At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape customer requirements and enable sales conversion through technical expertise.
- Company: Join Oakdoor™, a disruptive force in cybersecurity with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid working, and continuous training opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with clear pathways for career progression and diverse team culture.
- Why this job: Be a trusted expert, solving real-world security challenges for prestigious clients.
- Qualifications: Strong technical background in cybersecurity and customer-facing roles required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Company Description
Oakdoor™ by PA Consulting is an incubated scale-up business that is disrupting the cybersecurity world of cross domain solutions. Bringing the next generation of ingenious hardware data diodes to the most important networks in the world. We build relationships with customers who want to protect their critical digital assets, from across a range of industries such as defence, national security and critical national infrastructure. By understanding common challenges and opportunities we use our insight to solve customer problems, nurturing relationships with organisations of varying maturity. We are a highly skilled and motivated team designing and selling world-leading new network security products.
Job Description
We are seeking a versatile Technical Pre-Sales and Field Application Engineer to build technical credibility, shape customer requirements, and enable sales conversion. Supporting the full customer lifecycle — from early opportunity discovery through deployment, integration, and ongoing technical success — this hybrid role combines the customer-facing solution design strengths of pre-sales with the hands-on technical delivery and support capabilities of a Field Application Engineer (FAE). You will collaborate closely with the sales, engineering, and operations teams, acting as both a technical evangelist and trusted advisor. The ideal candidate can translate business problems into technical solutions, deliver compelling demonstrations, and provide expert implementation and troubleshooting support.
Key Responsibilities:
- Customer Discovery & Technical Positioning: Support the sales team during customer engagements to identify requirements, challenges, and objectives. Lead technical discovery sessions, evaluating environments and integration constraints. Translate customer needs into Oakdoor solution architectures and value-driven propositions.
- Solution Design, Demonstrations & Proposals: Create maximum value for customers by building compelling technical solutions that leverage the Oakdoor portfolio. Deliver compelling demonstrations, workshops, and proof-of-concepts to de-risk and accelerate opportunities through technical validation. Produce technical documentation including architectures, BoMs, implementation approaches, and content for RFP/RFI responses. Clearly articulate Oakdoor’s competitive advantages and technical differentiators.
- Technical Implementation & On-Site Support: Support customers during installation, configuration, commissioning, and system integration. Perform diagnostic analysis, troubleshooting, issue resolution, and system validation. Conduct testing, performance checks, and acceptance procedures. Provide both remote and on-site assistance as required.
- Customer Enablement & Long-Term Success: Deliver technical training and knowledge-transfer sessions for customers and partners. Advise customers on best practices, product optimisation, and operational efficiency. Build strong, trusted relationships with customer engineering and operations teams.
- Internal Collaboration & Product Feedback: Act as an extension of the Oakdoor engineering and support teams, building deep understanding and trust with customers and technical leaders. Capture insightful feedback to help inform and prioritise key technology and product roadmap decisions, including enhancements and new features. Analyse market trends, competitor activity, and customer needs to inform our wider business strategy. Support internal teams during opportunity qualification, solution validation, and technical reviews.
- Technical Authority & Continuous Learning: Maintain expert-level knowledge of Oakdoor products, integrations, and use cases. Stay current with relevant technologies and industry trends, such as cybersecurity, networking, and hardware/software systems. Contribute to internal enablement, technical guides, and reusable solution assets.
Qualifications:
- Strong technical background in hardware, software, cybersecurity, or systems integration.
- Previous experience in a Technical Pre-Sales, Solutions Engineer, FAE, Systems Engineer, or similar customer-facing technical role.
- Demonstrated ability to design architectures and deliver hands-on implementation support.
- Excellent troubleshooting, analysis, and problem-solving abilities.
- Confident communication skills, with the ability to present complex topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Experience preparing proposals, diagrams, and technical documentation.
- A hands-on, agile, sleeves-rolled-up attitude to getting things done in a rapidly changing and evolving environment.
- You must be eligible for UK Security Clearance.
What Success Looks Like in This Role:
- Success means you are the trusted technical expert who helps win deals, delivers smooth deployments, and ensures customers get long-term value from Oakdoor solutions.
- Clear value articulation: Customers quickly understand how Oakdoor solves their problems.
- Strong technical delivery: Demos, solution designs, and deployments run smoothly and professionally.
- Fast issue resolution: Technical problems are diagnosed and resolved rapidly.
- Customer advocacy: Clients trust you, follow your guidance, and choose to expand with Oakdoor.
- Reliable collaboration: Strongly trusted by sales, engineering, support, and operations teams, who can depend on your accuracy and insight.
- Consistent execution: You manage pre-sales and post-sales workloads effectively, with no missed deadlines.
Additional Information:
We offer the opportunity to work on purposeful projects with incredible people, competitive salary, pension and bonus scheme, clear pathways to progression, and a thriving learning culture. Benefits include consistent training, development and career progression, hybrid working, flexible healthcare plans for you and your family, competitive leave allowances, team events, and a range of culturally-led clubs to join.
Diversity: We believe that diversity makes us a stronger firm and look to employ people with different ideas, styles and skillsets. This diversity stimulates a rich, creative environment – one in which our people develop, and our clients enjoy enduring results. We’re committed to recruiting, promoting and rewarding our people solely based on their ability to contribute to PA’s goals, without regard to their sex, race, disability, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or marital status.
Solution Architect (Technical Pre-Sales and Field Applications Engineer) in Melbourn employer: PA Consulting
At Oakdoor™ by PA Consulting, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture. Our team enjoys competitive salaries, flexible healthcare plans, and consistent opportunities for training and career progression, all while working on groundbreaking cybersecurity solutions that make a real impact. With a focus on collaboration and innovation, we empower our employees to thrive in a fast-paced environment where their contributions are valued and recognised.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solution Architect (Technical Pre-Sales and Field Applications Engineer) in Melbourn
✨Get Involved in the Cybersecurity Community
Diving into the cybersecurity community is key for landing that full-time gig. Join forums like Reddit's r/cybersecurity or attend local meetups to connect with industry veterans and other job seekers. Networking is everything in this field—don’t just be a passive lurker!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Capture the Flag Competitions
Participate in Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions; these are not just a fun way to boost your skills but also a chance to showcase your talent to potential employers. Many companies, including PA Consulting, love seeing candidates who actively engage in these challenges.
✨Tailor Your Online Presence
Make sure your LinkedIn and any professional profiles reflect your cybersecurity expertise. Share your projects, whether they’re personal or from a previous role, to catch the eye of hiring managers. This is how they’ll find your passion and commitment to the field!
✨Apply Directly Through PA Consulting
Don’t forget to head straight to our website and check out any openings for cybersecurity roles at PA Consulting. Applying directly can sometimes give you an edge, especially if you can mention that you've been following our work or engaging in the community.
We think you need these skills to ace Solution Architect (Technical Pre-Sales and Field Applications Engineer) in Melbourn
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your technical skills:In cybersecurity, it's crucial to highlight your technical prowess. Make sure your CV showcases specific skills like network security, penetration testing, or threat analysis. If you have relevant certifications (like CEH or CISSP), pop those on the front page to grab attention!
Tailor your portfolio for the role:Even for a full-time role, a portfolio can set you apart. If you've worked on any cybersecurity projects—be it CTF challenges, security assessments, or research papers—include these in your application. This demonstrates not just your skills, but also your hands-on experience!
Use real-world examples:When writing your cover letter, don’t just stick to your qualifications. Share real-world examples of how you’ve tackled security issues or vulnerabilities. This gives the hiring team at PA Consulting insight into your practical problem-solving abilities and makes your application memorable.
Demonstrate your passion for cybersecurity:Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, so show us that you’re always learning! Mention any recent courses, webinars, or industry events you’ve attended. This not only exhibits your enthusiasm but also signals to PA Consulting that you’re committed to staying ahead in the game.
How to prepare for a job interview at PA Consulting
✨Sharpen Your Technical Skills
For a role in cybersecurity, it’s essential to be up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques. Brush up on your knowledge of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and vulnerability assessment tools. Be ready to discuss specific scenarios where you’ve applied these skills, as hands-on experience can really set us apart in interviews.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect the interviewers at PA Consulting to throw in some hypothetical situations to see how you’d handle them. Think about common security breaches or incidents and be prepared to explain how you would respond. This not only shows your problem-solving skills but also your understanding of real-world cybersecurity challenges.
✨Highlight Your Certifications
Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH can give you a significant edge in a full-time role in cybersecurity. Make sure to mention these during your interview and be prepared to discuss what you learned through those certifications and how they relate to the position at PA Consulting.
✨Show Your Passion for Cybersecurity
Since you’re going for a full-time gig, showing genuine enthusiasm for the field can make all the difference. Share any personal projects, blogs, or communities you’re part of that relate to cybersecurity. This not only showcases your passion but also your commitment to staying engaged in this ever-evolving field.
