Title:  Manager, Solutions Engineering

Job Summary

Our Customer Proof of Concept (CPOC) Labs team provides the highest level of technical consultation to account teams and customers. We work directly with customers to understand their requirements. Then we develop and execute plans that demonstrate how our products solve their business problems.

Currently, we are seeking a manager with a strong, hands-on, technical background to lead the team. This team consists of experienced staff and is operationally mature, and we expect the manager to spend up to 50% of their time running their own POCs.

The technology landscape changes regularly, and our products and solutions and partner alliances change to match. You will need to have a broad set of technical skills, with strengths in all of cloud technologies, server virtualization, storage architecture, networking, and information security.

Essential Functions

Management aspect:

• Hiring, developing, and evaluating team members
• Providing advice and guidance to team members on their POC activities
• Working with sales teams and their leaders on expectations and handling prioritization and scheduling challenges
• Ensuring activity reporting for the team is always accurate and readily accessible
• Determining—and acquiring—equipment required for the labs, and ensuring resources are used efficiently

Architect aspect:

• Defining the architecture and testing activities for specific POCs
• Setting dates and deliverables and managing expectations with account teams and customers
• Executing testing activities and presenting results to customers

* This opportunity can be located anywhere in the US, with a preference of Raleigh/Durham (RTP) NC. If near a NetApp office, our current work arrangement is a hybrid model, with a multiple day in-office requirement. If not near a NetApp office, a willingness to travel once a quarter and more as needed, is required. *

Job Requirements

Technical:

• Strong aptitude for learning new technologies and understanding how to apply them to solve business problems
• Excellent knowledge of Linux and Windows operating systems
• Excellent understanding of storage systems, architecture, and their performance characteristics
• Strong understanding of OS design, file systems, storage protocols, and IP networking
• Good troubleshooting and debugging skills
• Experience with load generation and analysis tools
• Good knowledge of scripting languages
• Desirable: Experience with server virtualization technology
• Desirable: Experience with DevOps, AI, ML
• Desirable: Experience with cloud service providers

Non-Technical:

• Willing and able to travel occasionally, domestic and international (0-10%)
• Excellent presentation skills to audiences (primarily technical) of varying sizes
• Ability to clearly articulate (written and verbal) complex or technical topics
• Good interpersonal communication and customer service skills
• Demonstrated project management or technical coordination/leadership skills

Experience/Education

• A minimum of 5+ years of relevant technical experience, as outlined above, required. 
• A minimum of 3+ years of direct people leadership/management experience required, with oversight of at least 3-5 individuals in a similar industry, is required.
• Experience which demonstrates a significant level of technical expertise needed to sell NetApp products and services is required
• Prior experience in a role with direct customer interaction is required
• Previous technical roles in a pre-sales function is preferred
• A Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field is preferred, but not required