Sales Engineer

The Sales Engineer on the Direct Marketing Team plays a pivotal role in developing Direct Marketing Accounts by identifying, engaging, and qualifying new sales opportunities. This position works directly with both customers and the Technical Application Engineering Team to provide technical expertise; craft tailored solutions and ensure a seamless sales process. The Sales Engineer leverages customer engagement AI tools to uncover new opportunities and is responsible for setting up and leading discovery meetings with potential customers via Microsoft Teams and outbound phone calls.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and research potential Direct Marketing Accounts using AI-powered customer engagement tools, industry databases, and prospecting platforms.
• Engage with prospects through proactive outreach (calls, emails, social media) to understand their technical requirements and business challenges.
• Qualify inbound and outbound leads by conducting technical discovery and needs analysis to determine solution fit.
• Collaborate closely with the Technical Application Engineering Team to design and present customized solutions that address specific customer needs.
• Set up, coordinate, and lead discovery meetings with prospects and internal stakeholders via Microsoft Teams, providing technical guidance and answering in-depth questions.
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of all prospecting activities, technical requirements, and customer interactions in CRM systems.
• Provide feedback from customer interactions to sales, marketing, and product teams to refine messaging, product features, and targeting strategies.
• Stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, and the competitive landscape relevant to direct marketing and customer engagement solutions.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, business, or a related field preferred.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in sales engineering, pre-sales, technical sales, or related role.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to understand and explain complex solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience using CRM platforms and AI-driven sales engagement tools.
• Proven track record of setting and achieving technical discovery and opportunity generation targets.
• Collaborative mindset with experience working across sales and engineering teams.
• High level of organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Teams or similar virtual meeting platforms.
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and eager to stay ahead of new technologies and industry trends.
• Analytical thinker with a passion for solving customer problems and driving business growth.
• Comfortable adapting to new tools, products, and processes in a dynamic team environment.

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently leads high-quality technical discovery meetings that move prospects through the sales funnel.
• Builds a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities in Direct Marketing Accounts.
• Acts as a trusted technical advisor, bridging the gap between customer needs and product capabilities.
• Contributes actionable insights to improve sales engagement strategies, product offerings, and account targeting.

Company Culture

Learn more about ifm

Benefits:

• Top-tier medical plan with no deductible, plus voluntary dental and vision plans
• Company-paid LTD, STD, and other insurances
• 401K program with 100% company match of up to 6% of pay after six months
• Eleven paid holidays per calendar year
• 15 paid vacation days and 5 days paid sick time

Company Description

ifm efector, inc., headquartered in Malvern, PA, has earned the distinguished Top Employers certification for 2020 and 2021 in North America for our outstanding people practices. ifm efector is the US subsidiary of ifm electronic gmbh, a global company with over 8,700 employees in 165 countries serving 155,000 customers worldwide. Our core business is the development and production of sensors and controls for industrial automation and process applications.

"Exceptional success can only be achieved when the employees believe in the company and when they know that they are treated in a fair and honest way." -ifm philosophy

ifm is a privately-owned company whose success can be attributed to three guiding principles: Employees First, Customer Loyalty, and Safe Growth. With a supportive and collaborative culture, ifm welcomes new ideas and fosters honest communication and trust. Distinguished by their individual capabilities and contributions, every employee plays a role in the success of our business, so that we may provide innovative solutions to meet and exceed our customer’s business needs. ifm is dedicated to ensuring employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered to realize their full potential in a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment filled with meaning and a shared sense of purpose.

“We have amazing products, but best of all we have amazing people. This is a core value of our success.” - Roger Varma, CEO, ifm efector