Outside Sales Engineer Irvine

rust-automation-controls; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Vehicle

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Competitive PTO

Training and professional development

Stability of family-owned organization

Job summary

Rust Automation & Controls is seeking an Outside Sales Engineer to support and grow the Orange County territory from Irvine, CA. The role emphasizes sales and promotion of product specialties while collaborating with internal teams, partners, and end users.

The ideal candidate has a technical degree or 2–3 years of industrial sales experience, willingness to travel, and strong customer-focused communication skills. Remote role, must reside in the territory.

Qualifications

• Technical degree or 2–3 years of industrial sales experience.
• Ability to travel frequently within territory.
• Strong communication and customer-focused problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Promote products and solutions to commercial, industrial, and municipal accounts.
• Develop territory sales plans and increase gross margin.
• Collaborate with inside sales, manufacturing partners, and end users.
• Prepare quotations with engineering input and pricing.
• Conduct joint sales calls with partners to maximize opportunities.
• Maintain CRM with accounts, opportunities, and projects.

Skills

Industrial sales experience

Interpersonal skills

Travel readiness

Customer-first mindset

Communication skills

Education

Technical degree

Tools

CRM/ERP (NetSuite Salesforce)

Microsoft Office

Job description

Rust Automation and Controls is a family-owned industrial instrumentation and automation sales company founded in 1976 and headquartered in West Jordan, Utah. For more than 50 years, we have supported customers across the Western United States with measurement and control solutions that keep critical operations running. While headquartered in Utah, our experienced sales team is located throughout our territory, delivering responsive local support backed by deep technical expertise. We serve industries including oil and gas, water and wastewater, power generation, manufacturing, food and beverage, and life sciences, offering products, application support, training, and ongoing service.

Position Overview

Position: Outside Sales Engineer
Location: Irvine, CA (Remote role but must reside in this territory)

Rust Automation & Controls is seeking a dynamic and driven Outside Sales Engineer to support and grow the Orange County territory. This role focuses on sales and promotion of assigned product specialties while working closely with internal sales teams, manufacturing partners, and directly with end users.

Key Objectives

• Achieve sales goals through increased revenue and gross margin
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers
• Execute territory and account strategic planning
• Develop opportunities and report on key sales activities

Role & Responsibilities

The Outside Sales Engineer will support customers throughout Orange County, engaging with commercial, industrial, and municipal end users.

Core Responsibilities

• Learn and maintain working knowledge of all products and solutions offered by Rust Automation & Controls
• Prospect and promote products, services, and solutions within assigned commercial, industrial, and municipal accounts
• Grow territory sales and gross margin by increasing penetration in existing accounts and establishing relationships with new customers
• Analyze specifications, application requirements, and related documents to prepare quotations in collaboration with the Inside Sales team
• Conduct joint sales calls with management and manufacturing partners to strengthen customer relationships and maximize opportunities
• Perform site walkdowns in industrial and commercial environments to assess needs and recommend tailored solutions
• Maintain a robust CRM database, including accounts, contacts, opportunities, and projects
• Clearly articulate customer solutions and collaborate with internal teams to ensure effective execution

Qualifications & Profile

• Technical degree or 2–3 years of industrial sales experience (or related field)
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within the assigned territory, including occasional overnight travel
• Self-motivated with the ability to set ambitious goals and achieve them
• Strong desire to learn, grow, and be coachable
• Resilient, adaptable, and solution-oriented with a positive, can-do attitude
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a customer-first mindset
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently while leveraging internal resources
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM/ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, Salesforce)
• Remote role but must reside in this territory

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive compensation based on education and experience
• Stability and long-term security of a family-owned organization
• Extensive training and professional development opportunities
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Competitive paid time off
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Company Vehicle

Is This You?

• Do you have a pioneering spirit and enjoy working for a growing company with a strong culture?
• Do you thrive in a motivated, team-oriented environment focused on customer solutions?
• Do you enjoy solving problems and taking on challenges?
• Do you strive to exemplify excellence in everything you do?