Forward Networks is transforming how the world’s most complex networks are managed and secured. Founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, we built the industry’s first network digital twin — a mathematically precise model of the production network that gives IT teams unmatched visibility, verification, and agility across every major cloud and vendor environment.
Our customers include global leaders such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&P Global, IBM, and Dell, as well as fast-growing enterprises and government agencies. According to IDC, Forward Networks customers realize an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits through improved efficiency and security.
Backed by world-class investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, and Threshold Ventures, Forward Networks offers a people-centric, innovative culture where brilliant minds are shaping the future of network reliability, security, and AI-ready operations.
Forward Networks is looking for a Systems (Sales) Engineer
- Do you want to help sell a platform that solves real networking problems?
- Join a company that has been in the market 6+ years and has some of the top Federal agencies and F500/Global 2000 already buying and referenceable.
- If you have 5-10 years of wildly successful experience as a Systems Engineer selling to large enterprise accounts...you may be the one!
- We are building a special team and hope you consider us if you want to have the experience of changing the networking world as we know it.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as the primary technical resource for the sales organization working with large enterprise accounts.
- Work with the sales team as the product advocate and key technical adviser
- Drive and manage the technology evaluation stage of the sales process; answer technical questions and communicate business and technical value to all levels of management
- Establish and maintain strong relationships throughout the sales cycle to ensure complete customer satisfaction
- Establish technical feasibility and perform qualification of the potential technical deployment
- Develop and deliver product demos and POCs
- Respond to functional and technical elements of RFIs/RFPs
- Work with internal product management and engineering teams to convey customer requirements
- Represent the product to customers, partners and at field events such as conferences, seminars, etc.
Required Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of networking and security solutions and vendors
- Strong verbal and written communications skills with a focus on needs analysis, positioning, business justification, and closing techniques.
- 5+ years’ experience selling to Enterprise customers for a networking company or relevant software vendor.
- 2 Years experience with some scripting or programming language; understanding of program flow, conditionals, basic logic handling.
- Superior presentation skills
Highly Desired:
- Working knowledge of API driven workflows and scripting languages (Python, bash, jq, graphql, etc)
- Experience working with a startup company
- B.S. Computer Science or equivalent educational experience
- One or more of the following certificates: CCIE, JNCIE or VCDX
The expected On-Target Cash Earning for this role is between $240,000 - $275,000 per year. Within this range, individual pay is determined by several factors including but not limited to, job-related skills, work experience, and relevant education/training
Skills Required
- 5+ years' experience selling to Enterprise customers for a networking company or relevant software vendor
- 2 Years experience with some scripting or programming language
- Strong understanding of networking and security solutions
- Strong verbal and written communications skills
- Superior presentation skills
Forward Networks Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Forward Networks and has not been reviewed or approved by Forward Networks.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered competitive for a mid-stage infrastructure/software company across several roles and locations. Signals point to strong totals in technical and select go-to-market positions.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is broadly offered to all employees, creating ownership potential alongside salary and bonus. As a private company, perceived value can rise with company performance and future liquidity.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage is described as top-grade for employees and dependents. Company materials consistently highlight strong core health benefits across hiring channels.
Forward Networks Insights
What We Do
The future of network operations is network modeling. Forward Networks' flagship platform Forward Enterprise gives users a mathematically accurate network digital twin. Forward enables perfect network visibility, full path analysis, security policy verification, and change prediction, freeing up time and saving you money.
