Solutions Architect & Sales Engineer

The engineer who can lead the room, and the architect who ensures the foundation never cracks

Award-winning solutions architect bridging systematic technical architecture with charismatic market influence. TEDxDetroit speaker. FDA-cleared device founder. 115% average quota attainment.

115% Avg Quota Attainment
10+ Years Experience
90th Percentile Discipline
4th Percentile Stress
Solution Architecture Azure Infrastructure API Integration Technical Sales Medical Devices Enterprise Security Cloud Infrastructure Data Automation Solution Architecture Azure Infrastructure API Integration Technical Sales Medical Devices Enterprise Security Cloud Infrastructure Data Automation
01

About

Mark Harburg
TEDxDetroit Speaker 115% Quota Avg FDA Device Founder

A Grounded Explorer in Sales Engineering

I am a high-impact Sales Engineer who bridges the gap between systematic technical architecture and charismatic market influence. My approach to work is guided by a deep understanding of my own tendencies, cognition, and motivations, allowing me to navigate complex sales cycles with a level of composure that is rarely seen in high-stakes environments.

What started as a college class project at Grand Valley State University became SafetySit—an FDA-cleared medical device now helping physical therapists across the country. That experience taught me that real innovation isn't just about clever engineering; it's about listening to 250+ clinicians, understanding their daily struggles, and building something that genuinely improves their work.

I am motivated by more than just meeting quotas; I am driven by a sense of duty and the pursuit of truth. Whether I am uncovering a $500M+ market opportunity or closing a record-breaking mid-market deal, I bring a unique blend of extraverted energy and introverted depth.

02

Psychological Profile

Conscientiousness
Elite Discipline
90th

Highly industrious and organized. I don't just "manage" projects—I execute them with relentless focus on dutiful excellence. This elite-level work ethic is the engine that drives consistent overperformance.

Neuroticism (Inverted)
Exceptional Calm
4th

I serve as the "anchor" during volatile negotiations. While others react to stress, I remain focused on the solution. This allows me to recover from setbacks instantly and keep technical stakeholders at ease during high-pressure transitions.

Compassion
High-Stakes Empathy
88th

My sales strategy is built on genuine connection. I seek to understand the customer's pain points before offering a solution, ensuring that every partnership is built on trust and mutual growth.

Assertiveness
Take-Charge Collaborator
68th

I balance warmth with assertive leadership. I'm not afraid to push back or challenge the status quo to ensure the project stays on the path to success. Compassion meets conviction.

03

The Cognitive Edge

Reflective Problem-Solving

My cognitive style favors deep reflection and internal processing. While I am highly effective in social settings, my best technical breakthroughs happen in my "sanctuary"—the quiet hours where I deconstruct complex problems to find the most elegant solution. This balance of extraverted energy and introverted depth is what sets my approach apart.

Abstract Visionary

I excel at seeing patterns that others miss. I don't just sell software; I sell a future-state vision where bold, imaginative ideas are translated into concrete, engineered achievements. My background includes deep experience in Azure architecture, security, and API troubleshooting—specifically turning unstructured data into automated, high-value flows.

04

Experience

2022 — 2025

Lead Sales Engineer

M-Files • New York / Remote
  • Led sales engineering strategy across 3-5 team members, closing 3 of the largest NA mid-market deals (>$100K ARR) with 115% average quota attainment
  • Designed solution architectures through award-winning demonstrations and proof-of-concepts during complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles
  • Earned global recognition while managing 30 parallel opportunities and strengthening stakeholder confidence
  • Automated quoting workflows reducing rework by 30% and reclaiming 400+ productive hours annually
2021 — Present

COO & Board Member

Comfort First • Detroit, MI
  • Partnered with founder to translate Class II medical device concept into production-ready solution
  • Developed multi-year financial and operational models supporting strategic planning and manufacturing decisions
  • Engaged clinical stakeholders through presentations communicating product value and clinical use cases
2019 — 2022

Founder & CEO

SafetySit • Detroit, MI
  • Translated clinician-sourced concept into FDA-cleared medical device from concept through production
  • Conducted 250+ customer discovery interviews to validate clinical workflows and refine value propositions
  • Collaborated with 5 hospital systems including Spectrum Health to evaluate implementation feasibility
  • Secured $50K+ in early-stage funding through pitch competitions and grants; TEDxDetroit speaker
2018 — 2022

Product Design & Manufacturing Consultant

Upwork • Remote (Top-Rated)
  • Earned top-rated freelancer status delivering production-ready designs for 30+ projects using SolidWorks
  • Delivered engineered solutions across dental, medical, automotive, consumer products, and outdoor equipment
  • Consulted clients on material selection, injection molding design, and go-to-market strategy
2016 — 2019

Project Engineer – Advanced Engineering Plastics

Flex-N-Gate • Warren, MI
  • Led technical discovery with Toyota, Nissan, and Ford to redesign seating components for lightweighting targets
  • Engineered industry-first plastic seatback architecture reducing lift force by 64%
  • Owned end-to-end solution development across 8 program milestones from concept to launch
2014 — 2016

Engineering Co-op

Steelcase • Grand Rapids, MI
  • Supported customer and internal stakeholder requirements using PTC Creo and Windchill PLM, contributing to $200K cost-reduction initiatives
  • Managed sustainability solution delivery for EMEA products during international assignment
  • Translated regulatory and environmental requirements into validated lifecycle assessments and technical documentation
05

Expertise

Solution Architecture

Designing scalable technical solutions that align platform capabilities with customer workflows, security requirements, and integration constraints.

Technical Sales Leadership

Leading pre-sales teams through complex enterprise sales cycles with 115% average quota attainment, managing parallel opportunities while maintaining technical credibility.

Azure & Enterprise Integration

Deep experience in Azure architecture, security, and API troubleshooting—turning unstructured data into automated, high-value flows with identity management and metadata-driven workflows.

Medical Device Development

Navigating FDA regulatory pathways, building quality management systems, and coordinating manufacturing readiness for Class II devices from concept to commercialization.

Discovery & Requirements

Conducting 250+ stakeholder discovery interviews to uncover true needs, validate assumptions, and translate requirements into actionable solution designs built on genuine connection.

Manufacturing Operations

Optimizing production workflows using Lean principles, coordinating equipment installation, and managing cross-functional operational teams across automotive and medical industries.

06

My Story

From classroom project to FDA-cleared medical device

My career started in engineering, learning how ideas become real under real constraints—on factory floors, in clinics, and alongside the people doing the work.

While studying at Grand Valley State University, a class project introduced me to a problem physical therapists faced every day. What followed were hundreds of conversations, early prototypes, and years of iteration that led to SafetySit, a lightweight, portable medical device designed to better support patients during therapy and ultimately cleared by the FDA.

That experience shaped how I approach everything I build. Real innovation doesn't start with assumptions or features—it starts with listening, translating complexity, and designing solutions that fit the real world.

Crain's Grand Rapids Business

Backed by patent protection, medical device startup gets closer to commercialization

Securing patent protection boosts the chances of a startup company to land the financing needed to commercialize a physical therapy medical device that was developed at Spectrum Health...

Read the Full Article
07

Contact

Let's build something meaningful together

Whether you're navigating a complex technical decision, building a sales engineering team, or bringing a product to market, I'd love to hear about your challenges.