Specialist Solutions Engineer - Security

Company: AHEAD
Location: Chicago
Posted on: February 16, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation. At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD. We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived. We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD. The AHEAD Security Specialty Solutions Engineer (SSE) will be focused on security technologies and solutions. The SSE is considered a subject matter expert in this area, with responsibility for selling and designing complex security solutions. The SSE is also considered an organizational thought leader for security within the company. You will work in partnership with sales representatives, practice leaders, and other SSE team members to build a market strategy and assist with account planning for existing and prospective clients. As part of this strategy, you will help sales representatives identify potential security technologies and vendors to partner with for individual clients or in a given region. You will assist with driving this strategy throughout a given campaign. In partnership with other senior and principal SSEs in your practice, you will assist with diagrams, bill of materials, proposal content, and other documentation associated with active security sales campaigns. You will also assist with achieving the proper training and certifications necessary to sell the security solutions we are positioning. Time management and prioritization are essential attributes to be successful. In this capacity, you will work to define security strategies, compare and contrast alternative approaches, and build key relationships, as well as size and configure security products. Positioning and leveraging subject matter experts and other AHEAD consultants is a necessity to scale your effectiveness within accounts. Roles and Responsibilities Active participation in the AHEAD Security team and related virtual teams. Be a thought leader within the Solutions Engineering organization, responsible for designing, architecting, and, at times, consulting for AHEAD clients in the security domain. Build skills, relationships, and industry credibility across many segments to drive product, services, and consulting sales in the security space. Support the sales teams during engagements by providing advice, solutions, or proposals optimized to meet customer technical and business requirements. Develop relationships with other Security SSE team members, leaders, and partners in support of sales objectives. Strategize and execute technical sales calls. Complete required pre-sales documentation (configurations, pricing, services, presentations, justifications, etc.) quickly and accurately. Qualify sales opportunities in terms of customer technical requirements, decision-making process, and funding. Present and market the design and value of proposed AHEAD security solutions and business justifications to customers, prospects, and AHEAD management. Participate in the mentorship of entry-level team members. Possess strong, detailed product/technology/industry knowledge in the security domain. Knowledge of job-associated software and applications. Qualifications Experience with any SASE vendor is a significant differentiator 3 – 5 years technical experience with security controls in one or more areas such as: Firewalls, IDS/IPS, NTA, NDR, NGAV, EDR, SIEM, Vulnerability Scanning, DLP, Penetration Testing Experience in architecture design that brings together and integrates solutions across multiple vendors 3 - 5 years acting as a consultant for clients, advising on technical solutions and participating in pre-sales and solution development. Familiarwith Public Cloud providers: AWS, Azure, GCP Ability to grasp new technology concepts quickly and assist others in understanding them as well. Ability to evaluate new technologies and provide internal training Ability to understand customer needs, define requirements, and design solutions Ability to develop and present architectural recommendations and implementation/ assessment services Expertise with Vendor Configuration Tools Preferred Skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills Excellent presentation skills Strong Technical Aptitude Provide technical leadership assuring quality, maximizing team output Self-motivated Preferred Certifications Industry: CISSP, CISA Vendor: Palo Alto Cortex, Cisco XDR, Microsoft Security, Zscaler, CrowdStrike, Wiz Why AHEAD: Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between. We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning. USA Employment Benefits include: - Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - 401(k) - Paid company holidays - Paid time off - Paid parental and caregiver leave - Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details. The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Keywords: AHEAD, Bolingbrook , Specialist Solutions Engineer - Security, IT / Software / Systems , Chicago, Illinois