Senior Business Development Engineer

Join the Cognascents Team

Senior Business Development Engineer

Cognascents is currently seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Business Development Engineer

with a technical background in

,

,

to lead growth initiatives and expand our presence across targeted industries. The ideal candidate will blend deep technical knowledge with strong client relationship skills to identify new opportunities, win work, and drive strategic growth in alignment with Cognascents’ mission.

The selected candidate will be responsible and accountable for identifying and pursuing opportunities with new and existing customers, developing and nurturing long-term relationships, leading the identification and development of opportunities that lead into market expansion, creating winning proposals and presentations, and successfully closing business deals.

Who You’ll Work With

You will work with a team of high-integrity engineers and business leaders. As a member of the business development team, you will work in a collaborative environment where individual contributions and leadership are not only encouraged but also recognized and rewarded.

At Cognascents, we value individuals with strong integrity, competence, and loyalty to our customers, coworkers, families, and communities.

As a Senior Business Development Engineer, your essential job functions will include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Understand the client’s technical challenges, goals, and objectives and take a consultative approach to develop tailored solutions that align with their goals.

- Collaborate with subject matter experts and technical leads to shape solutions, scopes of work, and draft technical proposals that align with client needs.

- Prepare and deliver technical presentations and pre-sales discussions to existing or prospective customers, emphasizing the benefits and value proposition of Cognascents’ solutions and services.

- Develop and execute strategic business development plans to grow Cognascents' engineering consultancy services, including process safety, asset integrity, process engineering, and risk management services.

- Identify, qualify, and pursue new clients and project opportunities, particularly in the refining, chemical, midstream, and manufacturing sectors.

- Cultivate long-term relationships with key decision-makers, technical leads, and procurement contacts within target client organizations.

- Contribute to marketing strategies and initiatives by providing technical insights and developing valuable content that drives client engagement and supports lead generation.

- Represent Cognascents at industry events, conferences, trade shows, and client meetings.

- Maintain a strong understanding of industry trends, regulatory drivers (e.g., OSHA PSM, EPA RMP), and emerging needs in process safety, risk management, and engineering, including knowledge of primary competitors and their products and services.

- Provide regular market intelligence and feedback to leadership to help shape service offerings and strategic direction.

- Continuously look for ways to improve our customers’ experience.

- Provide expertise, advice, and recommendations to senior leadership in relation to business development and marketing for new services.

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university.

- 5 to 7 years of experience in process safety, risk management, or process engineering, with demonstrated involvement in consulting or technical execution.

- Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

- Polished oral and written communication skills, and a strong command of the English language.

- Strong commercial acumen (experience with proposal development, contract negotiation, and pricing strategies desired).

- Strong interpersonal and time management skills.

- Relentless intrinsic motivation.

- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

- Must be able to legally work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

- Strong network and relationships in relevant industrial sectors (e.g., oil and gas, refining, petrochemicals, or chemicals).

- Proven track record of generating new business and closing deals in an engineering services environment.

Travel Requirements

Travel requirements vary throughout the year, but no more than 35% of travel is anticipated.

Benefits

- Base salary.

- Commissions plan.

- Medical benefits.

- Simple IRA savings plan.

- Paid volunteer time.

- 9-80 work schedule.

About Cognascents

Cognascents is an established engineering firm deeply rooted in integrity, ethical values, and an unwavering commitment to quality. Our meticulous attention to detail sets us apart as we embark on a journey to excellence alongside our valued clients. We serve as a long-term engineering solutions provider to our clients, prioritizing service excellence with a 360-degree vision that encompasses every facet of your needs.

Our multidisciplinary team comprises more than 55 process and asset integrity engineers, guided by an accomplished and involved leadership team with deep expertise, and provides a unique and technical perspective to problem-solving. Our strength lies in pairing our deep technical expertise with a customer-driven approach to deliver innovative solutions to even the most complex challenges. This synergy enables us to systematically analyze data to customize solutions to meet specific needs.