HVAC Sales Engineer
Thornhvac
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Thornhvac is seeking an experienced HVAC Sales Engineer in Houston to drive new business and expand existing relationships across the commercial HVAC market. You will serve as a technical resource to contractors, engineers, architects, and building owners, guiding projects from prospecting through handoff.
The role requires strong technical credibility, commercial focus, and the ability to build lasting customer relationships within a dynamic, growth-oriented team.
Qualifications
- 3–5+ years of experience in commercial HVAC, HVAC equipment sales, or related field.
- Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, equipment schedules, and specs.
- Experience with estimating, quoting, and preparing technical proposals.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a strategic sales plan for the Houston territory.
- Identify and pursue new commercial HVAC opportunities and build relationships with contractors and engineers.
- Lead technical sales discussions, review plans, and influence specifications to close profitable projects.
- Prepare professional proposals and manage opportunities through the sales process.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Location: Houston, TX
Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Sales / Engineering
Reports To: Sales Manager / Director of Sales
Territory: Greater Houston and surrounding markets
Travel: Local and regional travel required
We are looking for an experienced HVAC Sales Engineer to join our team and help drive continued growth throughout the Greater Houston market.
This is an opportunity for a technically strong, commercially minded HVAC professional who knows how to develop relationships, identify opportunities, influence specifications, build solutions, and close profitable projects.
We are intentionally offering an above-market compensation package for the right candidate.
- Base Salary: $70,000 to $110,000
- Annual Incentive/Commission: $30,000–$65,000+
- Target Total Compensation: $100,000–$175,000+
- Uncapped earning potential
- $200,000+ potential for exceptional performers
- Company vehicle or competitive vehicle allowance
- Mileage and business-expense reimbursement
- Comprehensive benefits package
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off and company holidays
- Manufacturer training and professional development
Candidates with significant commercial HVAC experience, established contractor/engineering relationships, or a proven record of generating substantial sales revenue may be considered toward the top of the range or above it.
As an HVAC Sales Engineer, you will be responsible for developing new business and expanding existing customer relationships across the Houston commercial HVAC market.
You will serve as a technical resource and trusted advisor to mechanical contractors, consulting engineers, architects, building owners, developers, facility managers, and general contractors.
The position covers the complete sales cycle—from prospecting and opportunity development through engineering, equipment selection, estimating, proposal preparation, negotiation, closing, and project handoff.
The successful candidate will be equally comfortable discussing HVAC system design with a consulting engineer, reviewing equipment requirements with a contractor, presenting a solution to a building owner, and negotiating a commercial proposal.
- Develop and execute a strategic sales plan for the Houston territory.
- Identify and pursue new commercial HVAC opportunities.
- Build relationships with mechanical contractors, consulting engineers, architects, developers, building owners, facility managers, and general contractors.
- Develop new accounts while expanding existing customer relationships.
- Identify opportunities involving new construction, replacement, retrofit, renovation, service, controls, and energy-efficiency projects.
- Develop relationships with consulting engineers and influence equipment specifications and basis-of-design requirements.
- Conduct regular customer visits, sales calls, jobsite meetings, and technical presentations.
- Maintain a strong and measurable sales pipeline.
- Manage opportunities from initial identification through contract award.
- Achieve or exceed annual sales and gross-margin objectives.
- Evaluate customer requirements and recommend appropriate HVAC solutions.
- Review mechanical plans, specifications, equipment schedules, sequences of operation, and contract documents.
- Assist with HVAC equipment selection and system applications.
- Provide technical guidance regarding equipment capabilities, system design, controls, installation, operation, and maintenance.
- Develop solutions for replacement and retrofit applications.
- Work with manufacturers and internal engineering resources to develop technically appropriate solutions.
- Explain complex HVAC concepts in a clear and commercially relevant manner.
- Stay current on HVAC technology, energy efficiency, controls, regulations, and market developments.
- Prepare equipment selections, estimates, quotations, scopes of work, and technical proposals.
- Review construction documents and perform plan/specification takeoffs.
- Analyze project requirements, equipment costs, labor considerations, lead times, margins, and competitive positioning.
- Obtain pricing and technical information from manufacturers and suppliers.
- Prepare professional proposals and customer presentations.
- Follow up on quotations and actively manage opportunities through the sales process.
- Negotiate pricing, scope, and commercial terms while protecting company profitability.
- Coordinate closely with engineering, estimating, project management, operations, and manufacturers.
- Participate in pre-bid meetings, jobsite visits, site surveys, and project meetings.
- Ensure technical and commercial requirements are clearly communicated during project handoff.
- Assist with customer questions during installation, startup, commissioning, and closeout when required.
- Identify additional sales opportunities during the project lifecycle.
- Maintain strong customer relationships after the initial sale to generate repeat business.
- Develop strategic account plans for key Houston customers.
- Monitor competitive activity and market conditions.
- Identify target accounts and high-value opportunities.
- Maintain accurate opportunity, activity, and forecast information in the CRM.
- Provide regular sales forecasts and pipeline updates.
- Attend industry events, trade associations, manufacturer events, and customer functions.
- Represent the company professionally throughout the Houston HVAC and construction community.
- 3–5+ years of experience in commercial HVAC, HVAC equipment sales, applications engineering, mechanical contracting, construction, or a related technical field.
- Strong knowledge of commercial HVAC systems and equipment.
- Demonstrated technical sales or business-development experience.
- Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, plans, specifications, equipment schedules, and construction documents.
- Experience with HVAC equipment selection, estimating, quoting, or applications engineering.
- Strong customer relationship and business-development skills.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to translate technical requirements into practical customer solutions.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple opportunities simultaneously.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM systems.
- Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
- Ability to travel throughout the Greater Houston area.
The following would be highly advantageous:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, Construction, Business, or a related discipline.
- Mechanical Engineering degree or EIT/P.E. certification.
- Existing relationships with Houston-area mechanical contractors and consulting engineers.
- Established network within the commercial construction industry.
- Experience influencing HVAC specifications or basis-of-design requirements.
- Experience with commercial HVAC equipment including:
- Air Handling Units
- Rooftop Units
- Chillers
- Condensing Units
- Heat Pumps
- VRF/VRV
- DOAS
- Energy Recovery Systems
- Fan Coils
- VAV and terminal equipment
- Cooling Towers
- HVAC Controls / BAS / DDC
- Experience with retrofit and replacement projects.
- Knowledge of HVAC controls and building automation systems.
- Experience with plan-and-specification sales.
- Experience working with consulting engineers.
- Familiarity with construction bidding processes.
- Experience using CRM, estimating, equipment-selection, or HVAC applications software.
We're looking for someone who is:
Technically Credible
You understand HVAC systems and can have an intelligent conversation with engineers, contractors, and facility professionals.
Commercially Driven
You know that technical expertise only creates value when it translates into opportunities, sales, margin, and long‑term customer relationships.
Relationship Focused
You enjoy developing relationships and becoming the person customers call when they have a difficult HVAC problem to solve.
Entrepreneurial
You can manage your territory independently, identify opportunities before the competition, and take ownership of results.
Competitive
You want to win—and you understand that winning means delivering the right solution while maintaining healthy margins.
Responsive
You understand that in HVAC sales, speed and follow‑through can make the difference between winning and losing a project.
Within your first year, success will include:
- Building a strong pipeline of qualified Houston-area opportunities.
- Establishing relationships with key mechanical contractors and engineering firms.
- Developing new accounts and expanding existing accounts.
- Increasing specification and basis-of-design opportunities.
- Consistently generating qualified proposals.
- Converting opportunities into profitable orders.
- Meeting or exceeding annual sales and gross-margin targets.
- Becoming a trusted technical resource for customers.
- Building a sustainable book of repeat commercial HVAC business.
We believe exceptional sales professionals should be compensated accordingly.
$70,000 to $110,000 per year
$30,000–$65,000+ annual target opportunity
$100,000–$195,000+
$200,000+ annual earning potential
The incentive plan is designed to reward both revenue growth and profitable sales, with additional upside available for exceptional performance.
Additional benefits include:
- Company vehicle or competitive vehicle allowance
- Mileage/business-expense reimbursement
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid vacation/PTO
- Paid company holidays
- Manufacturer and technical training
- Professional development
- Company laptop and mobile technology
- Career advancement opportunities
- Opportunity to grow into senior sales, territory management, sales management, or business-development leadership
Houston is one of the largest and most active commercial HVAC markets in the United States, with continued demand across commercial construction, industrial facilities, healthcare, data centers, education, hospitality, multifamily, manufacturing, and building retrofit markets.
This role provides the opportunity to build a significant territory while working with some of the most important decision‑makers in the HVAC and construction industry.
You will have the autonomy to develop your territory while having the support of experienced engineering, estimating, project management, operations, and manufacturing teams.
Most importantly, we're looking for someone who wants to build something—not simply manage an existing customer list.
If you are an experienced HVAC sales professional who knows the Houston market, has strong technical credibility, and wants an opportunity with significant earning potential, we want to hear from you.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
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