SALES ENGINEER – BUILDING AUTOMATION & CONTROLS

Clinton Township 
Base Salary: $100,000 - $120,000 + Commission
Full-Time | Business Development | Technical Sales | Building Automation & Controls

Position Overview

Our client is seeking a highly technical Sales Engineer to drive growth across Southeast Michigan by developing new business opportunities, expanding existing customer relationships, and providing consultative solutions within the Building Automation, Controls, HVAC, Industrial Controls, and Automation markets.

This is not a transactional sales role. The ideal candidate will possess deep technical expertise and the ability to work directly with facility managers, engineers, contractors, municipalities, industrial clients, and building owners to develop tailored controls and automation solutions. The successful candidate will serve as both a trusted advisor and technical resource throughout the sales process, from project identification through proposal development, estimating, project handoff, and long-term account management.

The ideal individual combines strong relationship-building skills with the technical knowledge necessary to understand HVAC systems, Building Automation Systems (BAS), PLC controls, instrumentation, energy management, and facility operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and grow relationships with building owners, facility managers, contractors, engineers, municipalities, industrial customers, and consulting firms.
• Identify opportunities for new Building Automation, Controls, Energy Management, Service, Retrofit, and Capital Improvement projects.
• Conduct site visits to evaluate customer needs and identify system improvement opportunities.
• Review plans, specifications, sequences of operation, and customer requirements.
• Prepare accurate project estimates, budgets, scopes of work, and proposals.
• Develop technical solutions for HVAC controls, BAS upgrades, energy management initiatives, and automation projects.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, project management, and service teams to develop customer solutions.
• Present technical proposals and recommendations to customers and decision-makers.
• Manage the sales cycle from lead generation through project award and turnover.
• Maintain long-term customer relationships and generate repeat business opportunities.
• Assist customers with budgeting, system modernization planning, and capital improvement strategies.
• Support contract negotiations and project development activities.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, sales forecasts, and pipeline reporting.
• Attend industry events, networking functions, and customer meetings to expand market presence.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Building Automation Systems (BAS), Controls, HVAC, Industrial Automation, Energy Services, Mechanical Contracting, or Technical Sales.
• Strong estimating and proposal development experience.
• Ability to understand and interpret:
  • Mechanical plans
  • Electrical drawings
  • Control drawings
  • Sequences of operation
  • Specifications
• Experience developing project budgets and scopes of work.
• Strong customer-facing communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated success building and maintaining long-term customer relationships.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects and opportunities simultaneously.

Preferred Technical Experience

Experience with one or more of the following:

Building Automation & Controls

• Niagara / Tridium
• Johnson Controls Metasys
• Siemens Desigo
• Honeywell
• Automated Logic
• Trane Controls
• Distech
• Delta Controls

HVAC Systems

• Air Handling Units (AHUs)
• Rooftop Units (RTUs)
• Chillers
• Boilers
• VAV Systems
• VFDs
• Hydronic Systems

Industrial Controls

• Allen-Bradley PLCs
• SCADA Systems
• Instrumentation
• Process Controls
• BACnet
• Modbus
• Ethernet/IP

Estimating & Project Development

• Controls estimating
• Service agreement development
• Retrofit project development
• Energy efficiency projects
• Capital improvement planning
• Design-build project support

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a technical expert first and salesperson second. This individual understands how building automation and control systems function in real-world environments and can confidently engage engineers, facility directors, plant managers, contractors, and ownership groups in technical discussions.

Candidates should possess the credibility to walk a facility, identify operational issues, recommend solutions, build accurate estimates, and ultimately earn the customer's trust through technical competence and relationship-building ability.

The strongest candidates will come from backgrounds such as:

• Building Automation Sales Engineering
• Controls Project Management
• BAS Engineering
• Controls Estimating
• HVAC Controls Engineering
• Industrial Automation Sales Engineering
• Energy Services Sales
• Mechanical Systems Consulting

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $100,000 - $120,000 depending on experience
• Uncapped Commission Program
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Paid Vacation and Holidays
• Professional Development and Industry Training
• Long-Term Growth Opportunities

What Success Looks Like

• Builds strong, long-term customer relationships that generate recurring business.
• Develops accurate, technically sound proposals and estimates.
• Identifies opportunities others miss by understanding facility operations and control systems.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to customers rather than a transactional salesperson.
• Consistently grows revenue while maintaining a reputation for technical excellence and customer service.