Sales Engineer

Sales Engineer - Job Description:

If you understand the dynamics of Military or Federal environments, thrive in technical sales, and feel called to shape mission-driven spaces where people can truly flourish, you may be the perfect fit for Improve Group's Sales Engineer role.

This position is based in our Albuquerque, NM office, with up to 40% travel expected.

The Sales Engineer acts as the technical backbone of the sales effort, providing clear, accurate, and responsive support across all stages of client engagement. This role connects senior leadership's relationship-driven business development with the detailed technical work required to scope, price, validate, and advance opportunities toward award. By bringing structure and solution-minded rigor to the front end of projects, the Sales Engineer frees leadership to focus on trust-building, partner alignment, and strategic growth initiatives. Working closely with senior leadership, project management, design resources, and external partners, the Sales Engineer converts client needs and mission objectives into well-defined, executable project approaches. This role ensures that proposed solutions are technically feasible, mission-aligned, and achievable within funding and schedule parameters. The Sales Engineer will also serve in a client-facing capacity, either supporting or leading engagement discussions, clarifying requirements, and guiding the opportunity from initial interest through decision.

As Sales Engineer for Improve Group it is crucial to be strategic, resourceful, and excited by the opportunity to problem solve in the field.

Key Responsibilities:

• Client Engagement Leadership: Serve as a client-facing technical representative by leading or supporting discussions, clarifying requirements, and guiding opportunities from initial interest through award decision.
• Technical Validation & Constructability Assessment: Conduct upfront feasibility reviews to confirm scope, budget alignment, site conditions, schedule viability, compliance factors, and constructability considerations. The goal is to remove ambiguity early and prevent downstream rework, cost overruns, or redesign after award.
• Proposal & Scope Development: Lead the development of technical narratives, solution descriptions, conceptual design packages, and pricing support. Ensure each submission is traceable to client requirements, includes a defendable budget, and positions Improve Group as a low-risk, high-competency partner.
• Solution Engineering: Translate operational or mission-based requirements into clearly defined scopes of work. Coordinate with internal and external SMEs to refine deliverables that meet performance objectives while staying within budget and schedule parameters.
• Risk & Constraint Identification: Proactively identify assumptions, constraints, and potential risks associated with client direction, site conditions, procurement pathways, and overall implementation sequencing (Flag constructability issues and risk early).
• Opportunity Expansion: Grow future opportunities by delivering elevated service and high-quality technical deliverables, turning past client contacts into recurring partners and expanding project value through enriched, mission-aligned scope development.
• Implementation Handoff: Ensure a clear, structured transition from preconstruction to project management and field teams-transferring technical insights, documenting assumptions, and serving as an ongoing resource to set the project up for successful execution.

Additional Functional Areas

• Procurement Strategy and Maintenance: Understand, internally manage, advise on available contracting vehicles (IDIQ, OTA, SBIR, etc.) and recommend the most efficient procurement pathways based on client objectives and timeline.
• RFP / RFQ Management: Coordinate the response process, ensuring technical sections, pricing, and supporting documents are complete, accurate, and delivered on schedule.
• Budgeting & Cost Justification: Develop and validate budget structures with detailed cost breakdowns that can withstand scrutiny from contracting, CE, program leadership, and oversight reviewers.
• Technical Documentation & Compliance: Prepare and maintain documentation required for client review, internal handoff, government submittals, and final compliance records. Ensure clarity, traceability, and internal repeatability.
• Partner Coordination & Alignment: Serve as the technical point of coordination with internal teams, external partners, and high-level military stakeholders-bringing the professionalism, credibility, and domain awareness required to engage confidently. Ensure pricing, scope, and timelines are fully aligned prior to proposal submission.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills:

• 3-7 years of experience in construction, architecture, engineering, or a related technical field (preconstruction, estimating, design-assist, or integration roles strongly preferred).
• Background engaging Military and/or Federal Government clients, with the professionalism and domain understanding needed to operate effectively in those environments.
• Experience collaborating with project managers, designers, trade partners, and field teams on complex or multi-stakeholder projects.
• Track record of closing technically complex projects by guiding clients through requirements clarification, solution definition, and decision-making.
• Strong track record of producing technical documentation, narratives, estimates, and/or early-stage design or feasibility materials.
• Experience participating in or supporting proposal development, pursuit strategy, or opportunity capture efforts.
• Demonstrated experience scoping, pricing, or validating construction or mission-focused facility projects.
• Proven ability to work in client-facing environments, translating technical requirements into clear direction and structured solutions.
• Solid understanding of construction methods, sequencing, and constraints and the ability to identify risks early.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specifications, and site information to inform project direction.
• Strong systems-thinking orientation - able to see how design, budget, schedule, and operations intersect.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.
• High attention to detail with the ability to synthesize information into clear, structured outputs.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple opportunities in various stages.
• Comfortable leading discussions, running discovery sessions, and asking clarifying questions with client executives and partners.
• Experience working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments where structure must be created, not followed.
• Preferred; Background in mission-focused environments (education, healthcare, non-profit, community impact, federal/DoD, or high-coordination projects).
• Proficient with office software (Windows 10), Microsoft Teams and Dynamics or equivalent CRM
• Preferred - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Civil Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Clean driving record with proof of insurance and valid driver's license
• Ability to gain access to DoD facility (required)

Compensation Structure:

• Competitive Base Salary ($100,000-$110,000)
• Performance based incentive pay
• Participation in the Employee Company Bonus (annual)
• Participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). An ESOP is an employee benefit plan that enables employees to own part or all of the company they work for, through granted stocks to employees
• 401K retirement company match
• Medical (90% premium company paid, for employee), dental, vision, company covered life insurance and disability (short and long term), optional additional life insurance
• Annual company-wide event to celebrate our culture and connect with the entire workforce
• PTO, Bereavement, Paid New Parent Leave, and Holidays