Sales Engineer

Sales Engineer (New Business Development – Automotive)
The Mission:
We are seeking a high-impact Sales Engineer to drive our expansion across the global automotive landscape. Your primary objective is to diversify our customer base by securing new programs for our door / hood striker technologies across all vehicle segments—from high-volume internal combustion platforms to the rapidly evolving EV market.
Core Focus: New Sales Growth & Diversification

• Total Market Penetration: Proactively identify and open doors at OEMs where we are currently underrepresented (e.g., Tesla, Rivian, Hyundai/Kia, and traditional Tier 1 integrators).
• Technical Sales Strategy: Lead the "technical sales" by demonstrating how our strikers outperform competitors in durability, noise reduction (NVH), and cost-efficiency.
• RFQ Management: Head the technical response for Requests for Quote (RFQ), ensuring all design, heat treat, and plating requirements are met while maintaining competitive margins.
• Platform Expansion: Identify opportunities to move our products into adjacent automotive applications (hood latches, trunk strikers, or tailgate assemblies) to grow "share of wallet" per vehicle.

• Basic CAD & CATIA Literacy: Functional ability to use CATIA V5/V6 or CAD viewers to review customer models, verify packaging space, and discuss design-for-manufacturability (DFM) [(www.3ds.com)].
• Heat Treat & Plating Expertise: A solid understanding of Case Hardening and Surface Finishing (Zinc-Nickel, Zinc-Flake, E-coat). You must be able to speak confidently about hardness depths and salt-spray requirements [(nasf.org)].
• GD&T & Blueprints: Proficiency in reading technical drawings and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to ensure our process capabilities align with OEM specifications [(www.gdandtbasics.com)].
• Automotive Quality Standards: Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and the PPAP process for new program launches [(www.aiag.org)].

• The "Hunter" Mentality: A proven track record of securing new vehicle programs and expanding market share in a competitive Tier 1/Tier 2 environment.
• OEM Relationship Management: Existing network within OEM Engineering or Purchasing departments is highly preferred.
• Strategic Negotiation: Ability to navigate the commercial and technical "tugs-of-war" typical of automotive sourcing cycles.

• New Program Wins: Number of new vehicle platforms or OEMs secured annually.
• Quote-to-Win Ratio: Success rate of converting technical RFQs into awarded business.
• Customer Diversification: Revenue growth specifically from "new-to-us" automotive clients.