Technical sales engineer

Technical sales engineer job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Typical responsibilities of the job include:

• identifying and establishing new business
• organising sales visits
• liaising with existing clients
• preparing tenders, proposals and quotations
• providing pre-sales and after-sales support
• negotiating contracts, terms and conditions
• reviewing cost and sales performance
• writing reports and sales literature
• providing product education and advice
• attending trade exhibitions, conferences and meetings
• ensuring that sales targets are met.

Typical employers of technical sales engineers

• telecommunications companies
• electrical companies
• electronics companies
• manufacturing companies
• chemical companies
• biomedical suppliers
• agricultural businesses
• automotive businesses
• aeronautical companies

Jobs are advertised online, by careers services, recruitment agencies, in newspapers, vacancy bulletins produced by the professional organisations and in relevant publications such as Professional Engineering and The Engineer.

Some larger companies run graduate training schemes, for which speculative applications are advisable – these should be made during the first term of your final year. University careers services can provide information about which employers have vacancies and some companies hold on-campus presentations.

Qualifications and training required

A degree in any subject is acceptable, although employers typically prefer graduates with qualifications in computer science or engineering engineering, physics, engineering, mathematics, applied science and software engineering. Previous relevant experience gained in any commercial/sales area involving contact with customers or the general public is essential.

Key skills for technical sales engineers

• strong technical skills
• organisational skills
• communication skills
• analytical skills
• team-working skills
• sales skills
• commercial awareness
• personal skills.

A full driving licence is also normally necessary.