Sales Engineers

What the job really is

Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

At a glance

• Sector: Sales
• O*NET-SOC code: 41-9031
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions.
• Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
• Create sales or service contracts for products or services.
• Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages.
• Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments.
• Identify resale opportunities and support them to achieve sales plans.
• Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
• Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs.
• Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers.
• Recommend improved materials or machinery to customers, documenting how such changes will lower costs or increase production.
• Maintain sales forecasting reports.
• Document account activities, generate reports, and keep records of business transactions with customers and suppliers.

Tools and technology

Amazon Web Services AWS software, Ansible software, Apache Cassandra, Apache Hadoop, Apple iOS, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD, Border Gateway Protocol BGP, C, C++, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks, Docker

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
• Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
• Architectural and Engineering Managers
• Logistics Engineers
• Industrial Engineers
• Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
• Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors
• Manufacturing Engineers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Sales Engineers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.