Principal Sales Engineer - Public Sector
Job description
About Zscaler
Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.
Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability.
We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.
We are looking for a Principal Sales Engineer to join our team. This is a Hybrid role, reporting to the Sales Engineering Manager in the Solutions Consulting department. In this role, you will set the technical direction for marquee multi-region opportunities and partner with extended teams to drive strategic outcomes for Zscaler’s most significant customers. You will pioneer new offerings, influence the product roadmap, set cross-portfolio architecture standards, and represent the Solutions Consulting function in partner and analyst forums. Additionally, you will coach Lead and Senior Sales Engineers, assess regional capability gaps, and package field insights into roadmap proposals as part of the EMEA technical advisory function.
What you’ll do (Role Expectations)
- Serve as the technical lead for strategic and high-value opportunities, partnering with Sales, Product, and Customer Success teams to accelerate technical wins, mitigate risk, and drive successful deal closure
- Provide technical oversight and executive guidance across key accounts, shaping account strategies, influencing solution direction, and ensuring alignment between customer objectives and platform capabilities
- Define, lead, and scale initiatives that increase platform adoption, expand customer value realization, and identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities across the customer lifecycle
- Lead and facilitate customer engagements at all levels, from C-suite executives to technical practitioners, delivering compelling business and technical outcomes through workshops, presentations, architecture reviews, and strategic advisory sessions
- Maintain deep expertise in current and emerging platform capabilities, establish and promote technical best practices, and drive technical enablement across the Sales Engineering organization through coaching, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing programs
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action, operating with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. You navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution, adapting effortlessly to what the team and business need
- You are a problem-solver. You seek out challenges because you are energized by finding solutions, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
- You operate with urgency. You understand that in a high-growth environment, speed and quality are not mutually exclusive. You have a relentless focus on execution and a bias for action, delivering high-impact results quickly to win for the customer and the team
- You are driven by innovation. You have a deep curiosity for how things work and are energized by solving complex technical challenges. You believe in the power of technology to accelerate transformation and are always looking for a better, more secure, and scalable way
- You are resilient and adaptable. You view change as an opportunity and setbacks as temporary. You maintain composure and focus in high-pressure situations, guiding yourself and your team through complexity with a steady, positive hand
What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)
- Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving
- This position requires an active UK Government SC and / or DV security clearance. Maintenance of this clearance is a condition of continued employment
- More than 12 years of technical pre-sales experience, at least 5 of which were in senior individual contributor level roles, and / or Technical leadership experience
- Deep experience with all aspects of the Zscaler and peer platforms, including network security, networking technologies, AI security, identity and access management, cyber risk, and EDR/XDR
- Demonstrable understanding of UK public sector security compliance frameworks, certification standards, and protective marking awareness across Central Government, Defence, and Critical National Infrastructure
- Proven ability to navigate complex compliance structures, execute technically demanding PoVs with minimal overlay resources, and resolve highly complex technical edge cases within constrained timeframes
What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)
- Established thought leadership within the realms of emerging security paradigms such as agentic AI security, AI guardrails, and post-quantum cryptography
- An established group of technical champions across the largest companies in the UKI region
- Multiple top-level industry certifications, such as Zscaler Certified Architect, CCIE, CISSP, or advanced hyperscaler/cloud certifications
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At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.
Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:
- Various health plans
- Time off plans for vacation and sick time
- Parental leave options
- Retirement options
- Education reimbursement
- In-office perks, and more!
Learn more about Zscaler's hybrid working model and benefits here.
By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.
Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.
Pay Transparency
Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.
Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.