Senior Sales Application Engineer

Inbolt; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Prime office locations in Paris and/or

Team-building events

Bring-your-dog-to-work policy

Lunch expenses covered

Customer site visits

Job summary

Inbolt, a growing robotics AI company, seeks a Senior Sales Application Engineer in Detroit to partner with GM, Ford, Stellantis, and other automotive leaders. You will scope projects, run proofs of concept, and convert customer needs into practical automation solutions.

You’ll blend hands-on robotics work with strategic commercial thinking. You will be the bridge between product and sales, shaping future product directions while delivering robust, on-site demonstrations and training.

Qualifications

• Experience in technical pre‑sales for automation or robotics products.
• Ability to scope customer requirements and translate into feasible solutions.
• Strong communication with engineers and executives alike.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Account Executives from discovery to purchase order, ensuring commitments align with delivery.
• Run demos, in-office tests, and on-site POCs on real robots to prove feasibility.
• Scope solutions from reach studies to cell layout and integration needs; lead proposals and RFPs.
• Build and run training programs for customers, partners, and integrators.
• Establish the US Sales Application Engineering function with reusable demos and protocols.
• Be the go-to technical reference for Sales and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Sales engineering

Pre-sales

Robotics

Demos

Customer facing

Vision systems

Tools

FANUC

KUKA

ABB

UR

Vision software

Job description

About Inbolt

Deploying an industrial robot still takes months of integration and programming, and the moment a part, a process, or a position changes, it starts over. Inbolt makes it take minutes.

About Inbolt

Deploying an industrial robot still takes months of integration and programming, and the moment a part, a process, or a position changes, it starts over. Inbolt makes it take minutes. Our generalist vision model gives robots the ability to see, think, and adapt in real time, so any robot can master any process, part, or station. Set up from a CAD model in minutes and compatible with FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Comau, and Universal Robots, Inbolt runs in production at Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, GM, Bosch, and more, with 200+ systems live across 100+ factories on three continents. We're a team based in Paris, Detroit, and Japan, and we're growing fast. Here's the role:
The position

As a Senior Sales Application Engineer, you'll work hand in hand with top-tier manufacturers like GM, Ford, and Stellantis, helping them scope projects, find the right solution for their automation and vision needs, and run proofs of concept (POCs) that prove what's possible today.

You love working with customers and digging into their hardest problems. You take ownership and hold yourself accountable for outcomes. You enjoy a mix of hands‑on technical work and commercial thinking.

As the bridge between product and sales, you'll bring customer requests back to the team and have a real voice in shaping where our product goes next.

We're building the best physical AI company in the world, and you'll be at the center of everything.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Account Executives from first discovery call to purchase order, qualifying new applications and guiding customers to the right solution, making sure what we commit to is what we deliver.
• Run demos, in‑office tests, and on‑site proofs of concept on real robots (FANUC, KUKA, ABB, UR…) to prove feasibility.
• Scope solutions, from reach studies and cycle‑time assumptions to cell layout and integration requirements, and lead the technical side of proposals, quotes, and RFPs.
• Build and run training programs that make customers, partners, and system integrators proficient with our solution, from day‑to‑day operation to fully autonomous deployment.
• Build the Sales Application Engineering function in the US: reusable demo setups, test protocols, application notes, and a clear handover to our Robotics Application Engineers, who own delivery and customer success once equipment is in production.
• Be the go‑to technical reference for Sales and coach junior engineers on customer‑facing work.

Preferred Experience

• 3+ years of experience as a Sales/Pre‑Sales Application Engineer, Applications Engineer, or Robotics Integrator in industrial automation, with several years in a customer‑facing pre‑sales role.
• Ideally from a robot OEM (FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Yaskawa…) or a robotics integrator, with real sales exposure: scoping, proposals, technical validation, demos.
• Hands‑on industrial robot programming (FANUC strongly preferred), able to set up and run a test cell yourself.
• Experience with vision‑guided robotics: bin picking, pick & place, 2D/3D vision systems.
• Excellent communication skills: comfortable presenting to both engineers and executives, and challenging sales when needed.

Nice to have

• Robot simulation and CAD for reach and feasibility studies.
• PLC / industrial communication (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET) basics.
• Python scripting.
• Experience leading or mentoring a small technical team.
• Automotive / Tier‑1 manufacturing background.
• French is a plus.

Position details

• Role: Senior Sales Application Engineer
• Team: Sales / Robotics Application Engineering
• Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA (relocation required)
• Start date: ASAP
• Employment type: Full‑time
• Work mode: On‑site, with regular travel to customer sites and trade shows

Why join Inbolt

• Real impact, on real factory floors: your work runs in production at Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, GM, and Bosch, across 100+ factories on three continents.
• Ownership from day one: we value end‑to‑end ownership, high rigor, and hands‑on curiosity, and we move fast while staying precise.
• An international team: Paris, Detroit, and Japan, working closely with world‑class robotics and automation partners.
• A seat at the start of something big: we're building the default intelligence layer for every industrial robot, on every brand.

Benefits

• Prime office locations in Paris and Detroit
• Team‑building events & off‑sites
• Bring‑your‑dog‑to‑work policy
• Lunch expenses covered
• Customer site visits in real factories
• and more…

Benefits may vary by location and contract type.

Our hiring process

• Introduction call (30 min) with our Talent team, to get to know you and answer your questions.
• Interview with your future manager, including a case study or technical exercise depending on the role.
• Meet the team: a conversation with the people you will work with every day.
• Final round with our founders.
• Reference checks.

The exact steps can vary slightly by role. We keep the process short and transparent, and we'll keep you posted at every step.

Ready to give robots sight?

Inbolt is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from everyone, whatever their background, and a real person reads every application. Even if you don't tick every box, if this role excites you, we'd love to hear from you.