Job description
Sales engineers promote and sell technical, scientific and mechanical materials to businesses. They collaborate with the sales team of an organisation to determine customer requirements and develop the appropriate sales strategy.
Sales engineers must have extensive knowledge of their products, as they present them to prospective customers, determine their equipment needs and solve problems with their installed equipment.
Duties
- Promote and sell technical, scientific and mechanical materials to businesses
- Prepare and carry out presentations of products to clients
- Meet and discuss with clients to determine product needs,/li>
- Provide sales support
- Book orders and arrange delivery
- Adjust products to meet client requirements
- Recommend improved products to customers
- Advise and help clients with product issues or installations
- Collaborate with sales team to determine customer requirements
- Develop sales strategies
- Research new products and industry trends
Skills and qualities
Job outlook
Projected growth
6%
New jobs
3.7k
Automation risk
0.41%
Career progression
After much success, sales engineers have the prospect of receiving higher commission rates in the companies they work for. They might also expand to a larger sales territory or progress to the position of supervisor or sales manager.
Working conditions
Average hours
40h/ week
Typical schedule
Full Time
Long or irregular hours occasionally
Some sales engineers are office-based, though most of these professionals spend their time travelling to meet clients. They may travel locally, nationally and even internationally to promote their products to prospective customers.
Sales engineers often face stress as they try to increase an organisation’s sales and attract new customers.
A typical working day involves meeting clients or talking to them via telephone.
Salary
Bottom 10%
$58k
Median
$100k
Top 10%
$170k
Annual salary estimates are based on percentile wage data collected through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey of US workers.
Qualifications and training
Education level
Undergraduate
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field
Study time
4 years
Sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry or business in order to apply for the role. Despite this, there are some hiring managers that will consider an applicant without a degree but with extensive sales or technical experience.
Graduates of an engineering degree generally need to obtain adequate sales experience or training before being considered for the role. It is also recommended that training and education continues throughout the career of a sales engineer, as scientific and technological products often advance.
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 2, 2022
