Inside Sales Engineer

ACTalent; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Stock program

401K

Short/long term disability

Job summary

ACTalent in Waukesha, WI, is seeking an Inside Sales Engineer to support aerospace, energy, and engineering markets. You will handle inquiries, craft technical and commercial proposals, and determine pricing that reflects the high value of engineered solutions.

You will manage estimates from initial inquiry through production, balancing pre-sale and post-sale duties. The role combines technical insight with customer-facing responsibilities and may involve periodic customer visits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related mechanical discipline.
• Approximately 3 years of experience in sales engineering or application engineering.
• Approximately 2 years of experience in proposal development and estimating.
• At least 1 year of experience working with steel or similar industrial metals and materials.
• Proven experience in inside sales, technical sales, or sales engineering in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from technical blueprints and mechanical drawings.

Responsibilities

• Receive and review customer inquiries across multiple market segments.
• Develop comprehensive proposals communicating technical solutions, scope, and pricing.
• Sell the value of high-performance engineered products and services.
• Calculate and manage estimates with accuracy through production.
• Own the proposal process from start to finish (pre-sale and post-sale).
• Coordinate with engineering and production to ensure orders are delivered on schedule.
• Manage proposal timelines and follow-ups; track due dates.
• Travel to visit customers periodically (one visit every 1–2 months).
• Maintain relationships with six to seven active customers.
• Interpret blueprints to develop accurate proposals and estimates.

Skills

Inside sales experience

Proposal development

Estimating & pricing

Customer service

Blueprint interpretation

Communication

Pricing strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Job Description

The Inside Sales Engineer plays a central role in supporting multiple market groups, including military, turbine engine, petrochemical, engineered products, aero, energy, and more. In this position, you receive customer inquiries, develop detailed technical and commercial proposals, and determine pricing that reflects the high value of the companys engineered solutions. You manage estimates from initial inquiry through production, staying involved from start to finish in both pre-sale and post-sale stages. This role combines technical understanding with customer-facing responsibilities and offers the opportunity to work with unique alloy materials and complex components in a dynamic, non-union environment.

Job Title: Inside Sales Engineer

Job Description

The Inside Sales Engineer plays a central role in supporting multiple market groups, including military, turbine engine, petrochemical, engineered products, aero, energy, and more. In this position, you receive customer inquiries, develop detailed technical and commercial proposals, and determine pricing that reflects the high value of the companys engineered solutions. You manage estimates from initial inquiry through production, staying involved from start to finish in both pre-sale and post-sale stages. This role combines technical understanding with customer-facing responsibilities and offers the opportunity to work with unique alloy materials and complex components in a dynamic, non-union environment.

Responsibilities

• Receive and review customer inquiries across multiple market segments such as military, turbine engine, petrochemical, engineered products, aero, and energy.
• Develop comprehensive proposals that clearly communicate technical solutions, scope, and pricing, using templates as a guide while determining final prices and quantities.
• Sell the value of high-performance engineered products and services, effectively positioning solutions even when they are not the lowest-cost option.
• Calculate and manage estimates, ensuring accuracy in pricing and technical details and guiding them through the production process.
• Own the proposal process from start to finish, with approximately half of the role focused on pre-sale activities and half on post-sale follow-through.
• Act as a project manager after the sale, coordinating with engineering and production teams to ensure that orders are executed correctly and delivered on schedule.
• Monitor and manage proposal timelines, following up on all proposals within 24 hours and proactively setting and tracking due dates.
• Handle proposal volume appropriate to assigned groups, such as 510 proposals per week for turbine engine customers and around 20 proposals per week for machine shop customers.
• Participate in weekly meetings with customers to review requirements, updates, and ongoing projects.
• Travel periodically to visit customers, typically conducting one customer visit every one to two months to strengthen relationships and better understand their needs.
• Manage relationships with approximately six to seven active customers at any given time, ensuring high levels of responsiveness and service.
• Interpret and work from technical blueprints and mechanical drawings to develop accurate proposals and estimates.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams, including engineering and production, to ensure that technical specifications are correctly translated into manufacturable solutions.
• Maintain a strong focus on customer service, providing timely, professional communication and support throughout the sales cycle.
• Contribute to the companys reputation for quality and reliability in serving key customers in aerospace, defense, and industrial markets.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related mechanical discipline.
• Approximately 3 years of experience in sales engineering or application engineering, with a focus on technical or engineered products.
• Approximately 2 years of experience in proposal development and estimating for technical or industrial projects.
• At least 1 year of experience working with steel or similar industrial metals and materials.
• Proven experience in inside sales, technical sales, or sales engineering in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from technical blueprints and mechanical drawings.
• Strong customer service skills, with the ability to respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries and follow-ups.
• Demonstrated ability to manage both pre-sale and post-sale activities, including coordination with engineering and production teams.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills for pricing, estimating, and evaluating technical options.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills for interacting with customers and internal stakeholders.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting customers in industries such as turbine engines, petrochemical, military, engineered products, aero, and energy.
• Experience in mechanical environments involving metals such as steel, bronze, and stainless steel.
• Familiarity with machine shop operations and complex turning centers.
• Ability to balance multiple customer accounts, typically managing six to seven active customers at a time.
• Comfort with periodic travel to customer sites, approximately one visit every one to two months.
• Strong organizational skills to manage proposal timelines, follow-ups, and project milestones.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a sales engineering team environment.
• Interest in working with advanced alloy materials and high-value engineered components.

Work Environment

This role is based in a non-union manufacturing and engineering environment that specializes in unique alloy materials and complex component parts. The company heats, treats, tests, and machines components at the same location, creating a vertically integrated operation unlike typical facilities. You will work within a department of about 15 people, including approximately 10 sales engineers and inside sales engineers, and be part of a larger organization of around 700 employees across several locations. The facility features advanced equipment, including personally built turning centers with capacities up to 192 inches, and works extensively with materials such as bronze and stainless steel. The culture emphasizes interesting, technically challenging work, strong customer relationships, and a solid reputation in its markets. The environment is professional and collaborative, with regular customer meetings and occasional travel to customer sites.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Waukesha, WI.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $90000.00 - $115000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

full benefits package-medical, dental vision, stock program, 401K and short term and long term disability

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Waukesha, WI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 23, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Waukesha,WI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.