Principal Solutions Architect (Public Sector)

Job description

Who are we? Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company®, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet. A place where bold ideas are welcomed, human connection is valued, and everyone has the opportunity to shape their future. A career at Equinix means being at the center of shaping what comes next and amplifying customer value through innovation and impact. You’ll work across teams, influence key decisions, and help shape the path forward. You’ll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you—because when you feel valued, you’re empowered to do your best work. Job Summary The Principal Solutions Architect, Public Sector is a focused technical sales resource within Equinix providing consulting services targeted at Federal, State, Local, and Education (SLED) agencies and mission-driven organizations with demanding requirements around secure connectivity, hybrid cloud, compliance-driven architectures, and mission-critical workload performance. The position is a high-visibility role both within and outside the company, and as such, the ideal candidate will possess a superior balance of self-motivation, senior technical expertise, advanced client handling, and prior experience innovating and delivering unprecedented growth within the Federal IT and public sector ecosystem. Responsibilities Engage, build relationships, and influence Senior Agency Executives, CIOs, CTOs, and Program Directors as a trusted advisor within strategic Federal, SLED, and defense-adjacent accounts to understand mission objectives and align them to future sales engagements Inspire, drive, and motivate the extended public sector team around a unified go-to-market approach Influence decision-making at the strategic level across civilian agencies, DoD components, systems integrators (SIs), and channel partners Adeptly navigate conversations with Agency executives around mission outcomes and pivot fluidly into technical depth around solutions, compliance frameworks, and architecture to drive transformational engagements Act as a well-rounded Subject Matter Expert (SME) with the technical depth to confidently present in front of audiences ranging from contracting officers to CISOs to network engineers Proactively support strategic public sector sales opportunities by collaborating with Federal account teams on capture planning, agency calls, and customer-facing meetings Understand and communicate the value proposition of Equinix solutions for complex public sector use cases including FedRAMP-authorized environments, Zero Trust architectures, CMMC compliance, and sovereign/classified adjacency requirements Participate in dynamic conversations about public sector procurement mechanics — GWACs, IDIQs, BPAs, and co-op vehicles — and their influence on key stakeholders and buying cycles Act as an industry thought leader in agency meetings and public settings by understanding where Federal IT modernization is headed (FITARA, CDM, EO on Cybersecurity, Cloud Smart) and how Equinix accelerates agency missions Closely follow Federal and SLED industry trends, policy shifts, and budget cycles to shape account team priorities and share intelligence broadly across the organization Regularly evangelize solutions and roadmaps at industry conferences, trade shows, and partner forums including AWS Invent Public Sector, Microsoft Federal, Google Public Sector, and events such as ACT-IAC, AFCEA, and MeriTalk Continually increase knowledge and develop skills through formal education, self-study, and independent work including relevant Federal IT and compliance certifications Incubate new emerging capabilities for the public sector market — determining potential business plans, routes to monetization through GSA/SEWP vehicles, key SI and OEM partnerships, and pilot concepts with agency clients Required Skills Customer focused with strong mission and business acumen across Federal, DoD, and SLED environments Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills with ability to tailor messaging for both technical and non-technical government audiences Ability to work with key internal and external stakeholders — including SIs, prime contractors, and agency program offices — and seamlessly deliver results Excellent executive engagement skills across both civilian and defense agency leadership Strong familiarity with Federal procurement vehicles, contracting strategies, and budget cycles (O&M vs. capital, CR environments, etc.) Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify value and create urgency in a complex, often slow-moving procurement environment Strong public speaking skills with ability to simplify and explain complex architectures for audiences ranging from GS-13 program managers to SES-level agency CIOs Ability to influence and lead solution conversations in a matrixed environment including SI partners, channel, and Equinix global teams Linear, logical thinking with the ability to break down and solve difficult compliance, security, and interoperability challenges Strong emotional intelligence and diplomatic skills — essential when navigating multi-stakeholder Federal opportunities Superior organizational and project management skills aligned to long-cycle Federal pursuit timelines Deep ability to articulate design principles for secure, compliant technical architectures including FedRAMP, ITAR, IL4/IL5/IL6 environments, and NIST 800-53 frameworks Strong technical knowledge up and down the stack: colocation, interconnection, cloud on-ramps, SD-WAN, network security, and hybrid multi-cloud Comfortable preparing and leading workshops, briefings, and capability demonstrations at civilian agencies, DoD installations, and partner briefing centers Solid ability to speak to interrelated solutions including data center, cloud, networking, security, and compliance-driven architectures Provides advanced technology solutioning support to Equinix Federal field, channel, and Alliance sales teams Develops the account technology strategy (application of Equinix IOA) with Federal Account Executives and SI capture teams Prepares and conducts agency technology workshops and mission alignment sessions Develops peer relationships with customers at the GS-14/15 and SES level, and with capture and technical leads at prime SI partners Qualifications 15+ years in the functional domains of Network, Data Center, Enterprise IT Systems, Federal IT architecture, or defense/intelligence community infrastructure preferred 7+ years of solutions selling in a commercial or Federal pre-sales position preferred Prior experience working with or selling through Federal systems integrators (Leidos, SAIC, Booz Allen, CACI, Peraton, etc.) strongly preferred Active or clearable security clearance (Secret minimum; TS/SCI a strong differentiator) Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related engineering discipline preferred Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related engineering discipline preferred Advanced industry certifications preferred: Cisco, VMware, AWS GovCloud, Microsoft Azure Government, NVIDIA; TOGAF (v9 Part 1 and Part 2), ITIL 3.0, or CCIE-Written FedRAMP, CMMC, or FISMA/NIST framework knowledge strongly preferred The targeted pay range for this position in the following location is / locations are: United States - Ashburn Office AEO : 241,000 - 361,000 USD / Annual Our pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum target for new hire pay for the full-time position determined by role, level, and location. The pay range shown is based on our compensation structure in place at the time of posting and may be updated periodically based on business needs. Individual pay is based on additional factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and/or training. The targeted pay range listed reflects On-Target Earnings or OTE, which is base pay plus commissions, and does not include equity or benefits. Equity may be offered depending on the position. Equinix Benefits As an employee, you become important to Equinix’s success. We ensure all your benefits are in line with our core values: competitive, inclusive, sustainable, connected and efficient. We keep them competitive within the current marketplace to ensure we’re providing you with the best package possible. So, wherever you are in your career and life, you’ll be able to enhance your experience and bring your whole self to work. Employee Assistance Program : An Employee Assistance program is available to all employees. US Benefits: - Insurance: You may enroll in health, life, disability and voluntary plans that are designed for you and your eligible family members. - Retirement: You and Equinix may contribute to a retirement plan to help you plan for your financial future. - Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays: You will receive an accrued amount of PTO each pay period along with various paid holidays for you to rest and recharge. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific plan or program terms. Equinix is committed to ensuring that our employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability. If you are a qualified candidate and need assistance or an accommodation, please let us know by completing this form . Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and, in the U.S., an Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law. We use artificial intelligence in our hiring process. Learn more here . This posting is a new position within our organization.