Technical Sales Engineer

Physical Electronics USA•Chanhassen, MN

4d•$90,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Physical Electronics USA (PHI) is seeking a customer-facing Technical Sales Engineer in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. The role supports complex, science-driven sales opportunities from early qualification through close, partnering with Sales, applications scientists, product teams, and service to qualify opportunities, develop credible solutions, validate configurations, and support custom solution requests. Its objective is to bring technical clarity, speed, and confidence to the sales process and help the sales team win. The engineer develops application-aligned solutions using PHI technologies such as XPS, AES, and TOF-SIMS; prepares proposals, system configurations, and solution narratives; supports customer meetings and strategic sales opportunities; and validates complex configurations before quotation and order placement. The role also coordinates with Japanese manufacturing teams, supports custom solution requests, facilitates cross-functional input, and captures lessons learned and technical knowledge to improve future sales execution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related technical field.
7+ years of experience in applications engineering, technical sales support, analytical instrumentation, or a similar technical environment.
Strong understanding of ultra-high vacuum systems.
Ability to translate complex technical requirements into practical solutions tied to customer needs and business outcomes.
Strong communication, problem-solving, and customer-facing skills.
Ability to work effectively with technical and commercial stakeholders.
Ability to contribute independently in a complex technical sales environment.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of surface analysis techniques, including XPS, AES, and TOF-SIMS.
Experience with materials characterization, thin films, coatings, semiconductors, or related applications.

Responsibilities

Partner with Sales to qualify opportunities early and confirm fit between customer needs and PHI capabilities.
Participate in technical discovery with customers to define applications, requirements, success criteria, and decision drivers.
Identify technical risks, gaps, constraints, and fit issues that affect pipeline quality, forecasting, and sales strategy.
Develop application-aligned solutions using PHI technologies, including XPS, AES, and TOF-SIMS.
Understand competitive offerings, market developments, and emerging threats to help position PHI solutions around its value proposition.
Create customer proposals, system configurations, and solution narratives.
Participate in customer meetings when technical support is required.
Review customer specifications and requirements, and address technical questions, objections, specifications, and requirements during strategic sales opportunities.
Validate complex system configurations before quotation and order placement, confirming compatibility among hardware, software, options, accessories, upgrades, and customer requirements.
Coordinate with Japanese manufacturing teams on configuration rules, product capabilities, and constraints.
Maintain configuration guidelines and technical sales documentation.
Support custom solution requests by clarifying customer needs, requirements, constraints, and success criteria.
Coordinate early cross-functional input to confirm feasibility, risks, and scope before customer commitment.
Help ensure approved custom solutions are clearly communicated to execution teams at order handoff.
Coordinate among Sales, applications, product, service, engineering, and manufacturing teams, engaging the appropriate experts to support solution quality and responsiveness.
Capture lessons learned from completed opportunities, prior CQRs, and special solutions, and contribute to technical knowledge bases.