Engineering Graduate Trainee (2026)

Job Summary

We are seeking an Engineering Graduate Trainee (2026) for a direct hire opportunity in Memphis, TN. This structured 2 to 3 year development program is designed for recent engineering or technical graduates who want to build a long-term career in technical sales, customer solutions, application engineering, or project leadership within the energy and utilities sector.

This role offers a clear career path, hands-on training, and direct exposure to pump systems, mechanical applications, customer account management, and industrial solutions. Trainees will begin in Memphis, gaining foundational experience in inside sales, customer service, technical product knowledge, CRM discipline, and customer-facing problem solving before moving into a long-term career track based on business needs and individual strengths.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated early-career professional who wants supportive leadership, a collaborative team environment, structured professional development, and exposure to diverse heavy industries such as chemical, power generation, and food and beverage. The organization offers a culture focused on safety, technical excellence, continuous learning, and career growth.

Key Responsibilities

- Complete a structured 3-phase career development program that builds technical, customer service, sales, and engineering support expertise.
- Process 40 to 60 transactional orders weekly, qualify inbound leads using BANT criteria, and deliver accurate quotes with a 24-hour turnaround during the inside sales phase.
- Manage retention and growth activities for 50 to 100 assigned accounts, including 20 to 30 daily customer outreach touches and emergency client response support.
- Maintain accurate CRM records, including field updates and customer interaction notes within 2 hours of contact.
- Participate in manufacturer training, engineering webinars, field ride-alongs, and hands-on learning with senior sales engineers and service technicians.
- Coordinate customer hand-offs and support cross-functional collaboration between Business Development, Application Engineering, and Operations teams.

Compensation and Benefits

- Salary range: $50,000 to $60,000 per year.
- Direct hire opportunity.
- Structured 2 to 3 year training and career development program.
- Long-term placement into either an Outside Sales Engineer track or an Application Engineer / Project Leader track.
- Initial placement is in Memphis, TN for the first 24 to 36 months.
- Regional relocation may be required after final placement.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

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For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

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We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Additional Skills

Required Qualifications and Skills

- Complete inside sales training focused on pump and system fundamentals, lead qualification, quote development, and order processing.
- Manage customer service responsibilities, account outreach, customer retention activities, and emergency client support.
- Build technical solution knowledge through manufacturer training, engineering webinars, field ride-alongs, and collaboration with technical teams.
- Prepare for long-term placement in outside sales engineering or application engineering and project leadership.

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a technical discipline preferred.
- Other degrees may be considered with proven technical aptitude.
- Less than 1 year of experience required, making this role ideal for recent graduates or upcoming 2026 graduates.
- Strong mechanical aptitude and interest in pump systems, industrial equipment, technical sales, or applied engineering solutions.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong solution-selling mindset with the ability to understand customer needs and recommend practical technical solutions.
- High goal orientation, strong follow-through, and a desire to build a career as a customer-facing technical consultant.
- Ability to maintain strong CRM discipline and accurate customer documentation.
- Must reside in or relocate to Memphis, TN for the first 24 to 36 months.
- Flexibility for regional relocation, such as Nashville or Southwest Arkansas, upon final placement is required.

Preferred Qualifications

- Internship, co-op, academic project, or hands-on experience related to mechanical engineering, industrial equipment, fluid systems, pumps, manufacturing, utilities, or technical sales.
- Interest in building a long-term career in outside sales engineering, application engineering, project management, or customer-facing technical consulting.
- Familiarity with CRM tools, lead qualification, customer outreach, quoting, or account management.
- Exposure to industries such as energy, utilities, chemical processing, power generation, food and beverage, or other heavy industrial environments.