Early Career|Business Development Team|Energy Research and Material Processing & Analysis
37 hrs/week, 1.30pm finish Fridays|UK & overseas travel|£34,000 basic, £40,800 OTE with uncapped bonus
THE ROLE
As a Technical Sales Support Engineer at PI-KEM, you'll be a key connection between our specialist equipment and materials, and the goals our customers are trying to achieve.
You'll sit within the Business Development team, working alongside a Business Development Manager (BDM) and a Sales Development Executive (SDE). You'll work closely with customers to understand their goals and recommend the best technical solution, helping secure sales and grow revenue.
Based within the Energy Research and Material Processing & Analysis product group, you'll work with customers pre-sale and then, as needed, support them through installation, training and troubleshooting. You won't need to answer every technical question on day one; our specialist colleagues and suppliers can help with more complex questions, and your own knowledge will develop over time.
Expect a mix of phone calls, video meetings, site visits and exhibitions, with some UK and overseas travel that may include overnight stays away from home.
This is an early career role suited to a graduate, who has completed an industrial placement, or someone in their first few years in a related industry or research area. You'll be trained by colleagues across our Business Development, Operations and Sales Support Assistant teams, plus our suppliers, and will work closely with university and commercial R&D customers.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
- Support revenue growth: Use your technical knowledge to support a consultative sales approach, working closely with colleagues to build trust with customers and secure sales
- Application scoping: Work with customers to understand their technical requirements and identify the right products for their application
- Proposal generation: Create custom quotes, support tender bids, and collaborate with suppliers
- Equipment and material customisation: Work with our global supplier network to adapt standard products to specific customer requirements
- Pre-sale analysis: Visit customer sites to fully understand their needs and review the location for more complex equipment installs
- Installation and setup: Coordinate on-site delivery, installation and training with both customers and supply partners to ensure all pre-install requirements are in place
- Training: Lead training sessions both with customers and colleagues
- Troubleshooting: Provide diagnostic support to resolve technical and operator issues
- Ongoing development: Help customers select the right products as their processes evolve
You will build operational knowledge across PI-KEM's core equipment range, including:
- Thermal systems: Furnaces, high-temperature melting systems and environmental ovens
- Processing & mixing: Mixers, ionographs and mills
- Coating: Sputter, spray pyrolysis, spin and dip coaters
- Environmental control: Dry rooms and gloveboxes
- Energy fabrication: Coin, cylinder and pouch cell manufacturing and testing equipment
- Wider portfolio: Materials and consumables used across the above
ABOUT YOU
We're looking for someone with a genuine interest in materials and process engineering, and the confidence to build relationships with customers. You'll need:
- A degree in Materials Science, Mechanical, Automotive, Chemical or Electrical Engineering with an industrial placement, or equivalent relevant industrial or research experience
- Hands-on experience with lab or pilot-scale equipment, materials processing, or battery research
- A commercial mindset, understanding that everything we do supports securing and growing revenue
- An organised, proactive approach, with the skills to manage your own workload
- Reliability and attention to detail, with good listening skills, adaptability and curiosity
- Confidence using everyday digital tools, including AI, CRM software and Microsoft Office
- Clear communication and the ability to explain technical ideas simply and clearly
- Willingness to travel across the UK and overseas for in-person visits and exhibitions
- A full UK driving licence
- Full right to work in the UK
- Bonus skill: Chinese speaker
PI-KEM is a specialist distributor of advanced materials and laboratory equipment, supporting university research groups and commercial R&D organisations. We work in partnership with our customers, taking a long-term view of the relationships we build: our question is always ‘what we can do for our customers’.
Our values are Pride, Accountability and Inquisitiveness, and our approach is built around three pillars: provide excellence, achieve growth and evolve our approach. Our colleagues help shape our business and we regularly hold development sessions and away days.
SALARY & BENEFITS
£34,000 basic salary, with on-target earnings (OTE) of £40,800 reflecting the revenue contribution built into this role. An uncapped bonus is paid for any revenue above target.
- 1.30pm finish on a Friday
- Three paid well-being days, one paid volunteering day, and paid birthday leave
- Personal injury salary protection
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme, CPD training and leadership development
- Provided with a phone, laptop, and Remarkable (we aim to minimise paper use)
We are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
Direct applications only, we are not accepting agency CVs for this role
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