Role at a glance
- Salary
- $72K – $104.3K/yr
- Location
- RTP, North Carolina, United States
- Work arrangement
- On-site
- Employment
- Full-time
- Experience
- Early In Career (EIC) program
- Education
- You hold a technical degree (Engineering, CS, STEAM)
- Visa support
- Legally authorized to work in the country of hire without company sponsorship.
Spotted an issue?
We’ll check it against the original posting.
Role Summary
The 12-month Cisco Sales Associate Program is a global accelerator within the Global Sales Enablement & Acceleration team, developing participants toward Technical Sales Champion and Solutions Engineer roles. Participants train through bootcamp learning, rotational assignments, AI-enabled technical solution work, and coached customer-facing practice before joining the Global Virtual Engineering team.
What You'll Do
- Participate in immersive bootcamp training and foundational technical skill-building.
- Complete three rotational assignments for real-world technical sales experience.
- Collaborate with Associate Sales Representatives to provide technical solutions that drive business outcomes.
- Use advanced learning platforms and artificial intelligence to design technical solutions and improve strategic decision-making.
- Discover, demonstrate, and design solutions for complex customer challenges.
- Provide software and Solutions Engineering services to customers, partners, and internal sales teams.
Generated from the employer's posting. Verify important details before applying.
View full postingQualifications
Technical degree in Engineering, CS, or STEAM, or real-world proof of technical curiosity such as a home lab, certification, or side project; fluent in English and the primary language of the country of application.
Required
- Technical degree in Engineering, CS, or STEAM, or real-world proof of technical curiosity such as a home lab, certification, or side project
- Fluent in English and the primary language of the country for which you are applying
- Legally authorized to work in the country of hire without company sponsorship
Preferred
- AI-native mindset and high degree of learning agility
- Passion for networking and software (Java/Python)
- Ability to use AI to automate and innovate the engineering process
- High emotional intelligence
- Ability to navigate a matrix-based organization and collaborate within a hub-based cohort
- Analytical resilience when solving sophisticated technical hurdles or translating complex requirements into business value
- Confident communication skills
Original job description
Content provided by the employer
Original job description
Content provided by the employer
Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens.
Applications are accepted until further notice.
Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens.
Meet the Team
- You will train alongside a diverse cohort of high-calibre individuals from across the AMER Region, building a rich professional network and long-lasting friendships. This hub-based environment provides a "safe-to-fail" setting where you can master your craft through AI customer simulations and mentored on-the-job activities.
- Throughout the Cisco Sales Associate Program (CSAP), you will collaborate with Cisco Associate Sales Representatives to provide technical solutions that drive business outcomes. You will expand your expertise across Collaboration, Security, Networking, and Cloud to bridge the gap between technical requirements and business value. You will learn from industry experts and dedicated coaches using our own leading-edge technology.
- To support your growth, you will be paired with a mentor—a CSAP alumnus who has successfully navigated the program. Supported by a team committed to your success, you will earn industry-standard certifications and gain the expertise required to thrive in elite technical sales opportunities across our global organization.
Your Impact
The CSAP Graduate Program is a 12-month global accelerator designed to develop high-potential individuals into Technical Sales Champions. Built on a model of Education, Exposure, and Experience, the program offers a clear progression:
- Month 1–3: Participate in immersive Bootcamp training and foundational technical skill-building.
- Month 3–12: Complete three rotational assignments for real-world technical sales experience
- Beyond 12 months: Transition into a Solutions Engineer role to discover, demonstrate, and design solutions for complex customer challenges.
Our learning philosophy prioritises experiential growth, with the majority of your development occurring through coached, real-world practice within a hub-based cohort of peers. This immersive approach ensures you grow and learn through direct application rather than in isolation.
A key part of this Program is our AI-First Mandate. As an Associate Solutions Engineer (ASE) in our Global Sales Enablement & Acceleration team, you will build strong AI skills by using advanced learning platforms and artificial intelligence to design technical solutions and improve strategic decision-making. This trajectory is designed for those looking to outpace the traditional career curve! Through quarterly competency checkpoints, high-performers can validate their skills and fast-track into further technical roles before the program concludes.
Upon completion of the 12-month Early In Career (EIC) program, as a Solutions Engineer (SE), you will join our Global Virtual Engineering (GVE) team. GVE is a best-in-class technical presales organization that provides software and Solutions Engineering services to customers, partners, and internal sales teams. You will discover, demonstrate, and design solutions to address complex customer challenges.
Minimum Qualifications
- You hold a technical degree (Engineering, CS, STEAM) or come from a non-traditional background with real-world proof of technical curiosity—like a home lab, certification, or side project—and possess the skills to turn complexity into clarity.
- Fluent in English and the primary language of the country for which you are applying.
- Legally authorized to work in the country of hire without company sponsorship.
Preferred Qualifications
- AI-native mindset with a high degree of learning agility; you are passionate about networking and software (Java/Python) and eager to use AI to automate and innovate the engineering process.
- High emotional intelligence with the ability to navigate a matrix-based organization, influencing stakeholders and collaborating within a hub-based cohort to drive team success.
- Analytical resilience, capable of maintaining focus and creativity when solving sophisticated technical hurdles or translating complex requirements into tangible business value.
- Confident communicator who can deconstruct "black box" technologies into simple, persuasive narratives for diverse audiences.
Why Cisco?
At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.
Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.
We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.
Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:
Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.
U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.
U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:
10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.
Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:
.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and
Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.
For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.
The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:
New York City Metro Area:
$72,000.00 - $104,300.00Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$68,400.00 - $99,100.00* For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.
** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.
About the company
Cisco
Large Enterprise
Cisco is a global leader in networking technology, dedicated to connecting people and devices through innovative solutions. Founded in 1984, the company specializes in the development of hardware and software that enables secure internet communications, including routers, switches, and cybersecurity solutions. With a strong emphasis on cutting-edge research and development, Cisco continually adapts to the evolving digital landscape, empowering businesses to accelerate their digital transformation and improve operational efficiency. Committed to fostering talent, Cisco provides various career opportunities in fields such as engineering, sales, and technology, making it an ideal destination for aspiring professionals.
Cisco is a global leader in networking technology, dedicated to connecting people and devices through innovative solutions. Founded in 1984, the company specializes in the development of hardware and software that enables secure internet communications, including routers, switches, and cybersecurity solutions. With a strong emphasis on cutting-edge research and development, Cisco continually adapts to the evolving digital landscape, empowering businesses to accelerate their digital transformation and improve operational efficiency. Committed to fostering talent, Cisco provides various career opportunities in fields such as engineering, sales, and technology, making it an ideal destination for aspiring professionals.