Sales Engineer (EPC and Owner/Operator) - Houston

Job description

WHAT WE’RE BUILDING Candid is building the AI layer for EPCs and owner operators. We use AI to reduce the manual effort behind preconstruction engineering by automating document understanding, consistency checks, and repetitive workflow steps across major disciplines. The goal is to make preconstruction 10x faster without sacrificing engineering quality. We recently raised $6.5M from top AI and industrial investors (including Schneider Electric and Meta’s Chief AI Scientist). Our team includes engineers from MIT, Carnegie Mellon, major LNG and power projects, and leading EPCs. WHAT YOU WILL DO You are the tip of the spear in Houston. Your job is to get us into the right rooms and close deals. You will own early revenue in the EPC and owner operator space, with a strong bias toward smaller, faster moving firms. Core responsibilities - Build and own a Houston based pipeline of EPCs, PMCs, and owner operators - Drive new meetings weekly through outbound, warm intros, events, and local networking - Run discovery calls and qualify deals fast (use case, urgency, buying process, champion, budget) - Deliver product demos that feel credible to engineers and leadership - Translate real workflows into a clear value story and ROI that customers actually believe - Scope pilots and proofs of value with clear success criteria, deliverables, timeline, and next step to production - Coordinate technical deep dives with our team when needed and keep momentum high - Handle common objections (security, data access, accuracy, “we already have a process,” “AI risk”) - Support RFPs, security questionnaires, procurement steps, and contracting workflows - Keep CRM clean and run a tight sales process from first meeting to signature You will work closely with the founders and product team. You will shape our positioning and playbook in the market because you will hear the real objections and real motivations first. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR - 5+ years selling into EPCs, industrial services firms, or owner operators (engineering software or technical solutions) - Deep understanding of how EPC preconstruction works (FEL, FEED, early detailed design) and how decisions get made - You can speak engineer and exec and you know when to go deep vs when to zoom out - Strong Houston network and the ability to keep building it (events, lunches, coffees, conferences) - Proven ability to source meetings and close deals, not just “manage accounts” - Comfort selling something new where the category is still forming - Strong writing and follow up skills, you keep momentum without being annoying - High pace. You like being on the ground, in person, and moving fast PREFERENCE - Experience working with smaller EPCs or regional owner operators and building relationships there - You are biased toward companies that move fast and don’t take 12 months to buy NICE TO HAVE - Prior role as a sales engineer, solutions engineer, or technical BD in industrial software - Experience selling workflows related to engineering documents (PFDs, P&IDs, datasheets, vendor packages, line lists, specs) - Familiarity with typical enterprise procurement and security reviews - Existing relationships with project directors, discipline leads, engineering managers, or digital teams in Houston COMPENSATION AND PERKS - Base + meaningful equity + commission - Commission tied directly to closed revenue (simple and transparent) - Unlimited PTO - Insurance with medical, dental, and vision coverage - Health and wellness budget up to $150 per month