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Sales Engineer - Service

Dürr AG, Southfield, MI, United States


Your Tasks:

The Sales Engineer – Automotive Paintshop Service & Upgrades is responsible for supporting automotive OEM and Tier 1 customers with technical and commercial proposals for paintshop modifications, upgrades, retrofits, and refurbishments. This role leads specification reviews for service‑related RFQs, defines technically sound upgrade solutions, and develops accurate cost calculations for associated work on existing paint shop systems.

Service RFQ & Scope Review

Lead and support technical reviews of service‑related RFQs for automotive paintshop upgrades, modifications, expansions, and refurbishments.

Analyze existing paintshop installations, as‑built documentation, and operating conditions to define upgrade scope.

Interpret customer requirements related to performance improvements, capacity increases, quality enhancements, safety upgrades, and regulatory compliance.

Identify constraints associated with brownfield environments, including production continuity, space limitations, and phased implementation.

Specification Development & Finalization

Develop and finalize technical specifications for service and upgrade proposals, including:

Equipment retrofits and replacements

Process improvements and technology upgrades

Controls, automation, and software updates

Safety, environmental, and compliance‑related modifications

Define assumptions, interfaces, exclusions, and responsibilities clearly for service scope.

Coordinate with service engineering, controls, electrical, and mechanical disciplines to ensure feasibility and alignment.

Cost Calculation & Commercial Support

Prepare cost estimates for service work, including equipment, engineering, installation, commissioning, production downtime, and aftermarket services.

Work with suppliers and internal service teams to obtain accurate pricing for parts, labor, and subcontracted work.

Cross‑Functional & Service Collaboration

Act as the technical‑commercial interface between Sales, Service Engineering, Project Management, Field Service, and Purchasing.

Support internal proposal reviews, technical risk assessments, and execution readiness checks.

Assist with technical handover from sales to execution, ensuring clarity on scope, assumptions, and constraints of live plant environments.

Customer Engagement & Site Support

Participate in customer meetings, plant walkdowns, and technical clarification discussions.

Support bid clarification and negotiation phases with technical justification and cost transparency.

Your Skills:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Industrial, or Chemical preferred).

Experience

5+ years of experience in automotive paintshop systems, with a strong emphasis on service, upgrades, or brownfield projects.

Proven experience supporting service RFQs and aftermarket proposals for automotive OEM facilities.

Hands‑on knowledge of operating paintshops and legacy equipment.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

Strong understanding of automotive paintshop processes and installed systems.

Experience with retrofits, control upgrades, safety upgrades, and refurbishment strategies.

Solid cost estimation skills for service, retrofit, and brownfield scopes.

Familiarity with global and regional codes and standards applicable to existing facilities.

Ability to interpret as‑built drawings, OEM standards, and plant documentation.

Soft Skills & Competencies

Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, particularly for constrained environments.

Excellent communication skills with both technical and non‑technical customer stakeholders.

High attention to detail, especially around scope definition and risk management.

Ability to manage multiple service RFQs simultaneously in a time‑sensitive environment.

Practical, solution‑oriented mindset with strong customer focus.

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