2027 Technical Sales Engineer Co-Op - Entry Level Sales Program

IBM
IBM

IT, Sales & Business Development

Richland, WA, USA · Kennewick, WA, USA · Delft, Netherlands · Pasco, WA, USA · West Richland, WA, USA

Posted on Aug 19, 2026
Introduction

At IBM, technology creates value when it solves real business challenges. As an Entry-Level Technical Sales Engineer, you will work with clients and IBM technical experts to design, demonstrate, and deliver solutions across AI, hybrid cloud, automation, data, and security.

This role combines technical problem-solving, customer engagement, and business consulting to help organizations achieve measurable outcomes while building the foundation for a career in technical sales and solution consulting.

This is a 1 to 2 year Co-Op position for students to work while actively pursuing a degree for up to 20 hours while school is in session and up to 40 hours a week during school breaks and summer. As a Technical Sales Engineer Co-Op within our Sales Technical team, you’ll harness your unique skills and perspectives to engage in the development and deployment of AI systems using our watsonx platform for pilots that lead to deployment of enterprise-scale solutions at start-up speed.


IBM’s Sales Co-Op Program culture will set you up for positive impact and success, whilst ongoing development will continually advance your skills. Our sales environment is collaborative and experiential. Part of a team, you’ll be surrounded by bright minds - always willing to help- as you apply passion to work that will compel our clients to invest in IBM’s products and services.

Your role and responsibilities

• Participate in client discovery sessions to understand business objectives, technical requirements, success criteria, current environments, and opportunities to apply IBM technology.

• Design and validate technical solution approaches that address customer challenges, align with business goals, and demonstrate practical value across IBM software, AI, cloud, data, automation, and security capabilities.

• Build and deliver demonstrations, proofs of concept, workshops, and technical presentations that showcase solution functionality, technical feasibility, integration requirements, and business value.

• Translate technical concepts into clear business value for technical and non-technical stakeholders through effective storytelling, documentation, and recommendations.

• Support customer adoption, expansion, and success by helping clients define use cases, remove technical barriers, identify deployment considerations, and realize measurable value from IBM solutions.

• Collaborate with sales, technical specialists, customer success teams, and partners to progress opportunities, identify growth areas, and support client engagement activities.

• Contribute innovative ideas, reusable assets, technical best practices, and emerging technology perspectives that help accelerate client success, technical readiness, and solution adoption.

• Present technical findings, solution recommendations, and next steps to both business and technical stakeholders.

Required education
High School Diploma/GED
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise

• Actively Enrolled: Registered undergraduate or graduate university student.

• Seeking a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree completed by start date in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related technical field.

• Foundational knowledge of cloud computing, software development, AI, automation, data, or cybersecurity.

• Experience with at least one programming language such as Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, or similar.

• Experience using AI-assisted development tools to prototype, build, or troubleshoot applications.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.

• Ability to collaborate effectively and communicate with technical and non-technical audiences.

• Curiosity, adaptability, and a passion for technology and client success.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Leadership experience through student organizations, athletics, volunteer work, competitions, or community involvement.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM has a global presence, operating in more than 175 countries with a broad-based geographic distribution of revenue. The company’s Global Markets organization is a strategic sales business unit that manages IBM’s global footprint, working closely with dedicated country-based operating units to serve clients locally. These country teams have client relationship managers who lead integrated teams of consultants, solution specialists and delivery professionals to enable clients’ growth and innovation. By complementing local expertise with global experience and digital capabilities, IBM builds deep and broad-based client relationships. This local management focus fosters speed in supporting clients, addressing new markets and making investments in emerging opportunities. Additionally, the Global Markets organization serves clients with expertise in their industry as well as through the products and services that IBM and partners supply. IBM is also expanding its reach to new and existing clients through digital marketplaces.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

Supplemental 1 employees may be eligible for up to 8 paid holidays, minimum of 56 hours paid sick time and the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan. IBM offers paid family medical leave and disability benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law.
This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 15 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

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