Senior Pre-Sales Systems Engineer, Commercial - Wisconsin
Pure Storage · Remote · US
- Base
- $141K–$212K
- OTE
- Not disclosed
- Posted
- 8d ago
Still open · checked 2h agoon Pure Storage's careers page
What Pure Storage sells
Flash storage that holds university research data
A research university makes huge amounts of data from lab instruments, gene sequencers, and AI experiments, and it needs somewhere to hold that data. Everpure sells data storage built on flash technology to keep it. Researchers can then run their work through HPC and AI pipelines and keep the results for the long term.
In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell us
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Worth a lookSolid on the basics. Use the first call to fill in the gaps.
- Pay
- Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
- Transparency
- Shares 1 of 5: quota, attainment, deal size, territory, sales cycle.
- Pipeline
- A mix of self-sourced pipeline and inbound or SDR help.
- Time on market
- Open 7 days.
- Company hiring
- Ramping up: posted 19 sales roles in the last 30 days. That many open roles can also mean churn. Ask how many reps are still there from last year.
Based only on what the posting says. Flags are a starting point for your first call, not a final judgment.
Questions to ask on the first call
Built from what this posting leaves out. How they answer tells you as much as what they say.
- 1.
What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?
OTE is what you could earn. This is how likely you are to earn it.
- 2.
What's the OTE, and what did the median rep earn last year?
Base is what you're guaranteed. OTE and the median show the upside.
- 3.
What's the annual quota, and how was it set?
A quota built from real data is a target. Otherwise it's a hope.
- 4.
How long is ramp, and what's the quota during it?
Full quota on day one means you start behind.
- 5.
What's a typical deal size and sales cycle?
Together they tell you how many deals it takes to hit your number.
- 6.
Why is this role open? Did someone leave, or is it new?
New headcount is growth. A replacement means someone left. Ask why.
When the offer comes
Save these for later. They land better once they've said yes to you.
- 1.
Can I see the full comp plan in writing, including clawbacks and accelerators?
What's in writing is what gets paid. Read it before you sign.
- 2.
Can I see the actual comp distribution for the team last year, not just the OTE?
The spread shows what most reps really take home. OTE is just the target.
- 3.
I'd be walking away from earned commission to join. Is there room for a sign-on bonus to help cover that?
Leaving money behind is a fair reason to ask. The worst answer is no.
Got an offer from Pure Storage? Not sure about it?Ask me. I read every message myself. · JoshAsk Josh
The role
Technical pre-sales role supporting Everpure storage sales in the Wisconsin commercial territory. You'll run evaluations, build architecture presentations, and work with account managers and partners on new and existing business.
Mixed
Selling motion
Who you're selling to
- Buyer:
- Hyperscalers, AI labs and AI ecosystem companiesIn their words: “Our strategic agenda spans the companies defining the next era of technology - hyperscalers, AI labs, the AI hardware supply chain, data platform providers, and the broader AI ecosystem.”
- Industry:
- AI and technologyIn their words: “Our strategic agenda spans the companies defining the next era of technology - hyperscalers, AI labs, the AI hardware supply chain, data platform providers, and the broader AI ecosystem.”
Pipeline expectations
Compensation
What is not disclosed
This posting doesn't tell you:
- OTE
- Quota size
- Quota attainment
- Average deal size
- Sales cycle length
The questions above cover the big ones.