How to apply for Solutions Engineer

About Klir

Klir is at the forefront of digital water management, offering an integrated platform that ensures safer, compliant, and ecologically-friendly utility operations. Their mission to modernize water systems through technology provides a unique opportunity to make a tangible environmental impact while driving digital transformation in a critical industry.

About the role

As a Solutions Engineer at Klir, you'll be the technical bridge between sales and customers, partnering with Account Executives to qualify opportunities and lead high-level demos tied to real workflows. Your role is pivotal in translating complex utility operations into compelling technical narratives, directly influencing deal success and customer trust.

A typical day

A typical day might start with a discovery call alongside an Account Executive, asking pointed questions to a utility director about their compliance pain points. Later, you'd lead a high-level demo for plant operators, focusing on workflow integration, then collaborate with product and customer success to align on a proof-of-concept plan. The day ends with a debrief with the sales team, updating deal stages and refining your technical narrative.

Who Klir is looking for

• A seasoned pre-sales engineer with 7+ years in SaaS, ideally with SLED (State, Local, and Education) exposure, who can quickly qualify opportunities through pointed technical and business questions.
• Someone who commands the room with any audience, from plant operators to utility directors, and can adapt their technical story to different stakeholder levels.
• Customer-obsessed, with a proven track record of articulating value and backing it up with credible outcomes, not just executing demos.
• A collaborative team player who builds trusted relationships across internal teams, partners, and customer stakeholders, acting as the technical throughline of the deal.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific SLED experience and examples of how you navigated complex procurement cycles or compliance requirements in past roles.
• In your resume and cover letter, use metrics to show how your discovery and qualification efforts directly impacted deal close rates or pipeline velocity.
• Tailor your application to demonstrate understanding of water utility operations—mention any exposure to compliance, environmental regulations, or operational workflows.
• Include a brief case study or example of a demo you led that turned a 'maybe' into a 'yes' by connecting technical features to business outcomes.
• Show you can command the room by including a link to a recorded demo or presentation (if available) or describing a scenario where you tailored your message to different audiences.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Emphasize your ability to qualify opportunities beyond demos, using pointed questions to separate real opportunities from maybes.', 'Showcase your experience with SLED accounts and understanding of utility compliance and operational challenges.', "Demonstrate customer obsession by describing how you've built trusted relationships and acted as a technical throughline in complex deals.", 'Highlight your versatility in communicating with diverse stakeholders, from field staff to C-level executives, and tying technical solutions to business value.']

Research before applying

• Explore Klir's product features and case studies on their website to understand how their platform addresses water safety, compliance, and ecological impact.
• Research the water utility industry's key challenges, such as aging infrastructure, regulatory pressures (e.g., EPA guidelines), and digital transformation trends.
• Look up Klir's competitors (e.g., Innovyze, Bentley Systems) to understand their positioning and how Klir differentiates.
• Read recent news or blog posts about Klir's partnerships, funding, or customer wins to get a sense of their growth trajectory.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you qualify a utility opportunity? Walk us through your discovery process and the key questions you ask.
• Describe a time you had to adapt your demo for a mixed audience of plant operators and utility directors. How did you tailor your message?
• Tell us about a complex deal where you had to build trust across internal teams and customer stakeholders. What was your approach?
• How do you stay updated on water industry regulations and compliance? Can you give an example of how that knowledge influenced a sale?
• If a prospect says 'we already have a solution,' how would you handle that objection during discovery or demo?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Avoid focusing solely on product features in your application; emphasize your ability to qualify and articulate value tied to customer workflows.
• Don't neglect to mention SLED experience if you have it—this is a key requirement, so be explicit about relevant public sector engagements.
• Avoid generic cover letters; failing to demonstrate understanding of water utility operations or compliance will make you seem unprepared.