Security Sales Engineer - Chicago, Pre-sales

Tenable is the Exposure Management company, relied upon by over 40,000 organizations to understand and reduce cyber risk. They are seeking an experienced Pre-Sales Engineer to drive business and technical aspects of strategic enterprise selling, collaborating with territory managers to position Tenable's solutions and create lasting customer relationships.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver compelling technical presentations and live demonstrations of Tenable Enterprise products
• Manage enterprise software trials and Proof of Concept evaluations, mapping unique business values with customer business objectives
• Answer technical questions and provide consultative guidance on security best practices, compliance frameworks, and risk management
• Apply advanced technical skills to demonstrate the value and impact of Tenable’s solutions in solving real-world customer challenges
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing customers, while identifying and cultivating new strategic opportunities
• Present thought leadership content and represent Tenable at industry events, executive briefings, and customer-facing sessions
• Leverage strategic technical selling skills to engage key stakeholders, from engineers to CISOs, and influence decision-making
• Travel as needed (typically around 25%) to support key customer engagements, critical sales opportunities, and high-impact cybersecurity events
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product management and engineering to surface customer feedback and prioritize critical customer use cases
• Help shape future innovations by identifying gaps and contributing ideas for new product features and capabilities
• Deliver clear status reports for Proofs of Value (POVs) and active opportunities; this data is mission-critical for forecasting business health and ensuring alignment with territory and organizational growth goals
• Meet with prospective clients to discover what their biggest security challenges and highest priority business drivers are

Requirements:

• 3–5 years of experience in a customer-facing technical sales role, with a demonstrated track record as a trusted and successful sales engineer
• Proven ability to lead and win technical proof-of-value (PoV) engagements with strategic enterprise customers
• A customer-centric mindset, with a relentless focus on delivering business value and building long-term relationships
• Recognized thought leadership in cyber security, including experience in public speaking and industry engagement
• Strong communication skills with the ability to tailor and deliver impactful presentations to diverse audiences, including engineers, security professionals, and executive stakeholders
• A collaborative, team-oriented approach, committed to knowledge-sharing and cross-functional success, while proudly representing our One Tenable team culture
• Exceptional Situational and Self-Awareness, with the high emotional intelligence (EQ) required to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, adapt communication styles in real-time, and maintain a grounded, professional presence during high-pressure technical demonstrations
• 5+ years of Sales Engineering experience with a focus on vulnerability management, cloud security, or complex enterprise SaaS
• Core Network Security & TCP/IP Foundations, including an understanding of the OSI model, packet analysis, and other advanced network security concepts
• Vulnerability Management Expertise, with hands-on experience using Nessus and other industry-standard network security scanning tools to identify, validate, and prioritize vulnerabilities across hybrid environments
• Experience with securing modern Cloud Infrastructure like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
• Basic understanding of Container Security, specifically securing Docker and Kubernetes (K8s) environments
• AI Security Knowledge, including the ability to identify and mitigate risks that LLM's bring to businesses
• Basic Understanding of Identity and Access Management (IAM), including its critical role as the modern security perimeter and how to manage user and service permissions across cloud environments
• Automation & DevSecOps Mindset, with the ability to leverage Python SDKs, REST/GraphQL APIs, Terraform, and more
• Strategic Compliance Knowledge, mapping technical findings to frameworks like CIS, FISMA, PCI, and emerging AI-specific regulations (e.g., NIST AI RMF)
• Strong Academic & Professional Credentials, including a BS in Computer Science (or equivalent) and certifications such as CISSP, AWS Solutions Architect, or CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator)