Sales Executive - SMB

About the role

At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we're building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we're helping create a truly scalable space industry.

Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work. If you want to work alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, we'd love to have you join us.

About the role

Boltline is a cloud-based platform built for complex hardware engineering and manufacturing. Designed by rocket scientists, it helps teams move fast with real-time inventory tracking, parts and process traceability, automated workflows, and seamless collaboration. Purpose-built for dynamic environments, Boltline supports everything from prototyping to production, all while staying ITAR compliant and fully integrated.

Responsibilities

Boltline team is all-in to help our customers build amazing hardware. Our Software Sales Engineer will develop new sales opportunities with the team's support.

Outbound mechanics

• Build and maintain target account lists across hardware, aerospace, defense, energy, robotics and advanced-manufacturing SMBs
• Turn target lists, warm signals, ABM accounts and event contacts into booked meetings through thoughtful, personalized prospecting
• Run multi-channel outbound (email, phone, LinkedIn, events) with the consistency to hit pipeline targets every month
• Keep CRM hygiene tight so pipeline, forecast and activity data are always trustworthy

Run the sales cycle

• Lead discovery that uncovers real operational pain across engineering, manufacturing and quality teams
• Qualify rigorously and disqualify early; protect your calendar for deals that can close (not everyone should be a Boltline customer, and that's ok)
• Deliver demos tailored to the prospect's workflow and run the technical evaluation yourself: deep-dives, trials, and ITAR and security questions
• Build business cases, negotiate commercial terms and close
• Hand off cleanly to Customer Success so new customers go live fast and expand

Input to product and marketing

• Bring back structured market feedback: objections, feature gaps, competitive mentions and pricing signals
• Partner with marketing on messaging, positioning, case studies and campaigns that actually open doors
• Report which segments, personas and triggers produce the best deals so we invest where it works
• Represent Boltline at industry events and with design partners

Qualifications

Heads up - this job needs you to love hardware! Ideally, you've been involved in the development, rollout, or sales of new hardware or related technologies.

• 3+ years as a full-cycle B2B software Sales Executive, consistently at or above quota on pipeline you sourced yourself
• History of closing five- and six-figure annual contracts with engineering, manufacturing, operations or quality decision-makers
• Proven outbound discipline: you have built target lists, run multi-channel sequences and booked your own meetings, month after month
• Thorough understanding of startups, small and midsize businesses (2-2000 employees) and the organizational traits that encourage (or discourage) change
• Working familiarity with how hardware gets built (BOMs, inventory, work orders, traceability, quality) and with at least one of CAD, PLM, MES, ERP or QMS (with your interest in killing the three letter acronyms!)
• Strong discovery, writing and demo skills; you run technical demos and trials yourself and can hold a room of engineers and a founder on the same call
• Ability to travel up to 30% per year
• Based in the Los Angeles area

Preferred Qualifications

Our customers want our perspective and often our provocation. The ideal Sales Executive is a change agent who helps hardware teams rethink how they run engineering and production.

• Experience as an early or founding Sales Executive who built the outbound playbook from scratch
• Preferred industry experience includes Aerospace, Defense, Climate Tech, AEC, Energy, Robotics, or other hardware-centric markets that require constant learning
• BS or MS with an engineering, manufacturing, or operational concentration, or hands-on shop floor experience
• Fluency with modern prospecting tools (e.g. LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Clay) and account-based marketing programs
• A network within innovative engineering communities, social channels, previous customers or peers, connections to makers or inventors
• Understanding of dual-use technologies and relevant standards (e.g. ITAR controls, FedRAMP)

Benefits

• Equity - We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 4 weeks' Paid Time Off
• Holidays - 11 days (including an end-of-year closure)
• Paid Family/Parental Leave
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
• Dog friendly offices!

Compensation

Target Range: $160,000 - $260,000 OTE

Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis.

Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

#LI-CP1

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S. (i.e., current Green Card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).