Commercial Sales & Business Development Specialist - Water & Environmental Solutions

RTI International•Durham, NC

22d•$81,000 - $100,000•Remote

About The Position

RTI International is hiring a Commercial Sales & Business Development Specialist for its Commercial Growth unit. The role focuses on expanding RTI’s commercial business and impact, particularly by identifying and developing opportunities related to Water Solutions. It also supports commercial growth across Energy, Environment, and Consumer Products, including Sustainability, Circular Economy, Lab Services, and other commercialized solutions. The specialist combines hands-on business development with sales operations and coordination. The role researches prospective clients and decision-makers, conducts outreach, generates leads, and builds a pipeline of opportunities with private-sector companies. It also supports targeted sales campaigns, client engagement, CRM and pipeline maintenance, activity tracking, and improvement of sales processes and tools. The specialist collaborates with commercial business development leaders, Client Relationship Managers, marketing professionals, and technical staff on customer-focused messaging, sales materials, and go-to-market strategies for new and existing commercial clients. The position may be remote within the United States, hybrid, or on-site at RTI’s Research Triangle Park, North Carolina campus. Frequent travel and conference attendance are expected (25%+). The position reports to the Head of Commercial BD Enablement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of relevant professional experience, or a master’s degree and at least 1 year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 1 year of experience in B2B sales, business development, lead generation, or account development involving commercial or private-sector clients.
Demonstrated experience with prospect research, direct customer outreach, lead generation, or developing new commercial business opportunities.
Ability to support multiple teams simultaneously and learn and communicate technical or complex service offerings to prospective customers.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, a highly professional presence, and ability to interact with senior clients and project delivery staff.
Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Experience with CRM tools such as Salesforce and go-to-market or sales-intelligence software such as ZoomInfo or LinkedIn Navigator.
Ability to demonstrate RTI Values and Lead Forward behaviors.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and not require employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Prior commercial sales, business development, lead generation, or account development experience in the water industry, including water treatment, water technologies, water resource management, or related environmental solutions.
Experience researching and selling technical services, consulting, or other commercial solutions related to Water Solutions, Sustainability, Circular Economy, or Lab Services.
Engineering or business degree in a field related to energy, environment, sustainability, water resources, or new technology development.
Proven track record of building a sales pipeline within an assigned business portfolio.
Experience using AI-enabled tools for business development activities, including prospect research, lead generation, sales outreach, campaign development, and process improvement.
Experience working with diverse scientific and professional disciplines, including laboratory and statistical sciences, product commercialization, research, or consulting/advisory services.

Responsibilities

Research prospective commercial clients and target accounts, identify key decision-makers, and conduct proactive outreach to generate interest in RTI services and solutions.
Identify and pursue commercial business development opportunities in Water Solutions by researching prospective clients, understanding industry challenges and customer needs, and supporting targeted outreach.
Support lead generation and prospecting through targeted outreach, follow-up communications, and relationship-building with potential commercial customers.
Research and analyze industry trends, client needs, and competitor activities to identify business opportunities and inform commercial growth strategies.
Provide business development support to client management and delivery teams for assigned commercial accounts; assist with account plans and execute assigned tasks.
Conduct background research for pitch meetings, help develop business-development collateral such as pitch decks, and document activities.
Participate in and organize prospect and client calls; help prepare sales presentations and client-facing materials, document discussions, and coordinate follow-up.
Use marketing and sales information services and platforms to perform actions across the sales cycle, from lead generation through closing.
Anticipate customer needs based on market activity to identify emerging projects and cross-selling opportunities with current clients.
Coordinate with Marketing and Client Delivery teams to identify and execute business development opportunities, including conferences, events, and outreach campaigns.
Contribute to business development best practices, continuous improvement methodologies, tools, and training that support business development, forecasting, and planning.
Participate in intra-group collaboration and coordination related to business development and strategic planning.
Build the RTI brand by demonstrating the value RTI provides to clients.