What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sales Engineer - Industrial Pumps & Flow Control Systems position at Tencarva Machinery Company?
Description
We’re hiring a Sales Engineer to take ownership of a defined territory in Southwest Michigan, centered around Grand Rapids. This is a field-based, consultative role focused on helping industrial and municipal customers solve real operational problems through the selection and application of pumps and fluid handling systems.
This is not transactional sales. Our Sales Engineers operate with a high level of autonomy, working directly with customers to diagnose issues, evaluate systems, and develop practical, technically sound solutions. Success in this role comes from building trust, understanding applications deeply, and becoming a long-term resource to your customers
The Role
You will manage a defined territory and customer base, calling on industrial plants, municipalities, contractors, and engineering firms. You’ll work directly with operators, maintenance teams, engineers, and decision-makers to understand system challenges and recommend equipment and solutions that improve reliability and performance. You’ll partner closely with our internal Applications Engineering, sales support, and service/repair teams, but you are ultimately responsible for driving the opportunity — from initial customer engagement through solution development and closing the business.
This is a role for someone who enjoys being in the field, solving problems, and building relationships — not sitting behind a desk processing quotes
*Please note: This is a field-based role requiring regular travel to customer sites across the southwestern quadrant of Michigan. Sales Territory will be centered around Grand Rapids - appx 1.5-hour radius to the north and south, 45-min radius to the east and west.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
- Develop and grow a defined sales territory by building relationships with industrial and municipal customers
- Identify customer challenges and recommend appropriate pump systems and solutions
- Work with Applications Engineers to develop technically sound equipment selections and proposals
- Call on engineering firms, contractors, and end users to drive specification and project opportunities
- Review drawings, plans, and system requirements to support solution development
- Conduct site visits to evaluate equipment performance and identify improvement opportunities
- Maintain a pipeline of opportunities and manage territory activity
- Deliver product and application training to customers as needed
- Continue developing technical knowledge of products, systems, and applications
About Detroit Pump & Tencarva
Founded in 1926, Detroit Pump provides pumps, engineered systems, process equipment, and repair services to automotive, general industrial, and municipal customers. The business supports customers with equipment selection, system solutions, and repair of pumps and other rotating equipment.
Detroit Pump is part of Tencarva Machinery Company , an industrial equipment distributor, engineering and design partner, and OEM-authorized repair network within the process equipment/flow control market. With 39 locations across 17 states, Tencarva provides end-to-end, whole-system solutions for over 18,000 active customers across industrial and municipal markets.
Why This Role
- Established territory with existing customer relationships
- High level of autonomy — manage your business like an owner
- Strong internal technical support (Applications Engineering, inside sales support, and OEM-authorized repair services)
- Long-term, relationship-driven sales environment
- Opportunity to grow territory and earnings over time
Benefits include paid time off including 10 holidays, 401(k) with profit sharing, and health insurance.
Requirements
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from a 4-year college or university is strongly preferred, particularly Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, Civil, etc.
- 3 years of technical sales experience in industrial or municipal markets
- Strong mechanical or process aptitude (engineering background preferred)
- Ability to understand and discuss pump systems and industrial applications
- Experience building and maintaining B2B customer relationships
- Self-motivated and comfortable working independently in a field-based role
- Strong communication and problem-solving skills
Relevant Experience / Key Skills
Technical sales, outside sales, industrial equipment, pumps, rotating equipment, fluid handling systems, process equipment, B2B sales, territory management, municipal water, wastewater, reliability, maintenance.
The duties, responsibilities, and activities described above are not exhaustive and may be subject to change. Additionally, please note that the job title for this posting is designed to be descriptive and may not reflect the official title used internally for job classification purposes.
Tencarva Machinery Company, LLC, is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.