Sales Intern (Co-Op)

American Handforge is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Sales Intern to join our Aerospace and Manufacturing Sales team. This internship provides hands-on experience in business development, customer relations, and sales operations within the aerospace and manufacturing industries. The ideal candidate is eager to learn, collaborative, and interested in understanding how sales and production work together to serve key customers.

This position offers flexible scheduling to accommodate academic commitments or other obligations.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In performing functions, duties or tasks, employees are required to know and follow safe work practices, and to be aware of Company policies and procedures related to job safety, including safety rules and regulations. All functions, duties or tasks are to be carried out in an honest, ethical and professional manner, and to be performed in conformance with applicable Company policies and procedures.  In the event of uncertainty or lack of knowledge of Company policies and procedures, employees are required to request clarification or explanations from superiors or authorized company representatives.

• Assist the sales team with quoting, order entry, and customer follow-ups.
• Conduct market research to identify new leads, competitors, and growth opportunities in aerospace, semi-conductor and manufacturing sectors.
• Prepare and maintain sales reports, pricing lists, and customer records.
• Support proposal preparation, bids, and documentation for client requests.
• Collaborate with internal departments (EHS, quality, compliance, production, logistics and engineering) to ensure smooth order flow and on-time delivery.
• Participate in sales and production meetings to understand client needs and internal capacity.
• Help organize marketing and outreach initiatives such as trade show preparation or promotional campaigns.
• Provide general administrative and project support to the sales and management teams.
• Analyze sales data to identify trends and areas for improvement.

Required Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork abilities
• Effective organizational and time management skills
• Basic understanding of sales processes and business development
• Analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook)
• Ability to conduct market research and synthesize findings
• Interest in the aerospace or manufacturing industry
• Self-motivated, proactive, and eager to learn

 Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with manufacturing or aerospace terminology and processes.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot).
• Understanding of supply chain, logistics, or production workflows.
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting sales data, pricing trends, or market insights.
• Comfortable working with technical drawings or product specifications (training provided if needed).
• Knowledge of Microsoft Excel for data analysis and report creation (pivot tables, charts, formulas).
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical teams and non-technical clients.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and documentation.
• Proactive attitude with a desire to learn about business development and manufacturing sales strategies.
• Experience with project coordination or supporting multiple stakeholders.
• Interest in pursuing a career in aerospace, manufacturing, or industrial sales.

 Experience & Education

 Minimum second year student work towards Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering or related field