At Komline-Sanderson, an Account Executive—often designated internally as a Sales Engineer, Business Development Manager, or Director of Business Development—is a highly technical sales professional responsible for driving the adoption of complex, capital-intensive industrial equipment. Unlike typical software sales roles, these positions require a deep understanding of mechanical, chemical, and environmental engineering principles. You will represent industry-leading solutions ranging from Turbo Dryers and wastewater processing systems to industrial air filtration and advanced cooling infrastructure for data centers.

The impact of this role is immense. The systems you sell help municipal utility districts clean their wastewater, industrial plants reduce their environmental footprint, and massive data centers manage their thermal loads. Because these systems are highly customized, capital-expenditure investments, you are not just selling a product; you are selling engineered solutions that require months of consultative design, technical calculations, and relationship-building with engineering firms, contractors, and end-users.

To succeed in this role at Komline-Sanderson, you must bridge the gap between complex engineering concepts and commercial value. You will collaborate closely with internal applications engineering teams, independent manufacturer representatives, and consulting engineers to get Komline-Sanderson technology specified into multi-million-dollar municipal and industrial projects. It is a strategically challenging and highly rewarding position where technical expertise meets commercial execution.

To excel in the Komline-Sanderson interview process, you must prepare for a blend of technical problem-solving, sales strategy, and behavioral questions. Interviewers want to see that you can speak the language of consulting engineers while driving a structured sales process.

The following questions are representative of what you will face, categorized by the core competencies evaluated during the interview process.

Technical & Application Engineering

These questions evaluate your ability to understand complex mechanical systems, process flows, and how to apply Komline-Sanderson technology to solve specific customer problems.

• How do you calculate the thermal efficiency of a drying system, and what parameters would you request from a client to size a Turbo Dryer?

Preparing for an interview at Komline-Sanderson requires a dual-track approach: you must polish your technical engineering fundamentals while demonstrating a sharp, structured sales methodology. You cannot rely on sales charm alone; you must prove you can read a process flow diagram and discuss mass balances with plant managers.

Your preparation should focus on demonstrating strength in the following core evaluation criteria:

Technical Competence – You must show a strong grasp of the specific engineering domain you are applying for (e.g., thermal dynamics for Turbo Dryers, fluid mechanics and chemistry for Wastewater, or thermodynamics for Data Centers). Be prepared to discuss how equipment operates and how process variables affect overall system performance.

Consultative Sales Methodology – Interviewers want to see that you do not sell on price, but on total cost of ownership (TCO), reliability, and engineering superiority. You should be comfortable explaining how you uncover customer pain points, quantify the value of capital equipment, and navigate complex procurement processes.

Channel and Stakeholder Management – Because Komline-Sanderson utilizes a mix of direct sales and independent representative networks, you must demonstrate that you know how to leverage, motivate, and manage external partners to multiply your reach in the market.

The interview process at Komline-Sanderson is designed to evaluate both your technical acumen and your commercial capability. It is a thorough process that ensures candidates can comfortably converse with PhD process engineers, municipal purchasing agents, and executive-level stakeholders.

The process typically begins with a conversational screening call with a recruiter to assess your general background, salary alignment, and interest in the specific division (such as Wastewater, Air Filtration, or Thermal Processing). Following this, you will have a more detailed interview with the Hiring Manager. This conversation will dive deep into your technical sales experience, your understanding of capital equipment sales cycles, and your familiarity with the target industry and customer base.

For mid- to senior-level roles, including the Director, Business Development and specialized Sales Engineer positions, you will proceed to a technical panel interview or a presentation stage. This stage often involves presenting a past project, walking through a case study, or explaining how you would approach a specific territory or market vertical. The final round typically involves meeting with divisional leadership to assess cultural alignment, strategic vision, and long-term fit within the organization.

The visual timeline above outlines the typical progression from the initial recruiter contact to the final decision. While the exact steps may vary slightly depending on whether you are applying for an Inside Sales Engineer role or a Director, Business Development position, the progression from initial screening to deep-dive technical and commercial evaluations remains consistent. Use this timeline to pace your preparation, ensuring you master your technical stories before reaching the panel presentation stage.

To stand out in the Komline-Sanderson interview process, you must understand the specific lenses through which you will be evaluated. Each round is structured to test specific capabilities essential for managing complex, engineered-to-order capital equipment sales.

Technical Solutioning & Applications Engineering

This area evaluates your ability to act as a technical advisor to your clients. Komline-Sanderson customers are looking for engineered solutions to complex process problems, and you must prove you can lead those technical discussions.

Be ready to go over:

• Process Sizing and Calculations – Understanding how to take customer process data (flow rates, solid concentrations, temperature profiles) and translate them into equipment sizing requirements.
• System Integration – How our equipment fits into a larger plant-wide process flow, including upstream and downstream impacts.
• Material Selection and Metallurgy – Why certain materials (e.g., 316 Stainless Steel, exotic alloys) are required for specific corrosive or high-temperature environments.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Psychrometric analysis for drying applications, chemical polymer dosing optimization for wastewater dewatering, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) basics for air filtration systems.

Example scenarios:

• "A client wants to dry a hazardous industrial sludge with 80% moisture down to 10% moisture. Walk me through the thermal energy calculations you would perform to estimate the size of the Turbo Dryer required."
• "Explain how you would troubleshoot a vacuum filter system that is failing to achieve the desired cake dryness."

Capital Sales Cycle & Specification Management

Selling capital equipment involves a highly structured, multi-stage sales cycle. You must demonstrate that you understand how to position Komline-Sanderson early in the project lifecycle to ensure success.

Be ready to go over:

• The "Spec-In" Process – How to work with consulting engineering firms during the design phase of a project to write specifications that favor Komline-Sanderson technology.
• Bid Navigation – How to review municipal bid documents, identify risks, and prepare responsive, competitive proposals.
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Modeling – Quantifying energy savings, maintenance reduction, and operational efficiencies to justify a higher initial capital cost over cheaper competitors.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a time you successfully influenced a consulting engineer to specify your equipment over a competitor. What was your technical justification?"
• "How do you handle a public bid scenario where a competitor is significantly lower on price, but our equipment offers a lower 20-year lifecycle cost?"

Channel & Representative Network Management

Many of Komline-Sanderson's product lines are sold through independent manufacturer's representative organizations. Managing these networks requires a unique set of leadership and motivational skills.

Be ready to go over:

• Rep Mindshare – Strategies for keeping independent reps focused on your product lines when they represent multiple other manufacturers.
• Co-Selling – How to effectively plan joint sales calls with reps to maximize impact at engineering firms and municipal plants.
• Performance Management – Evaluating representative performance, setting quotas, and determining when a territory needs a change in representation.

Example scenarios:

• "You inherit a territory where the independent representative firm has been underperforming for two years. What is your 90-day plan to evaluate and address this?"
• "How do you handle a conflict where a representative feels they deserve commission on a project that was heavily driven by your direct business development efforts?"