Working on the computer across multiple software platforms to design, budget and quote commercial HVAC equipment and systems. Interacting over the phone with manufacturers, mechanical contractors and consulting engineers. Strategically planning internally with co workers to leverage our product line strengths to successfully win projects.
CAREER
Sales Engineers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$108,830
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+6.3% (as fast as the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Sales Engineers Do
Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
Other Job Titles Sales Engineers May Have
Product Sales Engineer, Sales Engineer, Technical Sales Engineer
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
I spend the mornings answering emails and participating in conference calls about whatever projects I'm working on currently. After that, I'll have a scrum meeting with my team to track our progress and discuss which problems we need to fix that day. The scrum meeting is a helpful way to get caught up with my team's status every day. After that, I'll dive in and get started on coding and hopefully building the solutions to those problems we'd discussed.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
- Sell products requiring extensive technical expertise and support for installation and use, such as material handling equipment, numerical-control machinery, or computer systems.
- Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs.
- Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
- Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Sales Engineers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (60%)
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Bachelor
Mechanical Engineering
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Establishing rapport with new acquaintances, interpreting customer needs, persistence.
I didn't take a traditional route; I graduated with a chemical engineering degree, but I'm working in software development. The way I got here is through my curiosity about developing apps for Android phones. It was a side project I kept up with completely apart from school, until I realized that I could develop programs that would help with my chemical engineering homework, strengthening my skills in both areas. So self-study and continuous learning are definitely important.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
Know and understand the laws of thermodynamics.
Although I've been successful as an Android developer with my chemical engineering degree, I would definitely recommend that students pursue a computer science or programming degree if they know that's where they want to end up. The first step is always to educate yourself on programming; whether it's taking an "Intro to Programming" class in college, or just doing your own research on the different areas and languages that you'd want to work with, just take your education into your own hands.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
