Sales Engineer - Detroit Sales Office

Ryobi is adding a Sales Engineer to our Detroit Sales Office.  The Sales Engineer will strengthen Ryobi’s technical front-end with customers by bridging engineering expertise and business development, ensuring technical feasibility, cost competitiveness, and timely engagement in new programs. The role focuses on providing technical input and feasibility analysis during the early stages of project development, leveraging strong expertise in die casting and machining processes to enhance Ryobi’s competitiveness and capture new opportunities. It directly contributes to profitability improvement through cost optimization and the acquisition of strategic programs.

What You Will Do:

Technical & Project Development

• Apply deep technical knowledge in die casting and machining processes.
• Review 2D/3D drawings.
• Perform feasibility analysis before the quoting stage.
• Provide manufacturing concepts and proposals, including die design recommendations and process optimization ideas.
• Prepare and present technical reviews to both internal stakeholders and customers.
• Support cost estimation and quotation activities with engineering insights.

Business Development Support

• Actively support the Sales and Business Development teams in customer discussions and new business pursuits.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customer engineers, managers, and directors to gain early visibility of upcoming projects.
• Gather competitive intelligence on programs, technologies, and competitors’ activities.
• Provide guidance on target customers and product segments, helping identify and prioritize new opportunities.
• Conduct weekly customer visits to reinforce relationships and capture early project information.
• Internal Collaboration
  • Work closely with Account Managers (AMs), Business Development Managers (BDMs), and Advance Engineering (AE) to align technical and commercial strategies.
  • Collaborate with Purchasing, Program Management, and Engineering to ensure manufacturability and cost alignment.
  • Serve as a technical liaison between internal and external stakeholders.

Competencies and Mindset

• Proactive and solution-oriented: Finds a way, not a problem.
• Execution-driven: Strong sense of ownership and accountability to make things happen.
• Relationship builder: Capable of developing trust with technical and executive-level contacts.
• Strategic thinker: Anticipates market movements and customer needs before RFQs are issued.
• Analytical and structured: Comfortable analyzing technical, financial, and market data to support decision-making.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information in a clear business-oriented way.
• High adaptability and resilience under pressure.
• Cross-cultural awareness and teamwork mindset.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• New business acquisition (new orders value)
• Development of new customers
• Customer engagement maintaining regular contact with key decision-makers.
• Penetration and relationship strength at Director level or above with key customers
• Contribution to Profitability identifying and executing improvement opportunities technical areas.
   

•    Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering (Master is a plus).

•    5+ years of experience in die casting and machining.

•    5+ years of experience in automotive manufacturing.

•    Strong CAD/3D modeling experience (CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, etc.).

•    Knowledge of manufacturing cost analysis and feasibility evaluation.

•    Excellent communication and presentation skills in English (Japanese is a plus).

•    Willingness to travel frequently (40–50%).