Industrial Automation Sales Engineer

Join Our Sales Team

CHL Systems is hiring an Industrial Automation Sales Engineer to develop new business, expand strategic customer relationships, and sell custom automation and engineered manufacturing solutions throughout the Northeast U.S.

This is a full-time, exempt, commission-eligible role for an experienced technical sales professional who understands manufacturing processes and can manage complex opportunities from the first customer conversation through concept development, proposal, negotiation, and close.

Approximately 50% travel is expected, primarily for customer visits, plant assessments, industry events, and project-related needs.

This is not a lead-generation-only position. You will own the customer relationship and sales process while partnering closely with Applications Engineering, Engineering, Project Management, Manufacturing, and Service to develop practical, technically sound solutions.

Why Join CHL Systems?

• Competitive base compensation plus commission
• Weekly pay
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Stable, family-owned company with more than 65 years in business
• Opportunity to sell custom automation, robotics, packaging, conveyor systems, and material-handling solutions
• Direct impact on company growth, customer partnerships, and long-term market development

What You’ll Do

• Develop new customer relationships and expand existing accounts across food processing, pharmaceutical, packaging, and general manufacturing markets.
• Identify opportunities through targeted outreach, referrals, industry relationships, customer visits, trade shows, associations, and strategic account development.
• Conduct customer discovery meetings, plant tours, and facility assessments to understand production challenges, process requirements, and business goals.
• Identify opportunities involving primary product handling, secondary processing, automated packaging, robotics, conveyor systems, palletizing, and end-of-line automation.
• Translate customer needs into preliminary solution concepts, including rough layouts, hand sketches, equipment concepts, and budgetary estimates.
• Own opportunities throughout the full technical sales cycle, from prospecting and qualification through concept development, proposal presentation, negotiation, closing, and internal handoff.
• Manage complex capital-equipment and engineered-system opportunities that may involve multiple stakeholders and sales cycles of 12–18 months or longer.
• Develop proposals that communicate CHL’s full lifecycle capabilities, including design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, integration, and service.
• Present technical concepts, pricing, business value, and return-on-investment considerations to operations, engineering, plant leadership, procurement, and executive stakeholders.
• Partner with Applications Engineering and other internal teams to ensure proposed solutions are technically feasible, commercially sound, and aligned with customer expectations.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, pipeline activity, forecasts, opportunity stages, next steps, and customer updates.
• Represent CHL Systems professionally at customer meetings, trade shows, conferences, and industry events.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Five or more years of B2B technical sales experience in industrial automation, manufacturing equipment, engineered systems, material handling, packaging, robotics, conveyor systems, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success developing new customer relationships and growing existing accounts.
• Experience managing full-cycle technical sales opportunities, including customer discovery, qualification, preliminary solution development, proposals, negotiation, closing, and internal handoff.
• Ability to understand manufacturing processes, contribute to preliminary concepts and estimates, and communicate the technical and financial value of proposed solutions.
• Strong consultative-selling skills and the ability to build credibility with operations, engineering, maintenance, plant leadership, procurement, and executive-level stakeholders.
• Understanding of pricing, margins, return on investment, project risk, and the value of custom-engineered solutions.
• Strong CRM discipline, forecasting ability, organization, communication, and follow-through.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Project Management, Manufacturing, and Service.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 50% throughout the Northeast U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field; equivalent technical sales experience will also be considered.
• Experience selling into food processing or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with primary product handling, secondary processing, automated packaging, robotics, palletizing, conveyor systems, or end-of-line automation.
• Experience with automated bagging equipment, including Autobag systems or comparable technologies.
• Experience selling full lifecycle solutions that include design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, integration, and service.
• Experience managing longer-cycle capital-equipment or engineered-system sales.
• Experience growing mid-sized customers into larger, multi-facility strategic accounts.
• Familiarity with plant operations, food-production workflows, sanitation requirements, and industrial safety expectations.
• Existing customer relationships or market knowledge within the Northeast U.S. manufacturing sector.

Territory, Travel, and Work Environment

The primary territory is the Northeast U.S., with approximately 50% travel expected. Travel will include customer meetings, plant tours, facility assessments, project visits, trade shows, conferences, and other business-development activities. Regional and overnight travel may be required.

When not traveling, this position will work from CHL Systems’ Souderton, Pennsylvania location.

Customer visits may take place in food-processing, pharmaceutical, production, warehouse, packaging, and other industrial environments. Site visits may require compliance with facility safety, sanitation, and PPE requirements.

About CHL Systems

For more than 65 years, CHL Systems has designed and manufactured custom automation and material-handling solutions for the food, pharmaceutical, and general manufacturing industries.

We support customers throughout the full project lifecycle, from initial concept and engineering through manufacturing, installation, integration, and ongoing service. Our team combines engineering expertise, manufacturing capability, skilled craftsmanship, and a collaborative approach to deliver systems that improve productivity, safety, reliability, and operational performance.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CHL Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.