   Financial: 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match; employee stock purchase plan; profit-sharing; company-paid life insurance, AD&D and disability Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO), company-paid holidays, health and wellness events, exercise and sports facilities (locations may vary) Employee Incentives: Tuition reimbursement, employee referral program, year round employee events and community programs, discounts on Dish Network and HughesNetHealth: Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Health Savings Account (HSA) with opportunities to earn employer contributions; Health Care, Dependent Care and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
   
   EchoStar and its Affiliated Companies are committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. U.S. Citizenship is required for certain positions. EEO is the law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior sales engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior sales engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior sales engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior sales engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior 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 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 sales engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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