Lightweight Sales Engineer

Sandvik · Detroit

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Walter USA is looking for a Lightweight Sales Engineer in the Toledo/Detroit area:

The Lightweight Sales Engineer (LSE) acts as the technical–commercial interface between Walter and its customers in the Lightweight/PCD segment.

The LSE drives growth by identifying opportunities, building deep technical relationships, and ensuring a disciplined, strategic customer approach. The role demands high technical expertise, structured sales execution, and close collaboration with Business Developers (BD), Engineering, Operations, and Market Directors

Key Performance Areas

Customer Engagement & Sales Execution

• Create, drive, and implement sales activities and processes in collaboration with regional sales teams.
• Serve as the face of PCD/Lightweight at strategic customers; spend quality time on site (min. 1 hr) per visit.
• Conduct 2–3 customer visits per day, focusing strictly on assigned accounts.
• Build trust with engineering, production, purchasing and identify pain points across departments.
• Proactively identify opportunities in aluminum/PCD machining.

Technical Expertise & Application Support

• Provide expert guidance in machining processes, cutting tools, PCD applications, tool setup, and programming.
• Understand cycle times, process variables, machining improvements and troubleshoot bottlenecks.
• Translate customer pain points into actionable internal engineering tasks.

Internal Coordination & Follow-Up

• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Operations, and Business Developer to ensure quotation quality, feasibility, and timely execution.
• Follow up on quotations, reports, ROI calculations, simulations, and escalate issues aligned with processes.
• Maintain disciplined CRM usage for interactions, opportunities, deliveries, and issues.

Strategic & Development Activities

• Support strategic customer projects, prototype phases, and qualification work.
• Contribute to global knowledge-sharing, best practices, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct market analysis, identify growth fields (e.g., EV, Tier 1 aluminium machining).

Portfolio & Performance Management

• Manage a defined account portfolio — typically 6–8 customers per LSE.
• Work towards defined revenue, ROI, opportunity, and visit KPIs aligned with BD & MD.
• Submit weekly agenda and activity plan for alignment.

Your Profile

Experience:

Minimum 3 years of experience in any leading cutting tools, aerospace, automobile or machining industry in the field of engineering, sales, product management or similar in a multinational environment. Previous professional experience in similar roles.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree (preferably in Engineering) or equivalent education.
• Proven experience in similar business development or sales roles.

Specific Knowledge

• Know-how regarding cutting tools or machining applications
• Strong understanding of commercial management and sales techniques.
• Fluency in English (spoken and written).
• User-level proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.
• Knowledge of the company’s products, including their characteristics, applications, and specifications.
• Machining processes, PCD tools, technical drawings, measurement systems, CNC programming.
• Understanding of aluminum machining and lightweight component production.
• Solution-based selling, negotiation, identifying decision criteria, cost-per-part argumentation.

Core Competencies

• High sense of responsibility, autonomy, and strong organizational skills.
• Team-oriented with excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Ability to plan, implement, and manage activities effectively.
• Precision, assertiveness, and commitment to meeting deadlines and objectives.
• Adaptability to existing work groups and ability to foster collaboration.
• Efficiency and effectiveness in problem-solving.
• Proactive way of working.
• Strong skills in communication, negotiation, and argumentation.

Benefits

Walter USA, LLC. offers a highly competitive performance-based compensation program and generous benefit package that includes life, health, and dental insurance, paid vacation and holidays, and a 401(k) retirement savings plan. 

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