Sales Engineer

Job Title: Sales Engineer
Department: Engineering / Sales
Reports To: Senior Commercial Program Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Type: Automotive Manufacturing
Travel: Less than 10%

Summary / Objective

The Sales Engineer supports commercial activities for automotive lighting programs, serving as a key liaison between customers and internal departments. This position combines technical understanding, commercial analysis, cost estimating, and customer relationship management to support new business opportunities and existing customer programs.

The ideal candidate will have either an engineering/technical background or a finance/business background, with the ability to understand product requirements, analyze program costs, prepare quotations, and coordinate with cross-functional teams. The candidate should be detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable working in a fast-paced automotive manufacturing environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support the Senior Commercial Program Manager in managing customer relationships and commercial activities for automotive lighting programs, including exterior front and rear lamps.
2. Prepare and review customer quotations, cost breakdowns, pricing proposals, and other commercial documentation for new business opportunities and existing programs.
3. Analyze manufacturing costs, material costs, tooling expenses, labor, and other program-related expenses to support pricing decisions and profitability targets.
4. Assist with the preparation and review of customer-specific cost documents, including applicable GM, Ford, and Stellantis quotation and cost breakdown forms.
5. Coordinate with Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Tooling, Quality, and Finance to gather technical and cost information required for customer quotations.
6. Review customer requests for quotation (RFQs), specifications, drawings, and other technical documentation to understand project requirements and identify potential cost or feasibility concerns.
7. Support new business development activities by preparing commercial proposals, evaluating customer opportunities, and tracking quotation status and awarded business.
8. Maintain quotation records, cost models, pricing files, and commercial reports using Microsoft Excel and other applicable business systems.
9. Assist in monitoring program costs, identifying cost variances, and supporting cost-reduction initiatives throughout the product development and production lifecycle.
10. Communicate with customers regarding quotations, pricing updates, product requirements, and commercial questions in coordination with the Senior Commercial Program Manager.
11. Participate in customer meetings, internal project reviews, and cross-functional discussions to communicate commercial requirements and follow up on outstanding items.
12. Support engineering and program teams in evaluating design changes, engineering change requests, and their potential impact on product costs and customer pricing.
13. Assist with tracking customer forecasts, production volumes, annual price reductions, and other commercial commitments.
14. Coordinate with overseas teams and suppliers as needed to obtain cost information, clarify technical requirements, and support timely quotation submissions.
15. Identify opportunities to improve quotation accuracy, cost competitiveness, and commercial processes.
16. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
2. 1–3 years of experience in sales engineering, cost estimating, financial analysis, pricing, quoting, program support, or a related role. Recent graduates with relevant internships or co-op experience may also be considered.
3. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate technical information, costs, and commercial requirements.
4. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
5. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with customers and internal departments.
6. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple quotations, deadlines, and priorities.
7. Ability to interpret data, identify discrepancies, and present findings clearly.
8. Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
9. Self-motivated, dependable, and willing to learn automotive manufacturing processes and customer-specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience in the automotive industry, preferably automotive OEM or Tier 1 manufacturing.
2. Experience with cost estimating, quotation preparation, pricing analysis, or financial modeling.
3. Engineering knowledge or experience interpreting technical drawings, product specifications, or CAD models.
4. Familiarity with automotive lighting, plastics, injection molding, electronics, tooling, or assembly processes.
5. Experience working with automotive OEM customers, including GM, Ford, or Stellantis.
6. Familiarity with RFQs, BOMs, tooling quotations, engineering changes, and customer cost breakdowns.
7. Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, product development, or automotive program management processes.
8. Experience with ERP systems, cost accounting, or manufacturing cost analysis.
9. Mandarin Chinese language skills are a plus.

Work Environment and Requirements

This position operates primarily in a professional office environment within an automotive manufacturing organization. The role requires regular communication with internal departments, customers, suppliers, and overseas teams.

Occasional domestic or international travel may be required, generally less than 10%. Flexibility to participate in early morning or evening meetings with overseas teams and to work additional hours during critical business periods is expected.