Sales Engineer

Opportunity Profile

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Position Title: Sales Engineer

The Opportunity:
This is a pivotal, ground-floor opportunity to help build and scale a growing controls division within an established, full-service mechanical contractor. The organization is at an inflection point—demand exists, capabilities are in place, but sales bandwidth is the constraint. The company is seeking a high-impact sales professional who can step in and immediately begin driving new business while shaping the future of the department.

The individual in this role will play a transformative part in the company’s growth trajectory. Today, sales responsibilities are being handled by leadership in addition to their management duties, creating a clear need for a dedicated professional to take ownership of new client acquisition and relationship development. By stepping into this gap, the Sales Engineer will directly influence revenue growth, with a clear expectation of generating significant first-year sales and scaling beyond that in the years ahead.

This role is ideal for a relationship-driven seller who thrives in a technical environment and understands how to build trust across contractors, mechanical firms, and end users. The opportunity extends beyond simply closing deals—this person will help establish the controls division as a recognized, go-to provider in the Minneapolis market. With leadership emphasizing flexibility, openness to new ideas (including compensation structure), and a willingness to invest in the right individual, this is a rare chance to shape both a role and a business unit from the ground up.

The Company:
The company is a well-established, family-owned mechanical contractor with decades of history and a strong reputation in its market. It operates as a full-service provider, offering mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and controls solutions under one roof.

A key differentiator in the marketplace is the company’s ability to serve as a single point of contact for customers across multiple building systems. This integrated offering is highly attractive to both contractors and end users, simplifying project execution and long-term service relationships.

The culture is rooted in long-term thinking and reinvestment into the business. As the controls division continues to expand, the company is positioned to capture greater market share by leveraging its full-service capabilities and established infrastructure. This creates a unique blend of stability and entrepreneurial growth for incoming talent.

The Boss:
The position reports directly to the leader of the Building Automation/Controls group, who brings a strong background in sales and has transitioned into a leadership role within the organization over the past couple of years. Prior to joining the company, he held sales roles with established industry firms, giving him a strong commercial perspective on the business.

He is actively involved in both operational management and sales efforts today, often balancing full-day management responsibilities with after-hours estimating and bid preparation. This creates a highly collaborative dynamic for the incoming hire, who will immediately be seen as a critical partner in alleviating workload and accelerating growth.

He is seeking someone who can take ownership, bring relationships, and contribute meaningfully from day one. He values strong communication skills, the ability to manage complex client interactions, and a proven track record of sales success.

The Position:
The Sales Engineer role blends business development, technical sales, and account management responsibilities. While initially focused on new customer acquisition, the position evolves into long-term relationship ownership, ensuring repeat business and sustained growth.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Drive new business development through proactive outreach, relationship building, and market engagement
• Conduct meetings, presentations, and lunch-and-learns with mechanical contractors and industry stakeholders
• Establish and grow relationships with new clients while maintaining ongoing engagement with existing customers
• Identify project opportunities and coordinate internally to develop pricing and proposals
• Manage the sales process from initial contact through close
• Collaborate with internal teams including project management, engineering, and field staff

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success in sales, including the ability to develop and maintain client relationships
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to navigate complex customer environments
• Proven ability to close deals and generate revenue growth
• Industry experience in building automation, controls, or related mechanical systems

Education and Experience:

• Approximately 5+ years of relevant industry experience preferred
• Background in building automation systems, controls, or mechanical contracting environments is highly valued
• Exposure to major control platforms (e.g., Siemens or similar systems) is beneficial but not required

Competencies:

• Relationship building and client management
• Sales acumen and closing ability
• Technical aptitude in building systems and controls
• Adaptability and problem-solving
• Self-motivation and ownership mentality
• Professional communication and stakeholder management

Work Environment:
This position operates within a dynamic, growth-oriented division supported by an established mechanical contracting organization. The role includes both office-based collaboration and significant field engagement, including client meetings and industry interactions throughout the Minneapolis market. The team currently includes technicians, programmers, engineers, and union electricians, with the flexibility to scale resources as sales grow.

Compensation:
Compensation will be structured based on the experience and track record of the selected candidate. The organization is open and flexible in its approach and is willing to tailor the package to align with market expectations and candidate background, including discussion of incentive structures where appropriate.