Advisory Sales Engineer - Strategic AI

<h2>Overview</h2> <p>This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global market leader renowned for powering many of the world's most demanding AI data centers, in industries ranging from life sciences and healthcare to financial services, autonomous cars, Government, academia, research and manufacturing.</p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>"DDN's A3I solutions are transforming the landscape of AI infrastructure." – IDC</strong> </p> <p><strong><em> </em></strong> </p> <p><strong><em>“The real differentiator is DDN. I never hesitate to recommend DDN. DDN is the de facto name for AI Storage in high performance environments” - Marc Hamilton, VP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering | NVIDIA</em></strong> </p> <p>  </p> <p>DDN is the global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale. Our cutting-edge data intelligence platform is designed to accelerate AI workloads, enabling organizations to extract maximum value from their data. With a proven track record of performance, reliability, and scalability, DDN empowers businesses to tackle the most challenging AI and data-intensive workloads with confidence. </p> <p>  </p> <p>Our success is driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and a team of passionate professionals who bring their expertise and dedication to every project. This is a chance to make a significant impact at a company that is shaping the future of AI and data management. </p> <p>  </p> <p>Our commitment to innovation, customer success, and market leadership makes this an exciting and rewarding role for a driven professional looking to make a lasting impact in the world of AI and data storage. </p> <h2>Job Description</h2> <p>As a Sales Engineer, you'll architect high-performance storage solutions that enable customers to achieve their boldest ambitions. Work across finance, pharmaceuticals, education, and physical AI—designing systems that power real-time trading, accelerate drug discovery, enable groundbreaking research, and fuel autonomous systems.</p> <p> </p> <p>You'll translate complex customer requirements into elegant technical solutions, demonstrate capabilities through POCs and benchmarks, and serve as a trusted advisor throughout the sales cycle.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>What You'll Do</strong></p> <p><strong>Customer Engagement</strong></p> <ul> <li>Partner with customers to understand their critical data challenges—high-frequency trading, genomics processing, AI model training, or autonomous vehicle sensor fusion</li> <li>Translate technical requirements into elegant, scalable storage solutions that exceed expectations</li> <li>Act as trusted technical advisor throughout the sales cycle</li> </ul> <p><strong>Solution Design</strong></p> <ul> <li>Architect storage for AI/ML training, HPC simulations, data analytics, and GPU-accelerated workloads</li> <li>Design for reliability, resilience, security, and scale—balancing performance with data protection</li> <li>Create BOMs, system architectures, and technical proposals for complex RFPs</li> <li>Conduct live demos, POCs, and performance benchmarking</li> <li>Integrate with GPU clusters, Kubernetes, cloud platforms, and AI frameworks</li> </ul> <p><strong>Innovation & Growth</strong></p> <ul> <li>Stay current on AI infrastructure and storage technology trends</li> <li>Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams using field insights</li> <li>Mentor team members and contribute to technical thought leadership</li> <li>Shape product direction based on customer needs</li> </ul> <p><strong>What You Bring</strong></p> <p><strong>Technical Foundation (All Levels)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Strong understanding of storage and data architectures: SAN, NAS, object storage, parallel file systems</li> <li>Knowledge of architectural patterns for reliability, resilience, security, and scale</li> <li>Understanding of storage and data protocols: S3, POSIX, NFS, SMB</li> <li>Familiarity with network protocols: TCP/IP, InfiniBand, RDMA</li> <li>Curiosity about massively parallel technologies (Lustre, GPFS, Exascaler)</li> <li>Aptitude for AI workloads and how storage enables AI innovation</li> <li>Ability to communicate technical concepts to both engineers and executives</li> </ul> <p><strong>Entry Level (0-3 years)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)</li> <li>Exposure to storage/systems through coursework, internships, or projects</li> <li>Strong analytical and problem-solving skills</li> <li>Customer-facing communication skills</li> </ul> <p><strong>Experienced (3+ years)</strong></p> <ul> <li>3-8+ years in pre-sales, solutions architecture, or technical consulting</li> <li>Proven track record designing storage/infrastructure solutions</li> <li>Hands-on experience with enterprise storage systems</li> <li>Experience with AI/ML infrastructure, HPC, or high-performance workloads (preferred)</li> <li>Success managing complex technical sales cycles</li> </ul> <p><strong>What Sets You Apart</strong></p> <ul> <li>Genuine curiosity about AI and its impact across industries</li> <li>Ownership mindset—you solve problems until they're solved</li> <li>Ability to translate technical complexity into business value</li> <li>Thrive in fast-evolving technology environments</li> <li>Collaborative team player with integrity and empathy</li> </ul> <h2>DDN</h2> <p>DDN has a very strong orientation towards these 4 characteristics and any successful employee will demonstrate these capabilities: </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Self-Starter - </strong>Takes independent action to identify and solve problems. Seeks out relevant information needed to make decisions. Gets involved with new initiatives. </p> <p><strong>Success/Achievement Orientation - </strong>Delivers quality results consistently. Targets, achieves (or exceeds) measurable results. Sets challenging goals, focuses on critical priorities, and is accountable. </p> <p><strong>Problem Solving -</strong> Recognizes problems and responds with a systematic assessment that identifies and addresses cause of issue. Practical, realistic, and resourceful. </p> <p><strong>Innovative -</strong> Builds and improves key business processes that enhance the effectiveness of DDN. Generates new ideas, challenges the status quo, and solves problems creatively.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>DataDirect Networks, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.</strong>  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, sex stereotyping, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.</p> <p>#LI-Remote</p>

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...