Sales Engineer

Description:

About Barber-Nichols:

Barber-Nichols (BN) is a premier provider of custom turbomachinery solutions serving the Defense, Aerospace, Cryogenics, and Energy industries. Our team consists of industry leaders who collaborate closely with equally accomplished customers to deliver technologies that advance their markets and establish enduring partnerships. At BN, we foster a results-driven environment that values professional growth, rewards achievement, and supports innovation. From designing the blower for NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan to engineering critical components for the U.S. Navy’s MK-48 program, BN’s portfolio spans some of the most exciting and impactful projects in the world. For those seeking to contribute to impactful projects alongside a highly skilled team, BN offers an exceptional place to build your career.

Position Summary:

The Sales Engineer partners with customers in the space and defense industries to develop engineered solutions that solve complex technical challenges. Acting as the bridge between customer needs and Barber-Nichols' engineering capabilities, this role leads technical sales efforts from opportunity identification through proposal development and contract award. Success in this position requires a blend of engineering knowledge, customer relationship management, technical communication, and business development.

Key Results Areas:

1. Ownership of the new business opportunity lifecycle:

• Find and mature opportunities from customers by self-managed efforts including various face-to-face, electronic, and other communications.
• Travel to customer sites and industry conferences to gain insight into customer, programmatic, and market needs.
• Qualify prospective inquiries and solicitations that meet company objectives
• Gain awareness of potential competition and develop strategies for qualified opportunities.
• Submit written reports of sales calls.

2. Lead and write proposals in response to customer inquiries:

• Develop competency in proposal planning for opportunities varying from basic offerings to multi-month efforts with complicated budgets/schedules, including FAR-compliant proposals with certified cost and pricing requirements.
• Define technical solutions that consider budget, technical requirements, competition, and availability of company resources.
• Direct proposal teams, made up of internal subject matter experts as needed, but retain final responsibility for proposal integrity.
• Clearly communicate customer requirements to the organization and specifically to the proposal team to adequately mature design concepts.
• Ensure on-time proposal submission, support negotiations, and close orders in support of sales goals.

3. Build knowledge of Barber-Nichols’ product, capabilities and solutions to enable best fit with customer needs.

• Study Barber-Nichols’ existing designs for pumps, compressors, fans, turbines, e-products, etc. to familiarize with existing markets and customer applications.
• Learn basic preliminary applications engineering and product sizing calculations for pumps, compressors, turbines, and power electronics products to qualify and provide timely/useful feedback to customers.
• Develop and continually broaden knowledge of the technical aspects and limitations of company products and capabilities.
• Develop an area of technical expertise within the sales group.
• Understand how products and/or services integrate into customer systems.

4. Market familiarization, relationship building and promotion:

• Form relationships with key points of contact within target business sectors and customers.
• Cultivate detailed understanding of customer business processes and programmatic approach.
• Plan and support promotional activities including trade shows and participation in conferences. Share experiences and learnings with organization via call or trip reports.
• Work with marketing team to create promotional material including literature, site content and product presentations.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, an individual must possess the knowledge, training, experience and abilities required.

Education and Training:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering discipline or equivalent science; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• Approximately 5 years of experience in technical sales, applications engineering, systems engineering, product engineering, or a related customer-facing engineering role.

Other:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must have a valid driver’s license to support range of customer visits.
• Must be willing to work overtime as required
• Travel up to 20% of working time.

Desired Job Qualifications:

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Experience applying engineering principles to customer applications, rotating equipment, turbomachinery, or related engineered products preferred.
• An ability to apply above principles to turbomachinery and power electronics products that meet customer needs and applications. Knowledge of specific industry and worldwide market standards.
• Understanding of specific industry business processes and program management approach.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or government customers is preferred.

Physical and Mental Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is primarily required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, bend, inspect facilities, climb ladders and roofs, and other high-risk areas. Required to speak and communicate clearly with others. Occasional lifting up to 50 pounds. Corrected vision to 20/20 or adequate and ability to identify and distinguish colors. Hearing ability sufficient to safely perform essential functions and be aware of audible hazards/warnings. May involve physical tasks such as conduction inspections and audits, responding to emergencies, or implementing safety protocols.
• Mental demands: While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is required to read, write, analyze data and reports, exercise judgment, develop plans, procedures and goals, present information to others and work under pressure.
• Work Environment: While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is exposed to a high level of manufacturing and equipment noise. Duties are performed outdoors and indoors in a manufacturing environment with temperature changes. Exposure to hazardous materials, fumes, dust, odors, airborne particles and moving mechanical parts with vibration. Office and on-site inspections of facility areas.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this role is $112,000-$125,000 and is commensurate with the applicant’s experience. This range represents the anticipated minimum and maximum base for this position. The final compensation for this position will be set based on the applicant’s qualifications (education, training and/or experience related to this role), and therefore, may fall outside the range shown, depending on the circumstances.

Barber-Nichols offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• FSA and HSA with company paid HSA quarterly contributions
• Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance
• 401(k) with 4% Company Match and Profit Sharing
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (NYSE: GHM)
• Generous PTO and Paid Holidays with an option to purchase additional PTO
• Tuition reimbursement
• Performance-based bonus program
• Paid Parental Leave, Military Leave, Jury Duty, and Bereavement Leave

To view our full list of benefits, please visit Careers - Barber-Nichols.

ITAR Requirements: To conform to U.S. Government commercial space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), applicants for employment at Barber-Nichols must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawfully admitted for permanent residence into the U.S. (i.e., current green card holder), or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1157-1158. Security clearance is not required for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Barber-Nichols is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status as defined by law. Barber-Nichols will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Barber-Nichols participates in E-Verify, the federal program for electronic verification of employment eligibility.