Technical Presales

Job Title: Technical Presales (Solution Architecture)

Base: Batu Kawan, Penang / Kuala Lumpur

Why Join Us

We are a leading industrial automation solutions provider specializing in smart manufacturing, delivering innovative solutions across automation, robotics, warehouse automation, and digital manufacturing.

As part of UB's Technical Presales team, you will be at the centre of turning customer challenges into practical, commercially viable, and technically deliverable solutions.

You will work closely with customers, Sales, Engineering, Project Management, and other technical teams to design solution architectures across ASRS, OHS, MMS, Smart Warehouse/WMS, WCS, SmartOps, and smart factory platforms.

This role provides strong exposure to complex industrial automation projects, solution architecture, digital twin and simulation technologies, and commercial solution development — with the opportunity to directly influence project success before execution begins.

Role Overview

The Technical Presales (Solution Architecture) role is responsible for owning the technical quality of solutions from qualified opportunity through to commercial commitment.

You will translate customer operational and technical requirements into competitive, deliverable, and margin-accurate automation solutions. This includes conducting technical discovery, developing system architecture and layouts, performing throughput and capacity calculations, preparing technical proposals and costing, and supporting customer presentations and solution demonstrations.

The role serves as a key bridge between Sales, Customers, and the Project Department, ensuring that the solution sold to the customer is technically feasible, commercially sound, and clearly defined for successful project execution.

Job Responsibilities

•          Lead technical discovery activities including customer site surveys, requirement studies, technical discussions, and solution workshops.

•          Engage with customers to understand operational challenges, process flows, technical specifications, throughput requirements, capacity needs, and future expansion plans.

•          Translate customer requirements into structured technical concepts and system architectures.

•          Design automation and smart manufacturing solution concepts covering systems such as ASRS, OHS, MMS, WMS/WCS, material handling, and smart factory platforms.

•          Develop preliminary system layouts, process flows, equipment concepts, and solution architectures using AutoCAD and relevant engineering tools.

•          Perform throughput analysis, capacity calculations, equipment sizing, and other technical assessments to validate proposed solutions.

•          Develop and maintain digital twin and simulation models using Visual Components or equivalent platforms to validate system concepts and support key project pursuits.

•          Work closely with Sales and Business Development teams to develop competitive technical solutions aligned with customer requirements and commercial objectives.

•          Prepare technical proposals, RFQ and tender responses, including scope of supply, Bill of Materials (BOM), costing, margin build-up, technical assumptions, exclusions, delivery assumptions, and project risks.

•          Support commercial costing and ensure proposed solutions meet required margin and pricing expectations.

•          Deliver technical presentations, solution demonstrations, concept reviews, and proof-of-concept presentations to customers, consultants, and other stakeholders.

•          Respond to customer technical clarifications and coordinate with internal engineering teams to provide accurate and timely responses.

•          Work closely with the Project Department and Engineering teams to validate technical feasibility, resource requirements, project estimates, risks, and delivery approach before commercial commitment.

•          Ensure clear and structured sales-to-project handover, with alignment between the scope sold to the customer and the scope that can be delivered by the project team.

•          Maintain feedback between estimated and actual project costs and margins to continuously improve future solution costing and estimation accuracy.

•          Identify technical and commercial risks during the presales stage and ensure appropriate mitigation measures, assumptions, and exclusions are documented.

•          Support weekly Deal Review meetings by providing technical status, solution readiness, risks, and next-step recommendations for active opportunities.

•          Keep updated on new automation technologies, digital solutions, industry trends, and emerging customer requirements to strengthen UB's solution offerings.

Job Requirements

Education

Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Automation Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.

Experience

•          Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in Technical Presales, Solution Engineering, Solution Architecture, Industrial Automation, System Integration, or related engineering functions.

•          Experience in industrial automation, material handling systems, warehouse automation, machine building, or semiconductor equipment will be an advantage.

•          Experience preparing and responding to RFQs, tenders, and technical proposals is preferred.

•          Experience working with consultants, main contractors, system integrators, or large industrial customers will be an added advantage.

Technical Skills

Solution Architecture & System Design

• Strong understanding of industrial automation and system integration concepts.
• Ability to translate customer requirements into practical automation solution concepts.
• Experience designing or supporting solutions involving ASRS, OHS, MMS, WMS/WCS, material handling, or smart factory systems.
• Ability to perform throughput, capacity, and system sizing calculations.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD for 2D system layouts.
• Experience with 3D concept design tools will be an added advantage.

Simulation & Digital Twin

• Experience with Visual Components is preferred.
• Experience with equivalent simulation or digital twin platforms such as FlexSim, Emulate3D, or Demo3D will also be considered.
• Ability to develop simulation models to validate system concepts, throughput, and operational performance.

Automation & Digital Systems

• Working understanding of WMS, WCS, and MES concepts.
• Awareness of SECS/GEM requirements and concepts for semiconductor manufacturing environments.
• Basic understanding of IT/OT integration technologies including OPC UA, MQTT, REST/API concepts, and SQL for data verification.
• Familiarity with PLC environments such as Siemens, Mitsubishi, or Rockwell at a presales and solution architecture level.
• Ability to understand automation system architecture across hardware, controls, software, and digital integration layers.

Commercial & Proposal Skills

• Experience preparing technical proposals, RFQs, tenders, and solution documentation.
• Ability to develop Bill of Materials (BOM), technical costing, and project estimates.
• Good understanding of project margins, costing structures, technical assumptions, exclusions, and commercial risks.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for costing, calculations, and throughput models.
• Strong PowerPoint skills for customer-facing solution presentations.

Soft Skills

•          Strong consultative communication skills with the ability to understand customer problems and recommend suitable technical solutions.

•          Strong technical presentation and proposal-writing skills.

•          Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

•          Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills.

•          Commercially aware with strong discipline around costing, margins, scope, and project risks.

•          Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to work closely with Sales, Engineering, Project Management, customers, consultants, and suppliers.

•          Strong sense of ownership and accountability, particularly when working under tender and proposal deadlines.

•          Able to manage multiple technical opportunities and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

•          Strong communication skills in English; Bahasa Malaysia and/or Mandarin will be an added advantage.

•          Willing to travel across Malaysia and Southeast Asia for customer site surveys, workshops, and presentations.

Preferred Industry Exposure

Experience in any of the following industries will be an advantage:

•          Industrial automation

•          Semiconductor / Electrical & Electronics (E&E)

•          Warehouse automation and ASRS

•          Material handling systems

•          Machine building

•          Robotics

•          Smart manufacturing / Industry 4.0

•          Logistics and distribution centres

•          Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

•          WMS / WCS solutions