Do I need manufacturing experience?

No prior job-shop experience is required. You should understand how parts are made at a conceptual level (CAD, tolerances, basic processes) and be eager to learn DFM, materials, and quoting in depth with mentorship.

How much time does this take?

Workload expectations are discussed with finalists and documented before work begins.

Is this a paid opportunity?

Yes. Pay structure, workload, and agreement details are discussed with finalists and documented before work begins.

Can I use MakerStage for my own school or personal parts?

Where the program allows, fellows can access additive manufacturing support for qualifying projects. Scope and guidelines are confirmed during onboarding.

What does the role look like day to day?

Remote. Expect a mix of company research, account qualification, outreach, follow-up notes, and feedback to the team. Some projects may include marketing support such as video content creation, trade-show preparation, or campaign research.

Do I have to be a Mechanical Engineering major?

ME is the primary fit; we also consider industrial, manufacturing, mechatronics, and product design programs when your coursework and projects show equivalent mechanical design depth.

Is this remote? Who do I talk to?

Yes — fully remote. You will engage engineers and designers across regions (including California and other markets) via email, calls, and video. All internal coordination is remote.

Sales Engineering Fellow

Opportunity scope

Sales Engineering Fellow — mission and scope

The role exists to help teams navigate prototyping and production with less friction. You will apply a mechanical engineering mindset to integrate classroom fundamentals with practical exposure to digital manufacturing workflows — connecting mechanical engineers, designers, and R&D groups with the right processes and suppliers.

Expect hands-on exposure to the intersection of mechanical engineering, digital manufacturing, and technical communication.

Research the account

Map the company, product line, likely mechanical needs, and best engineering contact before sending anything.

Start a useful conversation

Use manufacturing context to write outreach that helps the recipient see where CNC, sheet metal, or additive work may fit.

Qualify and hand off

Capture notes, follow-up context, and RFQ signals so the MakerStage team can continue the conversation cleanly.

Figure 1. The fellowship centers on research-led outreach: understand the account, open a useful technical conversation, and hand off qualified context.

What you get

What you'll gain

Hands-on experience that transfers to sales engineering, applications engineering, and technical program roles.

Engineering students reviewing 3D printed and machined prototype parts in a campus lab — Figure 2. Fellows compare 3D printed and machined parts, the same practical context used when explaining process tradeoffs to engineering teams.

Real outreach & pipeline work

Own conversations with engineers and designers about prototyping, production, and DFM — with coaching from the MakerStage team.

Hands-on additive projects

Opportunity to run personal or school builds through our additive network when program guidelines allow — FDM, SLA, SLS, or MJF.

Digital manufacturing fluency

Learn DFM, material selection, quoting, tolerancing, and supplier workflows on real programs — not just from a textbook.

Technical communication

Practice translating engineering and manufacturing concepts for startups, product teams, and student makers — the same skill set as sales engineering.

Portfolio-worthy experience

Talk about real company research, outreach sequences, qualified meetings, and manufactured parts in your next interview.

Meaningful work

Help teams get from CAD to qualified RFQs faster — whether they are hardware startups or capstone groups.

Primary responsibilities

What you'll actually do

Conduct outreach and communications with mechanical engineers, product designers, and R&D teams across California and other regions to understand prototyping and production needs and schedule introductory meetings.
Research target companies, product lines, recent launches, funding signals, and likely manufacturing needs so outreach is specific and useful.
Assist projects that translate engineering and manufacturing concepts into accessible insights for startups and product companies.
Build account notes, contact lists, and follow-up context so qualified opportunities can move cleanly from first conversation to RFQ handoff.
When priorities fit, support MakerStage marketing efforts such as video content creation, trade-show preparation, campaign research, and field feedback.
Coordinate with the MakerStage team on follow-up, qualification, and handoff so leads turn into real manufacturing work.
Give honest product feedback from the field so we can improve the quoting and customer experience.

Who should apply

What we are looking for

Currently enrolled in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related program (industrial, manufacturing, mechatronics, or product design) at an accredited university, or equivalent relevant coursework.
Comfortable with CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, CATIA, or similar) on class or personal projects.
Strong written and verbal communication — you will represent MakerStage in email, calls, and research notes.
Self-directed and reliable in a remote setting: Slack, email, and video calls with minimal supervision.
Comfortable working remotely with clear expectations discussed with finalists and documented before work begins.

Bonus points

Experience with Formula SAE, Baja SAE, rocketry, or competition robotics.
Prior RFQs, quotes, or hands-on shop or makerspace experience.
Comfort on camera or on mic for short technical explainers.

Precision inspection fixture and machined part context for manufacturing qualification — Figure 3. Good qualification notes connect company research to real manufacturing context, including tolerances, inspection, and part handoff details.

A week in the life

What this actually looks like

Sales engineering fellow researching target companies with CAD models, notes, and precision parts — Figure 4. Research quality matters: fellows connect company context, part examples, and manufacturing fit before outreach.

Mon

Monday

You research a Bay Area hardware startup’s bracket stack-up, send a concise note on sheet metal vs CNC for their volume, and book a qualified intro call with their mechanical lead.

Wed

Wednesday

You research 20 companies in a target segment, identify the right engineering contacts, and write account notes that explain why CNC, sheet metal, or 3D printing may be relevant.

Fri

Friday

A qualified meeting you helped schedule converts to a follow-up RFQ. You log the outcome and brief the team so the project keeps moving.

Ready?

Apply for the Sales Engineering Fellow opportunity

The application form is coming soon. For now, email hiring@makerstage.com with your school, major, graduation year, LinkedIn, and a short note on why you would be a strong fit for company research and technical outreach.

Apply via email About MakerStage

What makes a strong application

Show a concrete example of outreach or teaching — a club, a project team, customer discovery work, or a time you helped someone understand a technical decision. We care about clarity and follow-through, not buzzwords.

FAQ