Recruitment

2 March 2010

Organisation: k-Space Associates, Inc.

Title: Sales Engineer

Location: Ann Arbor (Dexter), MI, USA

k-Space Associates is a leading manufacturer of in-situ thin-film and semiconductor wafer characterization technologies to monitor and control MBE, MOCVD, PLD, PVD, sputtering and evaporation systems. Our product line utilizes optical imaging technology for determining thin-film stress, strain, wafer curvature, deposition rate, layer thickness, semiconductor wafer temperature, RHEED and LEED analysis. All kSA products focus on real-time data acquisition, processing, and analysis for use in the most advanced R&D applications and full process control in the volume manufacturing of HBLED's, thin-film photovoltaics, and high performance electronic and optoelectronic compound semiconductor devices.

Job Description:

We’re seeking an energetic and personable sales engineer to join our team. This person will focus on contact and support of the current U.S. customer base, understanding current customer applications as well as future needs. In addition, the successful candidate will identify specific U.S. sales markets and actively pursue kSA product sales in these markets. Key responsibilities will include fielding customer inquiries, attending trade show conferences, and traveling to perform on-site presentations of kSA products and technology. These activities will precipitate generation of formal quotations and bid submissions and require management and documentation of the entire sales process from initial inquiry to customer product-satisfaction follow up. This person will be responsible for answering first line technical questions and inquiries with an open and personal approach that is consistent with the established kSA culture. The successful candidate will combine a deep understanding of technical issues and all product offerings to define solutions that provide key advantages over competitors.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Aside from selected key accounts, the sales engineer will be responsible for managing existing customers and soliciting new opportunities for the entire kSA product line within the U.S.
• The primary responsibility of the kSA sales engineer is to generate territory growth by providing superior responsiveness and proactive account management as the primary internal customer contact. This position also provides all aspects of account management, solution selling, proposal generation, technical support, and customer activity documentation.
• Use a “consultative” solution selling style; that is, focus on the customer’s problem and show how it can be solved or mitigated with kSA product or service versus a highly aggressive sales approach.
• Use technical skills and careful listening to explain the direct benefits of kSA products to potential customers and to demonstrate how our products are better than the products of competitors.
• Suggest modifications and adjust/configure kSA products to meet customers’ specific needs.
• Provide customer quotations in accordance with product pricing policies, prepare proposal letters and formal bid responses, and perform timely follow-up of all quotations.
• Creates the formal quotation which is presented to the customer and enters the quote according to the quote preparation system and customer database.
• Maintain and data mine accurate customer contact information in the company’s database management software (i.e. ACT! contact management).
• In addition to retaining current clients and attracting new ones, the sales engineer will help clients solve problems that arise with existing kSA products with the help of internal resources to ensure highest customer satisfaction.
• May be asked to undertake additional tasks such as market research, support company representative/ distributors outside the territory, support new product development, and drive customer satisfaction programs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Bachelors degree or higher in physics, materials science, or electrical engineering.
• 2-3 years experience in capital equipment sales in a technical environment, or experience in thin-film deposition or semiconductor device fields a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to conceptualize and explain technical principles to broad audience of technical and non-technical buyers; self-motivated with strong sales aptitude and drive.
• Ability to travel up to 50%, including overnights, within North America; must have valid US passport or ability to obtain.
• Ability to learn quickly and operate with minimal supervision in a fast-moving environment with excellent organizational, written, oral, and presentation skills, standard computer skills; Outlook, Excel, Word, etc. required, knowledge of ACT! Contact Management software a plus.

We offer base salary plus commission, in addition to a generous package of employer-paid benefits. Visit us on the web at www.k-space.com for additional information. Email resume to: requestinfo@k-space.com with subject line “Sales Engineer” for consideration.