Outbound Sales Representative (BDR/SDR or Account Executive level)

Mercor is hiring on behalf of a cutting-edge AI research lab building advanced AI systems for traditional, relationship-driven industries — including industrial manufacturing and metals distribution. We are seeking a high-performing Account Executive with experience in industrial materials, metals service centres, steel distribution, aluminium supply, pipe & tube manufacturing, or related heavy industry sectors. This role is ideal for a consultative B2B seller who understands RFQ-driven workflows, long-term supply relationships, and the operational realities of industrial buyers. You will introduce AI-powered solutions into a legacy industry and help modernise how these companies operate.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the full sales cycle from outbound prospecting to close
• Generate pipeline through cold calls, email outreach, trade shows, and industry networking
• Sell and consulting into operations teams, purchasing departments, and executive leadership
• Navigate quoting workflows and RFQ-based buying processes
• Build long-term, trust-based relationships with:
• • Operations Managers
  • Plant Managers
  • Procurement & Purchasing Teams
  • C-suite leadership
• Consistently meet or exceed quota targets
• Maintain accurate forecasting and CRM hygiene
• Provide feedback to product and AI research teams on industry needs

Required Qualifications

• 2–7 years of B2B sales experience
• Experience selling into or working within:
• • Metals distribution
  • Steel service centres
  • Industrial manufacturing
  • Building materials
  • Heavy industry supply chains
• Background in consultative or technical sales cycles (not purely transactional)
• Comfortable with outbound prospecting and building your own book of business
• Familiarity with RFQs, quoting workflows, and relationship-based sales environments
• Proven track record of quota attainment
• Strong communication skills with ability to build credibility in operational environments

Priority Geographies:

• Midwest: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis
• Southeast: Houston, Birmingham, Tampa, Charlotte
• Northeast: Philadelphia, New Jersey corridor

Remote candidates welcome if they bring a strong industry rolodex in these regions.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Existing relationships at steel service centres or metals distributors
• Experience at companies such as:
• • Fastenal
  • Grainger
  • MSC Industrial
  • Nucor
  • Regional metals/industrial distributors
• Experience selling SaaS or technology into industrial verticals
• Familiarity with ERP systems such as:
• • Metals Manager
  • Enmark
  • SAP
• Spanish fluency (plus)

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Hunter mentality with strong outbound discipline
• Comfortable selling into traditional, operationally complex industries
• Understands plant-level decision-making and procurement cycles
• Able to translate AI/technology value into operational ROI
• Brings credibility and trust within the industrial ecosystem

Why Join

• Work at the intersection of AI and heavy industry
• Help modernise a foundational sector of the U.S. economy
• High-impact role with meaningful revenue ownership
• Exposure to cutting-edge AI technology
• Strong performance-based upside

We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Contract and Payment Terms

• You will be engaged as an independent contractor.
• This is a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule.
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.
• Your work at Mercor will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered.
• Please note: We are unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time.

About Mercor

Mercor partners with leading AI labs and enterprises to train frontier models using human expertise. You will work on projects that focus on training and enhancing AI systems. You will be paid competitively, collaborate with leading researchers, and help shape the next generation of AI systems in your area of expertise.