Keith Kalski
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Engineer and Developer
Clawson, MI, United States
Toptal member since April 4, 2025
Keith is a seasoned software engineer with over a decade of experience in sales and engineering. He has worked with automotive tier 1 suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across diverse industries, including electronic control unit (ECU) software development (AUTOSAR), data acquisition and calibration, vehicle voice assistants, and voice biometrics. Known for his leadership and collaborative approach, Keith guides cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions.
Portfolio
Experience
- Presentations - 20 years
- Embedded C - 20 years
- Custom Solutions - 17 years
- Client Relations - 17 years
- Software Development - 12 years
- RFPs, RFQs, ITTs, Responses, Proposals & Quotes - 12 years
- C - 12 years
- Sales - 12 years
Preferred Environment
C, Software Development, C++, Sales, Customer Support, RFPs, RFQs, ITTs, Responses, Proposals & Quotes, Custom Solutions, Voice Recognition
The most amazing...
...achievement has been creating a solution at my company that uniquely combined several technologies in a way never considered before.
Work Experience
Senior Sales Engineer
Cerence
- Exceeded sales goals consistently, achieving up to 275% of sales booking targets.
- Managed a portfolio of 20+ global accounts, delivering product demos and leading technical discussions to showcase solutions effectively.
- Established myself as a subject matter expert in voice recognition, voice generation, voice biometrics, and advanced AI technologies.
- Collaborated with engineering teams across Germany, India, and China to develop solutions that secured projects worth more than $1 million with OEMs and tier 1 suppliers.
- Leveraged a strong software engineering background to provide first-line support, ensuring rapid response and effective resolution of customer pain points.
- Optimized internal quoting processes to enhance efficiency and reduce request for quotation (RFQ) response times.
Sales Engineer
imc DataWorks
- Partnered with the sales manager to engage customers, driving business success through impactful product demonstrations and presentations.
- Regained previous customers through a targeted cold calling campaign.
- Showcased the superiority of imc DataWorks products at industry trade shows, highlighting their unique value.
Account Manager
Accurate Technologies INC
- Generated new business leads, built relationships, and grew sales with new and existing accounts.
- Traveled extensively across the Midwest to engage with customers on-site.
- Gathered and analyzed customer needs and communicated the insights to development teams for actionable solutions.
- Created sales quotations and proposals, processed orders, managed account status, and resolved customer issues to ensure seamless operations.
- Provided general user support and conducted technical demonstrations to assist customers effectively.
Senior Field Applications Engineer
Elektrobit
- Developed AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture (AUTOSAR) software for automotive tier 1 suppliers and OEMs, using various AUTOSAR modules across multiple projects, including the AUTOSAR OS, RTE, communication protocols, and storage modules.
- Architected software modules within the AUTOSAR stack and ported them to support additional platforms.
- Built demonstration applications and supporting materials for sales presentations and trade shows, enhancing product visibility and engagement.
- Participated in trade shows as a booth exhibitor and technical presenter, showcasing expertise and engaging with potential clients.
Senior Project Engineer
Vector Cantech
- Developed core software components through all development lifecycle stages, including analyzing OEM specifications, designing and implementing solutions, performing testing and quality tasks, and providing ongoing maintenance.
- Created software packages using core components for tier 1 and OEM customers, integrating components, testing the packages, and ensuring they met quality standards.
- Traveled across the United States and Canada to assist customers in integrating software packages into their programs after delivery.
Software Engineer
DG Technologies
- Architected custom tools and solutions for automotive OEMs and tier 1 companies, focusing on vehicle diagnostics.
- Spearheaded the full software lifecycle, including gathering requirements, documenting design and test plans, implementing and testing software, and managing post-release maintenance.
- Collaborated directly with customers during the requirements gathering, testing, and integration phases.
- Traveled to customers in Germany, England, and Japan to provide product assistance and support.
Experience
Headset Application
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
Central Michigan University - Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
Skills
Tools
Microsoft Visual C++
Languages
C, Embedded C, C++
Paradigms
App Development
Other
Software Development, Customer Support, RFPs, RFQs, ITTs, Responses, Proposals & Quotes, Presentations, Product Demonstrations, Bootloaders, CAN Bus, Sales, Quality Assurance (QA), Device Drivers, Custom Apps, Mathematics, Custom Solutions, Voice Recognition, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Natural Language Generation (NLG), Biometrics, AI Assistants, Solution Design, Client Relations, Tech Sales, Trade Show Stands, Cold Calling, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Development, Customer Retention, AUTOSAR, Version Control, Hardware, Functional Safety, Real-time Operating System (RTOS)
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