Interstate Advanced Materials
Sales Engineer (Technical Sales)
Outside Sales - Kent, WA - Full Time
Interstate Advanced Materials is one of the largest distributors of performance plastics, composites, and advanced materials in North America. Our team supports manufacturers, fabricators, engineers, and production teams across a wide range of industries—including aerospace, marine, industrial, automotive, medical, and retail—by delivering the right materials, cut-to-size solutions, and technical guidance they need to achieve exceptional results.
We’re passionate, curious, and committed to helping our customers solve problems with high-performance materials—and we’re looking for people who share that mindset.
Position Summary
The Sales Engineer / Technical Sales Representative is responsible for driving profitable growth within an assigned territory by developing strong relationships with production teams, engineers, fabricators, and purchasing managers.
This role is ideal for someone currently working as a Production Manager, Fabrication Lead, , or Materials Specialist who has deep familiarity with plastics, composites, sheet goods, and fabrication processes—and wants to leverage that technical knowledge into a customer-facing, consultative sales role.
You’ll help customers choose the right materials, solve application challenges, and optimize their production results while growing Interstate’s presence in the region.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Engagement & Sales Growth
Qualifications
Required
This is a full-time position that offers a comprehensive benefits package, with health insurance, vacation, sick time, holiday pay, a generous 401k match, and a workplace you love.
We’re passionate, curious, and committed to helping our customers solve problems with high-performance materials—and we’re looking for people who share that mindset.
The Sales Engineer / Technical Sales Representative is responsible for driving profitable growth within an assigned territory by developing strong relationships with production teams, engineers, fabricators, and purchasing managers.
This role is ideal for someone currently working as a Production Manager, Fabrication Lead, , or Materials Specialist who has deep familiarity with plastics, composites, sheet goods, and fabrication processes—and wants to leverage that technical knowledge into a customer-facing, consultative sales role.
You’ll help customers choose the right materials, solve application challenges, and optimize their production results while growing Interstate’s presence in the region.
Customer Engagement & Sales Growth
- Develop and manage a portfolio of new and existing customers across the assigned territory
- Conduct onsite visits with manufacturing teams, production floors, engineering groups, and decision-makers
- Identify opportunities to increase material usage and introduce new products
- Prepare quotes, proposals, and project recommendations with a consultative, solution-based approach
- Meet or exceed monthly and annual revenue, margin, and activity targets
- Recommend the correct materials based on performance requirements, fabrication methods, or environmental conditions
- Assist customers in selecting sheet, rod, tube, composites, foams, or specialty materials for machining, thermoforming, routing, bonding, and other processes
- Translate production challenges into material solutions that improve quality, reduce costs, or streamline workflow
- Provide product training, demonstrations, and technical guidance to customer teams
- Maintain strong working knowledge of Interstate’s product categories and vendor offerings
- Stay current with fabrication technologies including CNC routing, laser cutting, thermoforming, lamination, and plastics machining
- Understand competitor products, pricing, and industry trends
- Work closely with Inside Sales, Purchasing, and Branch Operations to ensure accurate order fulfillment, forecasting, and customer satisfaction
- Communicate customer needs, market insight, and emerging opportunities to management
Required
- 3–10+ years of industry experience in plastics distribution, fabrication, machining, composites, industrial materials, or a related sector
- Hands-on background in production management, CNC fabrication, materials selection, or engineering support
- Strong understanding of sheet goods, plastics, composites, or advanced materials
- Ability to read drawings, interpret specifications, and support technical applications
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within assigned territory
- Previous experience in an outside sales, technical sales, or customer-facing role
- Comfort presenting to production teams, engineers, or purchasing groups
- Strong problem-solving and consultative selling ability
- Familiarity with ERP systems and quoting tools
This is a full-time position that offers a comprehensive benefits package, with health insurance, vacation, sick time, holiday pay, a generous 401k match, and a workplace you love.
