Legrand has an exciting opportunity for a Sr. Field Sales Engineer, Optics to join the Power & Thermal Management division. The Senior Field Sales Engineer serves as the primary technical advisor for customers, channel partners, and the sales organization, supporting opportunities involving optical transceivers and high-speed networking infrastructure. This role partners closely with account managers to identify, qualify, design, and close opportunities, with a primary focus on enterprise data centers and AI/GPU infrastructure, and additional support for cloud and service provider applications. Works closely with Product Management and Engineering to ensure solutions align with product capabilities.
The individual in this role combines deep technical expertise in optical networking technologies with strong consultative selling skills to influence customer architecture decisions, accelerate sales cycles, and support revenue growth.
Pre-Sales Technical Consultation & RFP Response: Partner with sales teams to qualify and close opportunities across data center, cloud, and enterprise markets. Lead technical RFP/RFQ responses, deliver executive briefings, and position Legrand optical solutions competitively.
- Optical & AI Infrastructure Solution Architecture: Design physical-layer solutions spanning optical transceivers, structured fiber, and interconnects for enterprise data centers and AI/GPU fabrics. Translate customer requirements into ecommended part numbers, bills of materials, connectivity diagrams, and compatible optics/cable combinations. Consult with client engineers on topology design, reach, fiber infrastructure, breakout configurations, and interoperability.
- Proof-of-Concept & Technical Validation: Lead hands-on POC evaluations, multi-vendor compatibility testing, and optical troubleshooting. Define test plans, success criteria, responsibilities, and timelines; coordinate samples and customer testing; document results and outstanding issues; and partner with sales to move successful evaluations toward deployment and purchase orders.
- Customer Issue Ownership & Communication: Coordinate technical issues through resolution. Establish the case owner, next action, and target date; provide regular updates to customers and sales; and maintain case records. When Engineering, Technical Support, or an RMA team takes over technical work, confirm the handoff and retain responsibility for customer and sales follow through until resolution is communicated.
- Strategic Client Advisory & Account Partnership: Serve as a trusted technical advisor to engineering leaders and network architects. Collaborate closely with account managers throughout the sales lifecycle to expand Legrand's presence within strategic accounts.
- Third-Party Optics Positioning: Explain Approved Networks interoperability, qualification methods, reliability, warranty coverage, and commercial value to customers evaluating OEM alternatives. Use approved documentation and coordinate with internal experts when addressing OEM support policies or other commitments.
- Cross-Functional Product & Engineering Feedback: Liaise between field deployments and internal Legrand teams. Identify product and compatibility gaps early, and communicate the customer application, technical requirements, revenue opportunity, and required timing to Product Management and Engineering. Coordinate qualification requests and communicate confirmed status and next steps to sales and customers.
- Market Intelligence & Partner Enablement: Track optical networking trends, including 800G, emerging 1.6T requirements, CMIS, and coherent pluggable. Create technical documentation, application notes, connectivity diagrams, and training resources to empower partners and sales teams.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
- Typically, 8+ years of experience in sales engineering, systems engineering, network engineering, or optical networking.
- Typically, 5+ years supporting optical transceivers or high-speed networking solutions.
- Strong customer-facing and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated success influencing technical buying decisions and supporting revenue growth, with examples of customer solution designs, successful evaluations, and resolution of complex technical issues.
- Ability to travel domestically, primarily within the western half of the U.S., with occasional travel outside the region. Travel expectation: 50% Technical requirements and preferred experience
- Required Optical Expertise: Strong hands-on experience with optical transceivers and Ethernet interconnects, including relevant SFP and QSFP form factors, QSFP-DD and OSFP, single mode/multimode fiber, and DAC/AOC/AEC options. Ability to select appropriate solutions across the portfolio and troubleshoot transceiver diagnostics, optical power budgets, connector types, fiber polarity, breakout configurations, FEC/BER results, and switch firmware compatibility.
- Required Network Knowledge: Strong understanding of enterprise and data center Ethernet networks, leaf-spine topologies, Layer 2/3 fundamentals, and physical-layer testing. Ability to translate application and network requirements into a practical connectivity design.
- Preferred Technologies and Platforms: Experience with 400G/800G deployments, AI/GPU cluster networking, InfiniBand, coherent ZR/ZR+ optics, SFF/CMIS standards, and structured cabling standards; familiarity with emerging 1.6T requirements. Hands-on experience with relevant platforms such as Cisco, Arista, Juniper, NVIDIA, Dell, Nokia, Ciena, or HPE is valuable; expertise across every listed platform is not required.
- Preferred Certifications: Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNA/CCNP, Juniper JNCIA/JNCIS, Arista ACE, CompTIA Network+, or CONA/CONE are helpful. Demonstrated customer design, troubleshooting, and technical sales results are prioritized over certifications.
Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for residential, commercial, and datacenter markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide.
Trusted by the world’s largest hyperscalers, Legrand's Power & Thermal Management division helps operators manage the critical infrastructure that powers modern data centers. Through a portfolio of best-in-class brands spanning power, cooling, connectivity, management, and supporting infrastructure, we enable customers to deploy, operate, and scale high-density environments. Combining deep domain expertise with a customizable design approach and dedicated support services, we help customers build and operate resilient infrastructure that meets current performance requirements while adapting to future demands. Power & Thermal Management industry-leading brands include Approved Networks, Raritan, Server Technology, Starline, Ortronics, Kratos Industries, and ZPE Systems.
Legrand, North & Central America offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as distinctive benefits like a high employer 401K match, paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay, short-term and long-term disability benefit plans, above-benchmark paid maternity and parental leave, bonus opportunities in accordance with the Company’s incentive plans, paid time off to volunteer, and an active/growing Employee Resource Group network. For more information, visit legrand.us.