Contract: Permanent
Sales Engineer – Space Division
Bercella SpA — Varano de’ Melegari (Parma), Italy — Hybrid work available
About us: Bercella manufactures high-performance structural Composite components for the world’s most demanding applications — from space launchers and satellites to motorsport and advanced industrial systems. Our parts fly. Our tolerances are non-negotiable. And the people who sell them need to understand why.
The role: You will join the Space Sales team as a technically grounded commercial partner. In the near term, you will work alongside the Sales Manager and the CEO — contributing technical insight, helping qualify opportunities, and learning the commercial dynamics of the sector. Over time (typically 3–5 years), the expectation is that you grow into a fully autonomous Sales Manager role, owning your own portfolio and relationships.
This is not a pure sales role and not a pure engineering role — it sits exactly in between. Someone who can read a technical drawing in the morning and hold a commercial conversation in the afternoon. If you know the Space sector well — the agencies, the primes, the emerging players, the startups — and you want to turn that knowledge into a commercial career, this role is built for you.
What you will do
- Support the Sales Manager in mapping and qualifying new opportunities across the Space segment — space agencies (ESA, ASI, etc), established Prime Contractors and Large System Integrators, and emerging New Space players
- Track the ecosystem: new programmes, startups, spin-offs, funding rounds, procurement signals — and translate that knowledge into concrete leads and outreach priorities for the team
- Act as the technical bridge between customers and internal teams: translate customer requirements into engineering briefs and commercial specifications, working closely with Engineering and Production
- Support the preparation of technical proposals, RFPs, and tenders — and, over time, lead them independently
- Attend industry events and conferences (IAC, Space Tech Expo, Space Symposium, etc) — representing Bercella and building your own presence in the sector
- Maintain and update the shared tracking tools with pipeline data, contact mapping, and competitive intelligence on the Space composite supply chain
What we’re looking for
The non-negotiable is genuine passion for the Space sector. We’re looking for someone who follows it obsessively — who knows the programmes, the players, the emerging companies, and the procurement dynamics — not because they have to, but because they genuinely find it fascinating. That kind of knowledge is what opens doors before a formal commercial relationship even begins.
You don’t need to bring an established commercial network. What matters is that you have the technical foundation to earn credibility fast, the curiosity to map an ecosystem, and the ambition to grow into a Sales Manager role over time.
Technical background — the core of this role
- Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent — or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Solid understanding of Composite materials and their structural applications in space systems (launchers, satellites, payloads)
- Familiarity with Aerospace standards (ECSS, EN 9100) and Structural requirements typical of space-qualified components
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, product specs, and RFP documentation
- Fluent English — written and spoken. Italian is a plus but not required
What makes the difference
- You know the Space sector from the inside — the programmes, the procurement cycles, the established players, and who is about to become one
- You can hold a credible conversation with a structural engineer and explain the same concept clearly to a procurement manager five minutes later
- You are comfortable with long sales cycles and know how to stay relevant with a prospect over months without pushing too hard
- You are proactive and self-directed — you don’t wait to be told who to call next
- You have the ambition and the patience to build something over time — this is a trajectory role, not a plateau
Practical details
- Location: Varano de’ Melegari (Parma), Italy. Hybrid work available; travel to customer sites and industry events is part of the role
- Applications from international candidates are welcome — valid work authorisation for the EU is required
