Sales Engineer - Greater Sacramento Area

Swagelok Northern California•Fremont, CA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Sales Engineer owns customer relationships and territory performance, combining technical expertise with consultative selling to deliver fluid system solutions that drive customer value, profitable growth, and long-term partnerships. The role operates with full autonomy, anticipates customer needs and market dynamics, solves complex, non-standard application challenges, and serves as a trusted advisor to executive-level customer stakeholders. The Sales Engineer leads opportunity strategy, designs integrated solutions balancing technical, operational, and commercial factors, and applies commercial judgment to negotiate complex deals. Experienced candidates may shape solution strategy for complex, high-impact customers, influence executive decisions, and serve as a recognized regional technical authority. The role also coaches less-experienced Sales Engineers and contributes to capability-building across the Sales team. Starting level is based on experience and demonstrated skills. Compensation includes a competitive base salary and uncapped commissions on an assigned book of business under the company’s commission plan. The position includes frequent travel to customer sites, including industrial, laboratory, and manufacturing facilities, and regular on-site presence at the Fremont office. A valid driver's license and personal vehicle are required for customer-site travel; a monthly vehicle allowance is provided. Customer site access may require identification and compliance with safety or security procedures. Work may take place in customer plant and production environments, including plant floors, where personal protective equipment is required when specified by site policies. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, technical sales, or a related business field, or completion of a two-year degree or comprehensive certification program in a relevant technical discipline.
At least 4 years of progressively responsible experience in technical sales or sales engineering.
Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex accounts and projects and mentor less-experienced team members.
Valid driver's license and personal vehicle for travel to customer sites.
Ability to meet customer site access requirements, which may include identification and site safety or security procedures.
Ability to work in customer plant and production environments, including plant floors, and use PPE when required by site safety policies.
Accountability in owning revenue growth and opportunity conversion for an assigned portfolio, anticipating account-performance risks, and supporting sustained growth.
Collaboration skills to lead cross-functional efforts with Field Engineers and internal teams and build strategic partnerships.
Effective communication skills to connect company capabilities to customer value through presentations, proposals, and technical discussions, and influence executive decisions.
Problem-solving skills to balance technical, commercial, and growth objectives when resolving complex customer challenges.
Growth mindset and commitment to continuously developing sales and technical skills and contributing to team learning.
Planning and prioritization skills to develop account strategies and prioritize by profitability, growth potential, and strategic fit.
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence in high-stakes situations, with the ability to use feedback and model professional maturity.

Nice To Haves

At least 7 years of technical sales or sales engineering experience, including management of strategic or high-impact accounts.
Experience with fluid control systems or related products in Oil & Gas, Clean Energy, Semiconductor, or other General Market applications.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate active listening and empathy in customer interactions in support of the company’s vision to be the fluid system experts the world relies on.
Anticipate customer needs, market dynamics, and competitive shifts, and translate them into account and territory strategy; serve as an advisor to complex customers and identify new applications for Swagelok products.
Lead opportunity strategy using consultative selling, align solutions to customer ROI, and develop executive-level relationships as a trusted technical advisor.
Develop and maintain account strategies and territory plans aligned with the company’s Strategic Plan, including portfolio-level growth planning for key accounts.
Use CRM data to manage pipeline health, prioritize opportunities, support forecast accuracy, and advance new-business opportunities through the sales process to close.
Model opportunity-management and pipeline-discipline standards, and coach junior Sales Engineers on CRM use, opportunity qualification, and forecasting.
Apply commercial judgment to negotiate complex deals that maximize profitability while balancing technical, commercial, growth, and long-term relationship objectives.
Design integrated fluid system solutions through project support or onsite troubleshooting, including complex P&IDs.
Perform and oversee evaluations of customer fluid systems to identify plant efficiencies and improvement opportunities across systems and processes.
Solve complex, non-standard technical and application challenges and propose alternative products or processes to optimize functionality.
Select and recommend products and assemblies for complex customer applications, and serve as a technical resource on application standards and design direction.
Provide feedback to Swagelok personnel on product and service improvements, and represent Swagelok Northern California in support of existing installations and product returns.
Mentor junior Sales Engineers on complex designs, assemblies, and account strategy, and model company values and best practices.
Lead high-impact meetings and complex technical discussions, communicate solutions in customers’ business language, and influence customer decisions on strategy and growth.
Pursue professional development through internal and external training, continuing education, and job rotation where relevant.
Travel frequently to customer sites and maintain regular on-site presence at the Fremont office; follow applicable customer site access and safety requirements.