Fermentation Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

About the Role

We are seeking a technically strong and commercially minded Sales Engineer to grow our industrial business through advanced evaporation system solutions. In this role, you will act as a technical authority and trusted advisor, supporting complex sales opportunities from early process discussions through proposal development, technical validation, and customer engagement.

You will work closely with sales teams, customers, channel partners, and internal engineering resources to deliver optimized, competitive evaporation solutions that improve energy efficiency, sustainability, and operational performance across industrial applications such as ethanol, starch, sweeteners, fermentation, food, and other process industries.

This is a hybrid onsite role based in Houston, TX (preferred).

As a part of the team, you will:

• Serve as the technical lead for evaporation systems in sales opportunities, supporting customer discussions, solution development, and proposal strategies.

• Analyze customer process requirements and be able to recommend optimized evaporation system designs, including equipment selection, sizing, and configuration.

• Review customer specifications, process data, and drawings and collaborate with product specialists to develop technically sound and commercially competitive solutions.

• Create and support comprehensive proposals, including technical documentation, system descriptions, pricing inputs, and equipment drawings, while meeting bid timelines.

• Actively collaborate with sales managers, application engineers, and product specialists to align technical solutions with commercial objectives.

• Provide technical presentations, audits, site visits, and troubleshooting support to customers and channel partners.

• Assist in resolving complex technical questions and challenges related to evaporation performance, process integration, and system optimization.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design standards, tools, and best practices for evaporation systems within the organization.

What you know:

You have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Process or Mechanical preferred), or equivalent relevant experience, and:

• 3+ years of experience in technical sales, process engineering, applications engineering, or systems engineering required; Prior experience with evaporation systems strongly desired.

• Solid understanding of evaporation processes, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and industrial process design.

• Proven ability to support complex, high-value industrial projects, balancing technical depth with commercial awareness.

• Hands-on experience with equipment or system sizing, selection, and process optimization; familiarity with heat transfer equipment is a strong advantage.

• Experience supporting customers in industries such as ethanol, starch, sweeteners, food, fermentation, distilling, or related process industries is highly desirable.

• Comfortable preparing and supporting technical proposals, influencing customer decisions through credibility and solution value.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Proficiency in MS Office and the ability to quickly learn and apply proprietary sizing and process simulation tools.

• Organized, proactive, and solution-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and deadlines.

• Willingness to travel within North America (typically 10-20%).

At Alfa Laval, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and dynamic workplace that values diverse perspectives and experiences. While we typically welcome applicants from all locations, currently, we are prioritizing candidates who reside in the US or have an established presence in the area.

What's in it for you?

Alfa Laval offers a competitive salary and full benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life, 401(k) plan, and more. At Alfa Laval, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your total compensation package. We rely on market indicators to determine compensation and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to get it right. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary and will also be dependent on your location. The base salary for this role is typically $85,000-110,000.

Alfa Laval is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, or business need, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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