POSITION SUMMARY: The Sales Engineer is a hands-on, individual-contributor role that supports Paragon’s commercial growth by performing the technical work of the Experience Center and providing field technical support to Sales and National Accounts. Based on-site at the corporate office in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, the role carries out three core Experience Center functions (lab and Experience Center tours, hands-on training support, and certified customer packaging and load-performance testing) and provides field technical support for national accounts. Day to day, the Sales Engineer performs customer unitized-load testing from intake through results, supports product demonstrations and training, and travels to customer and national-account sites to run field tests, troubleshoot applications, and help advance and close opportunities. The role works under the direction of the Director of Commercial Analytics & Customer Experience and partners closely with R&D/Quality, Training, Sales, and National Accounts to turn Paragon’s film performance and application expertise into customer value.
RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Experience Center Tours & Demonstrations
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Conduct engaging, hands-on tours of the lab and Experience Center that showcase Paragon’s technology, process capability, history, and value proposition to end users, distributors, investors, and other high-profile visitors.
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Lead the equipment and technical portion of the Experience Center for each visit, explaining what function and value each component of the lab has.
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Deliver on-site and virtual product demonstrations, tailoring the message for commercial, technical, and executive audiences and representing Paragon with professionalism and credibility.
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Work with R&D to keep Experience Center test equipment and demonstration assets ready, calibrated, and in safe working order for visits, training, and testing.
Training Support
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Support delivery of hands-on training for distributor representatives, internal sales teams, and other commercial stakeholders on stretch film performance, equipment interaction, containment principles, wrapper settings, and effective technical selling, under the direction of the Training Manager.
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Teach teams to demonstrate film value at the customer level, connect film selection to equipment performance, identify common wrapper and equipment malfunctions, and use technical knowledge to advance deals and retain customers.
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Help build and continuously improve training content, demonstration methods, and Experience Center materials.
Certified Packaging & Load-Performance Testing
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Perform customer unitized-load and containment testing end to end (intake, scheduling with Experience Center administrative support, execution, troubleshooting, interpretation, reporting, and communication of results), operating independently without day-to-day technical direction.
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Conduct or coordinate testing aligned to ISTA packaging testing and EUMOS 40509 (load-unit rigidity), as applicable to customer objectives.
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When a load fails, diagnose the cause and recommend corrective actions (film selection, wrapper setup, and packaging configuration), then re-test to achieve certification.
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Advise customers on factors that affect unitized-load integrity during transport.
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Prepare clear, professional test reports and customer-facing recommendations, and manage an organized backlog of customer test requests with timely turnaround and strong communication.
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Use certified and real-world test methods as a value-selling tool, framing testing around customer decision-making and closing rather than only generating data.
National Accounts & Field Technical Support
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Partner with the National Accounts team to manage and direct the workflow of containment-analysis testing performed at National Account and MLA locations.
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Travel to customer and national-account sites (approximately 25-50% of the time) for field testing, technical troubleshooting, packaging evaluations, and on-site demonstrations of Paragon film performance.
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Work with the sales team to review competitive film offerings and customer needs and specify the best film to win the sale at the customer location.
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Manage customer technical requests, including technical questionnaires and surveys routed through Marketing.
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Prioritize Experience Center commitments when field and Experience Center schedules coincide.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Work closely with Sales, National Accounts, Marketing, Quality, and R&D to align customer needs with technical recommendations and clearly communicate Paragon’s unique capabilities.
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Maintain proficiency with Experience Center equipment, testing tools, and related systems to ensure readiness, safe operation, and high-quality execution.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
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Working knowledge of stretch film applications, containment principles, load stability, packaging systems, and the relationship between film performance and equipment settings.
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Ability to conduct, coordinate, and interpret laboratory and field testing for customer applications, product evaluations, and unitized-load performance.
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Ability to understand and analyze engineering concepts and sales performance metrics.
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Strong presentation and facilitation skills, with confidence engaging customers, distributors, technical teams, and executive-level visitors.
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Ability to train others on equipment use, demonstration techniques, wrapper performance, common malfunctions, and field-level technical problem solving.
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Customer-facing orientation with sound negotiation skills and a focus on advancing and closing opportunities.
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Strong technical writing and communication skills, with the ability to create clear reports, recommendations, and training materials.
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High attention to detail, sound judgment, and problem-solving ability in both lab and customer-facing environments.
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Ability to work cross-functionally and operate independently, prioritizing competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
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Available to travel within all regions of the US or internationally as needed; requires air travel, driving travel, and the ability to provide effective support at customer locations.
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Self-motivated, dependable, and organized, with the ability to juggle multiple test requests, tour schedules, and customer priorities.
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Practice and promote teamwork and servant leadership style within the organization.
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Understanding and ability to communicate using the English language in both written and spoken form.
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Basic mathematic skills.
PREFERRED EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
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Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field; degree in Packaging or Plastics Engineering preferred.
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Two or more years of engineering or technical sales experience within a manufacturing environment preferred; strong early-career candidates will be considered.
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Experience in stretch film, packaging applications, converting, containment, or a related manufacturing environment preferred.
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Experience in technical sales, customer-facing engineering, or application development preferred.
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Experience with laboratory testing, unitized-load testing, transportation testing, or competitive product benchmarking preferred.
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Familiarity with ISTA test methods, EUMOS load-stability standards, or transport-performance testing preferred.
PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:
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Ability to bend, stoop, twist at the waist, and squat as required of a lab and office environment.
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Ability to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms.
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Ability to safely and independently navigate a production floor, lab or warehouse facility through the use of sight and hearing.
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Ability to perform basic manual dexterity tasks, typing, dialing, writing, stapling, etc. as required to utilize office equipment.
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Ability to climb stairs.
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Ability to regularly lift up to 5lbs.
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Ability to occasionally lift up to 10lbs.
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Ability to rarely lift up to 50lbs.
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Ability to sit for duration of flights or long car rides as well as have the capability to travel via airway and/or vehicular travel.
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Ability to understand and communicate verbally.
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Ability to meet requirements of and utilize PPE when required.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions but could be exposed to warmer temperature environments such as a warehouse or production floor. (Typical office/administrative work environment.)
