Sales Engineer Trainee - Industrial Pump & Fluid Systems

Tencarva Machinery Company • Alcoa, TN

30d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a Sales Engineer Trainee position within the process equipment/flow control market. The role involves training under experienced Sales Engineers for approximately 9-18 months at a branch location, supporting customer projects, and learning about equipment evaluation, specification, and application in industrial and municipal environments. Trainees will assist with applications engineering, equipment quotations, and customer visits to understand system issues and recommend solutions. The program aims to develop the ability to evaluate customer systems based on operating conditions and build long-term customer relationships. After training, trainees may take ownership of their own territory. Sales Engineering is described as a career intersecting technical problem-solving, business consulting, and industrial systems. The role is field-based, consultative, and technical, focusing on providing correct 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's not a high-pressure sales environment; customers rely on them as trusted advisors. Tencarva has a 50-year history of 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. IT and Computer related Engineering degrees are not relevant for this role.
• 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

• 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 for process pumping and fluid handling systems.
• Accompany Sales Engineers on customer visits to observe investigation of system failures and operational problems, and recommendations for equipment or system modifications.
• Develop the ability to evaluate customer systems based on real operating conditions (flow rate, viscosity, pressure, temperature, pH, system configuration) 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 customers and provide technical guidance on equipment applications.
• 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 existing accounts and new business.

Benefits

• Competitive pay during the training period
• Compensation opportunities can significantly exceed those of many traditional engineering roles 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