How to apply for Business Development Account Manager (Northwest)

About Velo3D

Velo3D makes metal 3D printing systems for the energy and transportation industries. The company focuses on production-scale additive manufacturing, not just prototyping. This role is a chance to work at the intersection of engineering and sales for a company targeting cleaner energy and efficient transportation.

About the role

You will be the dedicated account manager and technical engineer for target customers. Your job is to guide them from early concept through full-scale production on Velo3D's Sapphire systems. Success means customers increase demand on Sapphire systems and see you as their go-to Velo technical resource.

A typical day

You might spend your day meeting with customer engineering and manufacturing teams to discuss current programs and production challenges. You could also work with Velo Applications Engineering and Field Management to resolve part production issues. Time may be split between customer sites, internal meetings, and planning to increase demand on Sapphire systems.

Who Velo3D is looking for

• Has hands-on experience in design and manufacturing engineering, ideally with additive manufacturing or metal 3D printing.
• Can manage complex programs from prototype to production, working with both engineering and manufacturing teams at customer sites.
• Is comfortable in a fast-paced, growing company and can handle difficult part production challenges with internal teams.
• Has a track record of building trust with customers and becoming their primary technical contact.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience you have with metal 3D printing or additive manufacturing in production environments, not just prototyping.
• Show that you can manage projects from concept to full-scale production, using specific examples with metrics if possible.
• Mention experience working directly with manufacturing and engineering teams at customer accounts.
• Explain how you have become a go-to technical resource for customers in previous roles.
• Reference Velo3D's Sapphire systems or end-to-end manufacturing solution in your application to show you understand their product.

What to cover in your cover letter

Focus on your ability to lead target accounts from early concept to full-scale production. Emphasize your experience in design and manufacturing engineering. Describe how you have worked with customers to solve difficult part production challenges. Mention your ability to collaborate with internal teams like Applications Engineering and Field Management.

Research before applying

• Learn about Velo3D's Sapphire systems and their end-to-end manufacturing solution.
• Understand the company's focus on cleaner energy and efficient transportation, and how metal 3D printing fits in.
• Research Velo3D's target customers and industries to understand the account management context.
• Find out about recent news or projects from Velo3D to see their current priorities.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you guide a target account from early concept to full-scale production on Sapphire systems?
• Describe a time you helped a customer visualize a manufacturing path forward using your design and manufacturing engineering experience.
• How do you work with internal teams like Applications Engineering and Field Management to solve difficult part production challenges?
• What experience do you have with metal 3D printing or additive manufacturing in a production setting?
• How would you become the go-to Velo technical engineer for a target account?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on sales skills without demonstrating technical engineering experience.
• Giving generic examples of account management that do not involve manufacturing or additive manufacturing.
• Not showing how you have worked with customers to move from prototype to production.