[Hiring] Technical Sales Representative @Quaker Houghton

Role Description

We now have an exciting opportunity for a Technical Sales Representative (m/f/d) to join our team and support customers across Germany and the BENELUX region. This role is particularly suited to technically minded professionals looking to move into technical sales or to develop their commercial career within industrial manufacturing. Full training in vacuum impregnation technology will be provided.

• Manage and grow a regional customer portfolio across North of the River Main (West, East & North Germany), including occasional travel to BENELUX (every 1–2 months).
• Conduct regular customer visits focusing on acquisition, technical consulting, and after-sales support.
• Identify declining purchasing trends, investigate causes, and develop corrective actions.
• Plan and schedule meetings with prospects and existing customers; engage prospective customers through outbound business development activities and needs assessments.
• Present Maldaner’s full offering in impregnation processes and related surface treatment technologies.
• Provide technical guidance to customers and prospects, working closely with internal technical experts.
• Prepare, coordinate, and follow up on customer quotations; manage offer negotiations independently.
• Organize sample impregnation activities, including:
  • Collecting customer parts
  • Supervising sample impregnation at Langenfeld, Leipzig, Altbach, or occasionally at customer sites
  • Performing visual checks under UV light
  • Attending subsequent leak tests
• Forward customer technical requests to internal teams and ensure timely resolution.
• Support complaint handling to minimize quality costs; escalate warranty topics when necessary.
• Conduct customer surveys and gather quality-related feedback.
• Maintain a detailed customer project list documenting all interactions, decisions, and next steps.
• Prepare quarterly summaries including market insights, competitor benchmarking, sales optimisation ideas, and event recommendations.
• Maintain customer data and monitor customer goods receipt via the ABAS ERP system.
• Cooperate closely with management and internal stakeholders to ensure excellent service delivery and continuous improvements.

Qualifications

• Experience within manufacturing, metalworking, automotive suppliers, surface treatment, quality engineering, foundry operations, machining, industrial services, or similar environments.
• Experience in a technical customer-facing role is strongly preferred (technical sales, application engineering, technical service, process engineering, or similar).
• Ability to understand manufacturing processes and translate technical needs into practical solutions for customers.
• A degree in engineering, materials science, or a related field is valued but not required. We also welcome applicants with equivalent technical experience.
• Technical certifications or significant industry experience in conversion coatings, remanufacturing, anodizing, impregnation, or metalworking chemistry are highly regarded.
• German and English – both written and spoken – are essential.
• Location: Dusseldorf area, ideally within commutable distance to the Langenfeld site.
• Advanced MS Office / O365 skills and the ability to learn new IT systems quickly.

Requirements

• Approximately 50% travel across customer sites and our job shops (Langenfeld, Leipzig, Altbach); the remaining time is mainly home-office based.
• Ability to visit our Langenfeld head office once a month.
• Strong communication, organisation, and technical problem-solving skills.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to work independently and manage your own schedule.
• High safety consciousness – safety is foundational to our culture.
• Customer-centric and dedicated to meeting expectations.
• Analytical thinker and problem solver.
• Curious, open to change, and willing to try new approaches.
• Strong integrity and reliability—always following through on commitments.
• Results-driven with a proactive, hands-on mindset.
• Team-oriented, able to collaborate effectively with internal technical, operations, and commercial teams.

Benefits

• Remote working arrangement (approx. 50% home office)
• Sales incentive program
• Company car for private and professional use
• 2 annual paid volunteering days
• Opportunities for career development within commercial, technical, and leadership tracks
• Access to QH University and continuous learning tools
• Strong wellbeing, mental health, inclusion, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs