Technical Sales Engineer

Saige Partners; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Saige Partners in Detroit, MI is seeking a Technical Sales Engineer for steel and automotive applications. This direct-hire role supports customers with technical and product expertise, working closely with Sales, mills, and Product Development to solve customer needs and grow business.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge in steel/auto with excellent relationship skills and cross-functional collaboration. This role requires travel and fluent English and Spanish.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in metallurgy, mechanical engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Master’s degree in Business, Science, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of technical experience in steel and/or automotive industries.
• Fluent in English and Spanish (written and spoken).
• Willing to travel 30–50%.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive technical and product support to customers and the Sales organization in alignment with the company’s commercial strategy.
• Partner with Sales to develop new business opportunities and expand relationships.
• Deliver high-quality technical support that strengthens customer relationships.
• Provide technical training and product knowledge to Sales teams.
• Lead and support customer development projects to generate new business.
• Maintain a pipeline of customer development initiatives aligned with objectives.
• Collaborate with Product Development to share customer, market and technical insights.
• Act as the primary technical connection between customers and Product Development.
• Identify opportunities to improve products, applications, and customer solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, Sales, technical teams, and mills.

Skills

Customer relationships

Presentation skills

Training

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Collaboration

English & Spanish fluency

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in metallurgy or mechanical engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

We strive to be Your Future, Your Solution to accelerate your career!

Position

Technical Sales Engineer - Steel & Automotive (Detroit, MI)

Job Overview

The Technical Sales Engineer serves as a key technical resource for customers and the Sales organization, providing technical and product expertise to support existing business while identifying and developing new business opportunities. This role acts as a critical link between customers, Sales, mills, and Product Development to ensure customer needs are understood, addressed, and incorporated into commercial and product strategies.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge of steel and/or automotive applications with excellent customer relationship skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams.

This is a direct-hire position.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide proactive technical and product support to customers and the Sales organization in alignment with the company’s commercial strategy.
• Partner closely with Sales to develop new business opportunities, including expanding existing customer relationships and introducing premium products to new customers.
• Deliver high-quality technical support that strengthens customer relationships and differentiates the company from competitors.
• Provide technical training, product knowledge, and application guidance to Sales teams to enhance their ability to effectively promote and sell company products.
• Lead and support customer development projects focused on generating new business, upgrading existing business, and strengthening long-term customer relationships.
• Maintain a consistent pipeline of customer development initiatives aligned with commercial objectives.
• Collaborate with Product Development by providing relevant customer, market, and technical insights to support product development plans.
• Serve as the primary technical connection between customers and Product Development, ensuring customer requirements, feedback, and opportunities are effectively communicated.
• Identify opportunities to improve products, applications, and customer solutions through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with customers, Sales teams, technical organizations, and manufacturing/mill operations.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Master’s degree in Business, Science, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.

Experience & Skills

• Minimum 5 years of technical experience within the steel and/or automotive industry.
• Strong technical knowledge with the ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical customer and product applications.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with customers and building strong professional relationships.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively with individuals and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to understand customer needs and translate technical requirements into business and product opportunities.
• Strong presentation and training skills.
• Fluent in English and Spanish, both written and spoken.
• Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating with Sales, Product Development, manufacturing, and other internal teams.
• Travel: Approximately 30-50%

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