Sales Engineer

Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service

Description

Sales engineers sell sophisticated technological goods to business customers, including engineers and mechanical contractors. They utilize both technical and sales skills to perform their job duties.

Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills are critical for sales engineers to build enduring relationships with clients. They need to actively listen to understand customers’ needs and then use technical knowledge of industry products and services to design system solutions and recommend equipment that aligns with their clients’ plans and specifications. The products that sales engineers in the HVAC/R field may sell include traditional fossil-fuel based equipment as well as modern electricity-based heating and cooling devices and IT-enabled building automation (smart) systems. Workers whose past experience focused on oil and gas burning boilers, furnaces, and chillers will need additional training on clean energy systems as the use of air and ground source heat pumps, variable refrigerant flow systems, and other environmentally friendly technologies increases.

Sales engineers prepare and demonstrate products to clients and they need strong presentation skills to pitch proposals that persuade customers of the value of the products and services they are selling. As electrification of mechanical systems in homes and larger buildings becomes more common, sales engineers need to be able to communicate the benefits of heat pumps and similar clean energy technologies – which include reduced carbon emissions to help the environment, cost savings from system efficiency, and improved comfort resulting from features such as multiple heating and cooling zones in the building.

They also provide cost estimates to customers, prepare sales contracts, and oversee product orders and shipping to complete sales transactions. Sales engineers provide ongoing customer service support to clients by providing training and technical support, including altering the design of products as needed to meet customers’ specifications. They must be organized and able to prioritize tasks to meet the needs of multiple clients.

Effective sales engineers are self-starters who take initiative to develop new business and grow sales by engaging with prospective clients, conducting research into new markets and products, aiding in the design and formation of new products, and contributing to their employer’s marketing strategies. They often collaborate with other sales, marketing, and manufacturing personnel, so it is important that sales engineers work well as members of a larger team.

Working as a sales engineer often requires traveling to vendor or client meetings, and sometimes trade organization events. Sales engineers who are responsible for client accounts over large regions tend to travel farther and more frequently than those who oversee smaller areas. Most sales engineers work full-time, and the job can be stressful as many work extra hours over evenings and weekends to meet sales targets.

Job Outlook

According to the New York State Department of Labor, there are approximately 2,600 sales engineers in New York State. They project this occupation to grow by 80 jobs between 2018 and 2028, which reflects a relatively low number of expected job openings compared to other occupations and a small employment growth rate.

Entering the Field

A bachelor’s degree and sales experience are typically required by employers hiring sales engineers – many look for candidates with three or more years of experience selling or working with related products in a technical capacity. Relevant programs of study include engineering (with a focus on mechanical engineering for sales engineers in the HVAC/R field), business, or marketing. New graduates without any sales experience or mechanical engineers who work in design consulting and want to transition into sales often receive on-the-job training through working with more seasoned workers. Workers without a bachelor’s degree who want to work as sales engineers need to prove their competence through extensive years of technical and sales experience. Within the HVAC/R field, experienced service technicians, service managers, cost estimators, or inspectors can use the knowledge of HVAC/R products and system design that they gained through experience installing, maintaining, and repairing equipment to transition into a role as a sales engineer. Knowledge of clean energy products such as heat pumps and building automation systems is increasingly important as their use becomes more commonplace.

Sales engineers may choose to demonstrate competence by obtaining certification(s) from the Manufacturers’ Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF). MRERF offers training to become a Certified Professional Manufacturer’s Representative (CPMR) or a Certified Professional Sales Consultant (CPSC), formerly titled Certified Sales Professional (CSP), although employers do not generally require these credentials. Sales engineers who must travel may need to have a driver’s license. 

Wages

In New York State, the median wage for sales engineers is approximately $122,000. Entry-level workers earn about $75,100 and experienced workers earn about $150,300.

Annual Wage (Q1 2021 dollars, rounded to 100s) – Statewide and by Labor Market Region

Region	Entry	Median	Experienced
New York State	$75,100	$122,000	$150,300
Capital Region	$73,900	$108,800	$147,400
Central New York	$69,300	$102,100	$128,800
Finger Lakes	$68,900	$98,600	$123,900
Hudson Valley	$77,400	$119,900	$151,900
Long Island	$69,100	$107,500	$126,700
Mohawk Valley	$69,600	$99,900	$137,500
New York City	$93,900	$147,300	$167,500
North Country	N/A	N/A	N/A
Southern Tier	$69,200	$85,100	$128,600
Western New York	$62,500	$85,800	$110,900

Source: New York State Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey, SOC Code 41-9031 (Sales Engineers); N/A denotes wage data that is not available.

Employers

Sales engineers working in the HVAC/R field are often employed by companies that manufacture ventilation, heating, air conditioning, or refrigeration equipment, or wholesale distributors that sell these products. Online job advertisements posted in 2020 for openings in New York State all included “sales engineer” in the job title; some job ads used more specific titles such as field sales engineer or inside sales engineer. Searching online job boards using those titles and keywords such as “HVAC,” “heating,” “ventilation,” “air conditioning,” or “refrigeration” can help to identify opportunities to work in this occupation.

Labor Unions

Workers in sales occupations tend to have low rates of unionization. Check to see if local employers that hire sales engineers have a union affiliation or check with local union chapters active in the HVAC/R field to see if they represent sales engineers.

Education and Training Programs

Sales engineers who want a general understanding of clean energy building mechanical systems can enroll in Steven Winter Associates, Inc.’s Building Electrification Training Series, which covers topics such as heat pumps and strategies for implementing environmentally friendly systems. Those who sell and support specific HVAC/R equipment (including modern electricity-based variable refrigerant flow systems, heat pumps, and building automation systems) can receive training offered by manufacturers and distributors of those technologies. See which companies partner with NYSERDA through Clean Heat Connect and check with individual manufacturers and distributors for a complete list of online or in-person course offerings and to see which ones are most appropriate for sales professionals.

A variety of educational programs at colleges, universities, or technical schools (some of which are listed in the table below) may prepare workers to become a sales engineer in the HVAC/R field – from a certificate or associate degree focused on HVAC/R or mechanical engineering technology to a bachelor’s degree in engineering or business. Workers with a master’s degree may not be required to have as many years of experience as those with an undergraduate degree or field experience.

Educational Institution	Department	Certificate	Associate	Bachelor	Master	PhD
Capital Region
Excelsior College	Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
Excelsior College	Technology	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Hudson Valley Community College	Applied Technologies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Hudson Valley Community College	Business and Criminal Justice	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)	Lally School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)	School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
SUNY Adirondack	School of Engineering	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY at Albany	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY at Albany	College of Engineering and Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Empire State College	School of Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
Central New York
Cayuga County Community College	School of Business	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Cayuga County Community College	School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Le Moyne College	Madden School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Onondaga Community College	School of Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Onondaga Community College	School of Computing & Applied Technologies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES	Certificate Programs	•Yes	No	No	No	No
SUNY College at Oswego	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY Morrisville	Business and Hospitality, Design and Engineering, & Renewable Energy	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Syracuse University	College of Engineering and Computer Science	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Syracuse University	Whitman School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes Community College	Business and Technology	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Genesee Community College	Business & Commerce	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES	Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration	•Yes	No	No	No	No
Monroe Community College	Applied Technologies, Business Administration, Engineering Science, and Engineering Technologies	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Rochester Institute of Technology	College of Engineering Technology	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Rochester Institute of Technology	Kate Gleason College of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Rochester Institute of Technology	Saunders College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Saint John Fisher College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College at Brockport	School of Business & Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College at Geneseo	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
University of Rochester	Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
University of Rochester	Simon Business School	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Hudson Valley
Dutchess Community College	Business, Aviation, and Construction Professions & Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Iona College	LaPenta School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Marist College	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Mercy College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Orange County Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Orange County Community College	Science, Engineering and Architecture	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY New Paltz	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY New Paltz	Science & Engineering	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Westchester Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY Westchester Community College	School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Long Island
Adelphi University	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Electrical Training Center	Electrical & HVAC/R	•Yes	No	No	No	No
Farmingdale State College	School of Business	•Yes	No	•Yes	No	No
Farmingdale State College	School of Engineering Technology	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Five Towns College	Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Hofstra University	DeMatteis School of Engineering & Applied Science	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Hofstra University	Zarb School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Nassau County Community College	Business, Marketing, & Engineering, Physics, and Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
New York Institute of Technology	College of Engineering & Computing Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
New York Institute of Technology	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
St. Joseph’s College	Business Administration and Management	•Yes	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Stony Brook University	College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Stony Brook University	College of Engineering and Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Suffolk County Community College	Business, Engineering, & Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Mohawk Valley
Fulton-Montgomery Community College	Business & Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Hartwick College	Business Administration	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Herkimer County Community College	Business & Science and Technology	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Mohawk Valley Community College	School of Business and Hospitality	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Mohawk Valley Community College	School of STEM	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill	Business Administration	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Polytechnic Institute	Business & Engineering Programs	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Utica College	Business and Economics	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
New York City
Apex Technical School	HVAC & Refrigeration	•Yes	No	No	No	No
Baruch College (CUNY)	Zicklin School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY)	Business Management & Science	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Columbia University in the City of New York	Columbia Business School	No	No	No	•Yes	•Yes
Columbia University in the City of New York	Columbia Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
CUNY Brooklyn College	Business Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)	Business and Technology & Math, Engineering and Computer Science	No	•Yes	No	No	No
New York City College of Technology (CUNY)	School of Professional Studies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
New York City College of Technology (CUNY)	School of Technology & Design	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
New York University	Stern School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
New York University	Tandon School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
St. Joseph’s College	Business Administration and Management	•Yes	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
The City College of New York (CUNY)	Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership	No	No	•Yes	No	No
The City College of New York (CUNY)	The Grove School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
North Country
Clarkson University	Coulter School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Clarkson University	David D. Reh School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Clinton Community College	Business, Computer and Electronics Technology, & Mechanical Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Jefferson Community College	Business and Engineering		•Yes	No	No	No
St. Lawrence University	Business in the Liberal Arts	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College at Plattsburgh	School of Business & Economics	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College at Potsdam	Business Administration	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College of Technology at Canton	Canino School of Engineering Technology	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College of Technology at Canton	School of Business and Liberal Arts		•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Southern Tier
Binghamton University	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Binghamton University	Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Cornell University	Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	No	No		•Yes	•Yes
Cornell University	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Ithaca College	Business and Professional Studies	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY Broome Community College	Business and Professional Studies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY Broome Community College	Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY Corning Community College	Business and Finance; Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Computing and Information Systems; & Technology and Manufacturing	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY at Delhi	School of Applied Technologies	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY at Delhi	School of Business and Hospitality Management	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Western New York
Alfred University	College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Alfred University	Inamori School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Bryant & Stratton College	Business	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Buffalo State College	Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Buffalo State College	Engineering Technology	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Erie 1 BOCES	HVAC	•Yes	No	No	No	No
Erie Community College	Business, HVAC, and Engineering	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Jamestown Business College	Programs of Study	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Niagara County Community College	Business & STEM	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Niagara University	College of Business Administration	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY at Alfred	Building Trades, Business, & Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
University at Buffalo	School of Engineering and Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
University at Buffalo	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes

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