About this role
Walter USA is looking for a Lightweight Sales Engineer in the Toledo/Detroit area:
The Lightweight Sales Engineer (LSE) acts as the technical–commercial interface between Walter and its customers in the Lightweight/PCD segment. The LSE drives growth by identifying opportunities, building deep technical relationships, and ensuring a disciplined, strategic customer approach. The role demands high technical expertise, structured sales execution, and close collaboration with Business Developers (BD), Engineering, Operations, and Market Directors
Key Performance Areas
Customer Engagement & Sales Execution
• Create, drive, and implement sales activities and processes in collaboration with regional sales teams. • Serve as the face of PCD/Lightweight at strategic customers; spend quality time on site (min. 1 hr) per visit. • Conduct 2–3 customer visits per day, focusing strictly on assigned accounts. • Build trust with engineering, production, purchasing and identify pain points across departments. • Proactively identify opportunities in aluminum/PCD machining.
Technical Expertise & Application Support
• Provide expert guidance in machining processes, cutting tools, PCD applications, tool setup, and programming. • Understand cycle times, process variables, machining improvements and troubleshoot bottlenecks. • Translate customer pain points into actionable internal engineering tasks. Internal Coordination & Follow-Up
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Operations, and Business Developer to ensure quotation quality, feasibility, and timely execution. • Follow up on quotations, reports, ROI calculations, simulations, and escalate issues aligned with processes. • Maintain disciplined CRM usage for interactions, opportunities, deliveries, and issues.
Strategic & Development Activities
• Support strategic customer projects, prototype phases, and qualification work. • Contribute to global knowledge-sharing, best practices, and continuous improvement. • Conduct market analysis, identify growth fields (e.g., EV, Tier 1 aluminium machining).
Portfolio & Performance Management
• Manage a defined account portfolio — typically 6–8 customers per LSE. • Work towards defined revenue, ROI, opportunity, and visit KPIs aligned with BD & MD. • Submit weekly agenda and activity plan for alignment.
Your Profile
Experience: Minimum 3 years of experience in any leading cutting tools, aerospace, automobile or machining industry in the field of engineering, sales, product management or similar in a multinational environment. Previous professional experience in similar roles.
Education & Experience
• Bachelor's degree (preferably in Engineering) or equivalent education. • Proven experience in similar business development or sales roles. Specific Knowledge
• Know-how regarding cutting tools or machining applications • Strong understanding of commercial management and sales techniques. • Fluency in English (spoken and written). • User-level proficiency in Microsoft Office tools. • Knowledge of the company’s products, including their characteristics, applications, and specifications. • Machining processes, PCD tools, technical drawings, measurement systems, CNC programming. • Understanding of aluminum machining and lightweight component production. • Solution-based selling, negotiation, identifying decision criteria, cost-per-part argumentation. Core Competencies
• High sense of responsibility, autonomy, and strong organizational skills. • Team-oriented with excellent interpersonal and communication abilities. • Ability to plan, implement, and manage activities effectively. • Precision, assertiveness, and commitment to meeting deadlines and objectives. • Adaptability to existing work groups and ability to foster collaboration. • Efficiency and effectiveness in problem-solving. • Proactive way of working. • Strong skills in communication, negotiation, and argumentation.
Benefits
Walter USA, LLC. offers a highly competitive performance-based compensation program and generous benefit package that includes life, health, and dental insurance, paid vacation and holidays, and a 401(k) retirement savings plan.