• A bachelor's degree in engineering is required; many sales engineers have previous work experience in an engineering specialty.
• Projected employment growth stems from the increasing number and technical nature of products to be sold.
• More job opportunities are expected in independent agencies.
• Earnings are based on a combination of salary and commission.

Many products and services, especially those purchased by large companies and institutions, are highly complex. Sales engineers, using their engineering skills, help customers determine which products or services provided by the sales engineer's employer best suit their needs. Sales engineers—who also may be called manufacturers' agents, sales representatives, or technical sales support workers—often work with both the customer and the production, engineering, or research and development departments of their company, or of independent firms, to determine how products and services could be designed or modified to best suit the customer's needs. They also may advise the customer on how to best utilize the products or services being provided.

Selling, of course, is an important part of the job. Sales engineers use their technical skills to demonstrate to potential customers how and why the products or services they are selling would suit the customer better than competitors' products. Often, there may not be a directly competitive product. In these cases, the job of the sales engineer is to demonstrate to the customer the usefulness of the product or service—for example, how much money new production machinery would save.

Most sales engineers have a bachelor's degree in engineering and some have previous work experience in an engineering specialty. Engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and commercial applications. Many sales engineers specialize in an area related to an engineering specialty. For example, sales engineers selling chemical products may have chemical engineering backgrounds, while those selling electrical products may have degrees in electrical engineering. (Information on engineers and 14 engineering specialties appears elsewhere in the Handbook.)

Many of the job duties of sales engineers are similar to those of other salespersons. They must interest the client in purchasing their products, many of which are durable manufactured products such as turbines. Sales engineers are often teamed with other salespersons who concentrate on the marketing and sales, enabling the sales engineer to concentrate on the technical aspects of the job. By working as a sales team, each member is able to utilize his or her strengths and knowledge. (Information on other sales occupations, including sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, appears elsewhere in the Handbook.)

Sales engineers tend to employ selling techniques that are different from those used by most other sales workers. They may use a "consultative" style; that is, they focus on the client's problem and show how it could be solved or mitigated with their product or service. This selling style differs from the "benefits and features" method, whereby the product is described and the customer is left to decide how the product would be useful.

In addition to maintaining current clients and attracting new ones, sales engineers help clients solve any problems that arise when the product is installed, and may continue to serve as a liaison between the client and their company. In addition, using their familiarity with client needs, sales engineers may help identify and develop new products.

Sales engineers may work directly for manufacturers or service providers, or in small independent firms. In an independent firm, they may sell complimentary products from several different suppliers and be paid on a commission basis.