Enterprise Solutions Engineer

Overview

You support Enterprise AEs selling Verkada's physical security platform (cameras, access control, alarms, intercoms) into large organizations. You run technical demos, design camera layouts for buildings, configure POCs, and answer technical questions from IT, security directors, and facilities teams. You're the technical expert proving the product works before deals close.

Role Snapshot

Company Context

Stage: Series D+ / Late-stage (2,600+ employees, raised $460M+)

Size: 2,654 employees

Growth: Aggressive expansion, 30,000+ organizations using platform

Market Position: Leader in cloud-based physical security, competing against legacy hardware vendors and other cloud platforms

GTM Reality

Pipeline Sources:

• 40% Outbound - AEs prospecting facilities managers, CSOs, IT directors
• 35% Inbound - Website leads from facility managers researching modern security
• 25% Referrals/Expansion - Existing customers adding locations or upgrading

SDR/AE Structure: Enterprise AEs have dedicated SDR support but also self-source

SE Support: You're paired with 2-3 Enterprise AEs on the West team

Competitive Landscape

Main Competitors: Avigilon (Motorola), Rhombus, Genetec, traditional DVR/NVR vendors

How They Differentiate: Cloud-first platform, no servers needed, plug-and-play hardware, unlimited storage, AI search across all cameras

Common Objections: "We already have cameras", "Security team prefers on-prem", "IT doesn't want cloud video storage", "Too expensive vs traditional DVR systems"

Win Themes: Ease of deployment, no IT overhead, remote management, unlimited retention, fast ROI vs maintaining legacy systems

What You'll Actually Do

Time Breakdown

Active Deals (45%) | Demos/POCs (30%) | Site Visits (15%) | Internal (10%)

Key Activities

• Site Assessments: Walk buildings with AEs and security directors, map camera placements, measure network requirements, document coverage gaps. Enterprise deals usually require 2-3 site visits before they buy.

• Technical Demos: Run 60-90 minute demos showing live camera feeds, AI search features, access control integration, alarm monitoring. You're screen-sharing the dashboard while explaining how it replaces their DVR system and works with their existing network.

• POC Management: Deploy 5-20 cameras for 30-60 day trials. You coordinate shipping, walk facilities through mounting, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and prove the system works in their environment before they commit to a full rollout.

• Technical Validation: Answer questions from IT (bandwidth usage, encryption, API capabilities), security teams (compliance, retention policies), and procurement (warranty, SLAs). You write technical proposals and integration specs.

The Honest Reality

What's Hard

• Long sales cycles: Enterprise security decisions involve multiple stakeholders (security, IT, facilities, legal, procurement). Deals drag 6-9 months even when everyone likes the product. You'll chase people for weeks to schedule the next meeting.

• Physical logistics: You're coordinating hardware shipments, installation schedules, and network requirements across multiple buildings. POCs get delayed because cameras arrive late or IT doesn't provision network ports on time.

• Competing with "good enough": Many prospects have functioning camera systems. You're convincing them to rip out working hardware and migrate to cloud. The ROI conversation is repetitive - you show the same TCO spreadsheet on every deal.

What Success Looks Like

• Your AE partners close $1M+ in bookings per quarter with your technical support
• 70%+ of your POCs convert to purchases within 90 days
• You manage 8-12 active enterprise evaluations at any time without deals falling through technical cracks

Who You're Selling To

Primary Buyers:

• Chief Security Officers / Security Directors (decision makers)
• Facilities Directors / Real Estate VPs (budget owners)
• IT Directors / Network Architects (technical gatekeepers)

What They Care About:

• Security teams: Video quality, retention policies, ease of searching footage during incidents, audit trails
• Facilities: Reducing maintenance overhead, managing multi-site deployments, remote access to all locations
• IT: Network bandwidth, cloud security, integration with badge systems, API flexibility

Requirements

• 3-5+ years in pre-sales SE role, ideally selling hardware + software or infrastructure products
• Technical background - comfortable discussing networking (VLANs, PoE, bandwidth), cloud architecture, APIs, security protocols
• Experience running POCs and managing technical evaluations through to close
• Willingness to travel 30-40% for site visits across Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, Boise, etc.)
• Based in Pacific Northwest region
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical buyers (facilities managers, security guards)