Technical Sales Engineer (m/f/d) - Photonics - USA

Swabian Instruments GmbH; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Swabian Instruments is seeking a proactive sales professional to bridge advanced photonics technology with researchers. You will own opportunities from first contact through negotiation and closing, perform structured discovery, lead demonstrations and PoC engagements, and shape the customer journey from onboarding to expansion.

Expect a dynamic, results-driven environment and collaboration with Product and Engineering teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level or higher in a quantitative field such as Physics, Optics, Engineering or Materials Science.
• Proactive self-starter who drives direct, measurable impact in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills with a customer-centric approach.

Responsibilities

• Own qualified opportunities end-to-end from first technical conversation to close, achieving bookings targets.
• Conduct structured discovery with researchers and engineers to map our solutions to their measurement problems.
• Lead demonstrations, evaluations, and PoC engagements with clear success criteria.
• Configure and defend quotations, manage multi-stakeholder buying groups, and protect margins.
• Maintain ongoing account relationships and drive onboarding with Application Scientists; grow accounts via expansion.
• Source new pipelines through technical conversations, customer visits, and events.
• Provide product and market insights to Product/Engineering to sharpen roadmap and positioning.
• Keep HubSpot forecasting data complete and up to date.

Skills

Strong communication

Negotiation

Self-motivated

Project management

Hunter mentality

Education

Physics/Optics/Engineering/Materials Science (quantitative field)

Tools

HubSpot

Salesforce

Job description

About

you will leverage your technical expertise and strategic communication skills to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and the researchers who can benefit from it. Your mission is to engage with researchers to learn about their work, demonstrate the value of our solutions, and guide them through the decision-making process. You will engage in inbound and outbound sales initiatives, cultivate deep customer relationships, and drive our commercial growth. You will be the face of Swabian Instruments to our global scientific community, expanding our presence and accelerating the adoption of our innovative technology.

you will leverage your technical expertise and strategic communication skills to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and the researchers who can benefit from it. Your mission is to engage with researchers to learn about their work, demonstrate the value of our solutions, and guide them through the decision-making process. You will engage in inbound and outbound sales initiatives, cultivate deep customer relationships, and drive our commercial growth. You will be the face of Swabian Instruments to our global scientific community, expanding our presence and accelerating the adoption of our innovative technology.

Your contribution to our team

• Own qualified opportunities end-to-end, from first technical conversation through demonstration, negotiation, and close, and convert them into closed business against a personal bookings target.
• Run structured discovery with researchers and engineers to understand their measurement problem, then map our time taggers and pulse streamers to the configuration that solves it.
• Lead demonstrations, evaluations, and proof-of-concept engagements as structured, success-criteria-driven projects that deliver a clear technical win.
• Configure, present, and defend quotations, framing value in the customer's terms, navigate multi-stakeholder buying groups and budget cycles, and protect margins through negotiation.
• Own the customer relationship beyond the close: drive a smooth onboarding together with Application Scientists, and grow the account through repeat and expansion business.
• Self-source new pipeline, uncover new applications, verticals, and accounts through technical conversations, outbound initiatives, and your presence at customer visits, trade shows, and conferences.
• Feed structured win/loss, competitive, and product-gap insight back to Product Management and Engineering to sharpen our roadmap and positioning.
• Keep opportunity, pipeline, and forecast data in HubSpot complete and up to date, so the business can rely on your forecast.

Required

What we’re looking for

• Education: Physics, Optics, Engineering, Materials Science, or related quantitative field
• A proactive self-starter who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where their efforts generate a direct, meaningful impact on our success. Insatiable drive to be the best at what you do.
• Strong communicator with a genuine passion for interacting with others, dedicated to mastering the art of effective communication and negotiation.
• Demonstrate high energy and passion for self-growth. Possess a ‘hunter’ mentality to persistently pursue new business opportunities, demonstrating perseverance in the face of rejection.
• Commitment to continuous skill, product, and industry knowledge development through training, experience, and feedback.
• Effective project management skills to prioritize and lead multiple projects, coordinating with team members where needed to achieve goals.

Strong Plus

• Experience working in a customer-facing role, preferably technical sales in the test & measurement industry
• Direct lab experience with time-correlated single-photon counting, quantum optics, fluorescence lifetime, or related techniques.
• Knowledge of research-driven industry verticals like Photonics, Life Sciences, or Quantum Science
• Experience with CRM solutions like HubSpot, Salesforce, or comparable software

What makes the difference for you

• A company made by scientists for scientists, we enable the brightest minds at the leading edge of science & technology to focus on what matters most - passion for innovation.
• Play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our business, with ample opportunities for growth and development
• An integral part of Swabian’s culture, we invest in the happiness, fulfillment, and growth of our team members .
• We ultivate an open-minded, inclusive, and collaborative working atmosphere through a flat organizational structure, helpful colleagues, and team events.
• Also we are a family-friendly company that offers flexible working hours and mobile working

While we invite you to join us in our mission to shape the future of photonics technology, we are an equal-opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants. Please note that at this time, we do not sponsor applicants for employment visa status.

Swabian Instruments is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that supports an inclusive workplace that values diversity of thought, experience, and background. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views, or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.