Sales Engineer

Gilder Search Group; South Bend (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Gilder Search Group in South Bend, Indiana, seeks an experienced Sales Engineer to join a global manufacturing organization. This is a highly customer-facing role combining technical sales, account management, customer support and business development.

You will work with established customers across the U.S. and Canada, translate requirements into technical solutions, and coordinate with engineering, quality, operations and sales. Travel is required, with occasional international trips.

Qualifications

• Experience in technical sales, engineering, or related industrial environment.
• Ability to translate customer requirements into technical solutions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage relationships with existing customers across the U.S. and Canada.
• Provide technical and commercial guidance, addressing product requirements and quality concerns.
• Translate customer specs into feasible solutions and recommendations.
• Prepare proposals, quotations, and feasibility assessments.
• Lead customer meetings and support cross-functional teams.
• Travel up to two weeks per month; occasional international travel.

Skills

Technical sales

Account management

Customer support

Business development

Job description

Sales Engineer

Location: South Bend, IN
Travel: U.S. & Canada, with occasional international travel

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Sales Engineer to join a global manufacturing organization in South Bend, Indiana. This is a highly customer-facing role combining technical sales, account management, customer support, and business development.

This is not a high-volume, transactional sales position. You’ll work with an established customer base, developing strong relationships, understanding customer applications and technical requirements, and serving as a key connection between customers and internal engineering, quality, operations, and commercial teams.

We are looking for someone who is technically capable but equally strong with people. You do not need to come in knowing our products. We have a structured training process and expect the person in this role to spend significant time learning our manufacturing processes, capabilities, and applications before operating independently in the field.

What You’ll Do

• Manage and develop relationships with existing customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.
• Serve as a technical and commercial resource for customers, helping address application questions, product requirements, quality concerns, and other needs.
• Understand customer specifications and technical requirements and translate them into solutions.
• Develop and present technical recommendations, value propositions, proposals, quotations, and feasibility assessments.
• Lead and participate in customer meetings, presentations, and commercial discussions.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Planning, and Sales to ensure customer requirements are understood and addressed.
• Support customers through product development, qualification, and implementation.
• Follow up on inbound opportunities and help identify opportunities to expand existing relationships.
• Over time, identify new markets, applications, and business opportunities through industry networking, trade shows, and direct customer engagement.
• Maintain strong communication and responsiveness across multiple customer relationships and internal priorities.

These responsibilities closely reflect the company's formal definition of the role, including understanding technical requirements, developing solutions and recommendations, leading customer meetings, preparing proposals, and coordinating across internal functions.

What We’re Looking For

This role could be a strong fit for someone currently working as a Sales Engineer, Technical Sales Engineer, Applications Engineer, Account Manager, Business Development Manager, or in another customer-facing technical position.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Previous experience in technical sales, engineering, account management, applications, or a related industrial/manufacturing environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build credibility and lasting customer relationships.
• A commercial mindset and the ability to recognize opportunities that create value for both the customer and the business.
• Technical aptitude and a genuine interest in understanding how products are manufactured and applied.
• The ability to communicate technical concepts effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong presentation, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple accounts, projects, and priorities while remaining responsive to customers.
• Willingness to spend meaningful time in the South Bend facility developing hands-on product and manufacturing knowledge.
• Ability to travel throughout the U.S. and Canada, potentially up to approximately two weeks per month depending on customer needs.
• Flexibility for occasional international travel.