Senior Pre-Sales Systems Engineer, Ottawa
Pure Storage · Remote · Canada
- Base
- C$141K–C$211K
- OTE
- Not disclosed
- Posted
- 3mo ago
Still open · checked 3h agoon Pure Storage's careers page
What Pure Storage sells
Flash storage for research data and AI work
A university research lab can produce mountains of data from its machines, and that data must be stored safely and stay reachable. Everpure makes flash-based storage, the place where that data lives while teams work on it. With Everpure, researchers keep their data close to the computing and AI work they do.
In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell us
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Ask hard questionsToo much is left unsaid. Make them answer before you invest.
- Pay
- Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
- Transparency
- Says nothing about quota, attainment, deal size, territory or sales cycle.
- Pipeline
- Doesn't say where pipeline comes from. Ask.
- Time on market
- Open 103 days. Ask why it's been hard to fill.
- Company hiring
- Ramping up: posted 18 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.
Red flags
None spotted.
Worth asking about
- Open 90+ days. This role has been posted for three months or more. Ask why it's been hard to fill, and whether anyone left it.
Green flags
None spotted.
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.
This role has been open a while. What's made it hard to fill?
The answer tells you what candidates saw that made them walk.
- 2.
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.
- 3.
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.
- 4.
What's the annual quota, and how was it set?
A quota built from real data is a target. Otherwise it's a hope.
- 5.
Where does pipeline come from: inbound, SDRs, or me?
Tells you how much of your week is prospecting versus selling.
- 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 account managers in selling Everpure storage and data platform solutions. You run evaluations, benchmarks, architecture presentations, and RFP responses to drive net new business.
Mixed
Selling motion
Who you're selling to
- Buyer:
- Hyperscalers, AI labs and AI ecosystem companiesIn their words: “hyperscalers, AI labs, the AI hardware supply chain, data platform providers, and the broader AI ecosystem”
- Industry:
- Technology and AIIn their words: “Our strategic agenda spans the companies defining the next era of technology”
- Company size:
- Enterprise
Pipeline expectations
Compensation
What is not disclosed
This posting doesn't tell you:
- OTE
- Quota size
- Quota attainment
- Average deal size
- Territory
- Sales cycle length
The questions above cover the big ones.