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Salary: USD 165,000 - 185,000 / annual
R-Zero is hiring a Senior Solutions Engineer to drive the technical pre-sales motion for its Physical AI solution—a portfolio of occupancy sensors and intelligence that unlocks meaningful HVAC energy reduction in commercial buildings. This is a customer-facing, sales-forward role that pairs strong communication skills with mechanical engineering judgment.
You will be the technical voice in early-stage customer conversations, leading pitches alongside Sales Directors, qualifying buildings against R-Zero's occupancy-based demand-controlled ventilation criteria, and translating HVAC, BMS, and controls complexity into clear, compelling value for executive and engineering audiences. This is a startup role with the opportunity to help write the playbook for a category that doesn't yet have established best practices.
Key responsibilities include:
**Customer-facing pre-sales**: Lead technical discovery calls with facilities directors, energy managers, and BMS controls staff to capture HVAC system architecture, BMS configuration, occupancy profiles, and existing DCV strategies. Co-pitch with Sales Directors and deliver high-impact demos of R-Zero's occupancy-based DCV platform, savings models, and M&V approach. Convert HVAC and controls detail into ROI narratives, energy savings ranges, and implementation pathways that resonate with executive decision-makers. Partner with Sales on opportunity strategy, multi-stakeholder navigation, and objection handling around BMS write-access, IT/security review, and commercial models.
**Building qualification and scoping**: Use internal tooling and engineering judgment to assess buildings against qualification criteria (AHU specs, OA strategy, BMS readiness, occupancy patterns, energy recovery, existing DCV). Develop technical scopes, sensor counts, sequence-of-operation strategies, and integration approaches from mechanical drawings, BMS point lists, and trended data. Conduct remote and occasional in-person surveys to validate AHU configuration, BAS points, and field conditions.
**End-to-end ownership**: Own the technical journey from first call through clean handoff to implementation, ensuring scope accuracy and customer expectations are aligned. Stay engaged through deployment as needed, supporting BMS integration questions, validation visits, and customer escalations. Surface portfolio expansion opportunities post-deployment by validating performance and equipping Sales to upsell additional buildings.
**Team and tooling**: Provide structured feedback on R-Zero's internal Solutions Engineering tooling and propose process improvements. Partner with Product, Engineering, and Sales to channel field insights into roadmap priorities and competitive positioning. Author and maintain technical collateral, qualification heuristics, and customer-facing FAQs that scale the team's capability.
Travel: Up to 25% travel for site surveys, key customer meetings, and occasional deployment support. Travel may include occasional overnight work or physical site tasks (e.g., walkdowns, mechanical room access).
**Requirements**
- 3+ years in a Solutions Engineering or Sales Engineering role with demonstrated success leading technical discovery, delivering pitches and demos, and supporting enterprise sales cycles with multiple stakeholders
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in HVAC system design, BMS/controls engineering, mechanical engineering, energy engineering, or building automation—with depth sufficient to read mechanical drawings and BMS point lists without supervision
- Working knowledge of HVAC systems (AHUs, VAV, terminal units), BMS/BAS architectures, controls integration, and ventilation strategies
- Experience working with internal AI/LLM-based qualification or scoping tools
- Familiarity with ASHRAE 62.1, Title 24, and demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) approaches
- Comfort reading mechanical drawings, BMS point lists, and trended controls data
- Strong written and verbal communication—equally credible in front of a CFO, an energy manager, and a controls technician
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Science, Controls Engineering, Energy Engineering, or related field
**Nice-to-haves**
- Background working at an MEP consultancy, energy consultancy, cleantech or HVAC technology company, and/or early-stage startup
- Hands-on experience with BACnet integrations and Niagara/Tridium supervisors
- Exposure to DCV, IAQ, or smart building product categories
- Industry credentials such as CEM, CBCP, CCP, CEA, or PE
- Familiarity with energy modeling tools and M&V frameworks (IPMVP)
