Sales Engineer Trainee - Industrial Pump & Fluid Systems

Tencarva Machinery Company • Lakeland, FL

just now • Onsite

About The Position

This is a Sales Engineer Trainee position within the industrial pump and fluid systems sector. The role involves training under experienced Sales Engineers for approximately 9-18 months at a branch location. Trainees will support customer projects, learn about equipment evaluation, specification, and application in industrial and municipal environments. They will assist with applications engineering, equipment quotations, and customer visits to understand system failures and recommend improvements. The training focuses on developing the ability to evaluate customer systems based on operating conditions and understanding how to build long-term customer relationships through technical reliability and responsiveness. Upon completion of training, typically around one year, trainees may take ownership of their own territory. The Sales Engineer role is field-based, consultative, and technical, focusing on providing technical solutions to operational problems. It requires creativity, adaptability, and tenacity. Sales Engineers have significant autonomy and uncapped earning potential, acting as the 'General Manager' of their territory. Success is measured by sales growth, margins, and profitability, but it is not a high-pressure sales environment; customers rely on them as trusted advisors. Tencarva has a long-standing commitment to fostering long-term relationships and providing a high-integrity customer experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from a 4-year college or university; strong preference for Engineering, particularly classical core disciplines such as Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, etc. Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering may also be relevant and useful, particularly on the Municipal side of our business.
• Must enjoy people/social interaction and building relationships/rapport.
• Genuine interest in technical sales and/or engineering consulting (helping customers solve problems).
• Coursework in Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics.

Nice To Haves

• Senior Engineering students are encouraged to apply.
• IT and Computer related Engineering degrees are not relevant for this role.
• Previous sales and/or customer service experience (waiting tables, bartending, retail, hospitality, etc.).
• Sports background, ideally both team sports and individual sports.
• Hands-on mechanical work experience and/or hobbies.
• Co-op or internship experience in an industrial plant environment, preferably in a Reliability Engineer role or similar.
• Practical familiarity with pumps and fluid handling systems (not just theoretical).
• Additional helpful coursework may include: Fluid Power, Hydraulic Engineering/Applied Hydraulics, Mechanical Design/Machine Elements, Systems Engineering & Controls, Blueprint/P&ID Reading, etc.

Responsibilities

• Support real customer projects and learn how equipment and systems are evaluated, specified, and applied.
• Assist Sales Engineers with applications engineering and equipment quotations.
• Accompany Sales Engineers on customer visits to observe problem investigation and equipment recommendation.
• Evaluate customer systems based on real operating conditions to determine appropriate equipment and system solutions.
• Learn how to build long-term customer relationships by being technically reliable, responsive, and helpful.
• Call on personnel at all levels of industrial and municipal operations.
• Work with engineering firms supporting the customer base and provide technical guidance.
• Review blueprints, P&IDs, and system drawings to evaluate equipment needs and develop project proposals.
• Recommend equipment or process changes to improve reliability, efficiency, or operating costs.
• Provide technical support related to equipment operation and maintenance.
• Conduct informational product training for customer personnel.
• Plan and execute customer visits within an assigned territory.
• Maintain visibility into project pipelines and forecast potential business opportunities.
• Develop territory strategies to grow both existing accounts and new business.

Benefits

• Competitive pay during the training period.
• Compensation opportunities can significantly exceed those of many traditional engineering roles with manufacturers or engineering firms after transitioning to a full Sales Engineer role.
• Annual Incentive
• Ownership Opportunities
• Profit Sharing via 401(k)
• Earn up to 120 hours (3 weeks) of PTO per year
• 10 paid holidays
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level