Job Description
Sales Engineer – Technical Plastics
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Reports To: Sales Manager Plastics
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Department: Sales & Engineering
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Classification: Exempt
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JOB FUNCTION:
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The Technical Sales Engineer serves as the primary commercial and technical interface for North American customers, driving business growth, customer engagement, and technical solution development aligned with SCHERDEL WIESAUPLAST capabilities. This role integrates sales strategy with engineering expertise to acquire new business, sustain existing relationships, and position the organization as a leader in advanced plastics and multi-material technologies.
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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
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Sales & Business Development
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- Identify, qualify, and develop new business opportunities for custom plastic injection molded components and assemblies
- Manage and grow existing key accounts by offering technical guidance and value-driven solutions
- Deliver sales presentations, technical proposals, and quotations tailored to customer needs
- Negotiate pricing, terms, and contracts while meeting profitability targets
- Meet or exceed assigned sales and revenue goals
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Injection Molding Process Expertise
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- Apply in-depth knowledge of plastic injection molding processes, including molding parameters, cycle times, gating, cooling, and quality considerations
- Evaluate part designs for manufacturability, cost efficiency, and process capability
- Support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) discussions related to molding performance and production efficiency
- Collaborate with manufacturing teams to address molding challenges, process improvements, and continuous improvement initiatives
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Tooling & Assembly Equipment
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- Support tooling development by reviewing mold concepts, cavitation strategies, materials, and maintenance considerations
- Collaborate with tooling suppliers, mold shops, and internal teams to ensure tools meet customer and production requirements
- Provide technical input on automation, assembly equipment, fixtures, and secondary processes such as ultrasonic welding, heat staking, and part handling
- Help customers identify opportunities to reduce cost and improve quality through optimized tooling and automated assembly solutions
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Technical Sales & Engineering Interface
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- Serve as the primary technical liaison between customers and internal engineering, tooling, and manufacturing teams
- Review customer drawings, specifications, and requirements to ensure alignment with process and equipment capabilities
- Participate in customer design reviews, technical meetings, and program kickoffs
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Quoting & Project Support
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- Coordinate the RFQ process, including tooling, piece price, secondary operations, and lead-time estimates
- Track opportunities from quote through award and production launch
- Ensure smooth transition of awarded projects to program management and production teams
- Maintain accurate opportunity and account data in CRM systems
- Maintain commercial responsibility for life of products and assigned customers
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Operational Alignment
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- Partner with headquarters and manufacturing teams to ensure feasibility and execution.
- Support plant integration in Mexico and global collaboration with German headquarters.
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Education/Experience:
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- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or related field preferred.
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- 5+ years of experience in technical sales within automotive or injection molding industries.
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- Strong background in plastics, tooling, welding, stamping, and forming processes.
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Core Competencies:
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- Technical expertise and credibility
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- Cross-functional leadership
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- Customer-centric mindset
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- Strong communication and negotiation skills
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- Strategic thinking with execution discipline
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Preferred Qualifications:
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- Experience in Tier 1 or Tier 2 automotive supply base
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- Multicultural experience (US, Mexico, Europe)
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- Spanish language skills preferred