Staff Solutions Engineer

ED Wallach Search Group; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ED Wallach Search Group is seeking a Staff Solutions Engineer to bridge our stratospheric balloon tech with real-world customers in Sioux Falls, SD, or Arlington, VA. You will craft mission profiles, translate field needs to internal teams, and shape the commercial strategy to win in a global market.

You will lead technical demos, oversee payload integrations, and collaborate with defense, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring partners. Travel up to 50% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or related field preferred.
• Strong background in commercial data sales and market strategy.
• 10+ years total experience with 4+ years as a technical or business leader.
• MBA, PMP, or systems certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Architect Solutions: Partner with customers to deeply understand their pain points and design mission profiles using our stratospheric platforms, payloads, and partner technology.
• Bridge the Gap: Translate complex technical requirements from the field into actionable insights for our internal Product and R&D teams.
• Strategic Positioning: Analyze the competitive landscape to help refine our value proposition. You’ll identify where our tech beats the competition and help us lean into those markets.
• Technical Sales Support: Lead technical demonstrations and pilot programs, proving the ROI of “near-space” solutions.
• Mission Design: Oversee the technical feasibility of payload integrations, ensuring customer sensors and tech are optimized for the stratospheric environment.
• Travel: Some travel expected (<50%)

Skills

Technical sales

Customer-facing

Strategic thinking

Aerospace/EE systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/business/related field

MBA or PMP or systems certifications

Tools

Link budgets

Payload integration

Job description

Location: Sioux Falls, SD

Security Clearance: US Citizen/Clearable

This role can also be located in Arlington, VA

As our Staff Solutions Engineer, you will be the technical bridge between our stratospheric balloon technology and the real-world challenges of our customers. You’ll sit at the intersection of high-altitude hardware, data delivery, and market strategy.

The Role

This is not a “behind-the-desk” engineering role. You are a problem-solver who thrives on customer interaction. You will work directly with partners in defense, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring to translate their “what ifs” into “here’s how.” You’ll also be a key voice in our commercial strategy—helping us figure out not just how the tech works, but how we position it to win in a competitive global market.

What You’ll Do

• Architect Solutions: Partner with customers to deeply understand their pain points and design mission profiles using our stratospheric platforms, payloads, and partner technology.
• Bridge the Gap: Translate complex technical requirements from the field into actionable insights for our internal Product and R&D teams.
• Strategic Positioning: Analyze the competitive landscape to help refine our value proposition. You’ll identify where our tech beats the competition and help us lean into those markets.
• Technical Sales Support: Lead technical demonstrations and pilot programs, proving the ROI of “near-space” solutions.
• Mission Design: Oversee the technical feasibility of payload integrations, ensuring customer sensors and tech are optimized for the stratospheric environment.
• Travel: Some travel expected (<50%)

What We are Looking For

• Technically Fluent: You have an engineering background (Aerospace, EE, Systems, or similar) and can speak confidently about link budgets, payload integration, and atmospheric conditions.
• Customer-Focused: You enjoy the “discovery” phase—asking the right questions to uncover what a client actually needs versus what they think they want.
• Strategic Thinker: You don’t just build; you look at the market. You understand pricing, competitive models, and how to pitch technology as a business solution.
• The “Plus” Factor (Preferred): You have experience in Commercial Imagery/Remote Sensing. If you’ve sold or integrated SAR, EO/IR, or hyperspectral data, you’ll hit the ground running.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or related field preferred
• The best candidates will have a strong background in commercial data sales, and not just from the technical side – from the market and strategy side
• 10+ years job experience preferred, with 4+ years as a technical or business leader
• MBA, PMP, Systems certifications a plus

This role can also be located in Arlington, VA