Applications Engineer

SUMMARY
The Applications Engineer is integral to our company’s success, acting as the crucial link between customer requirements and our technical solutions. This role demands a unique combination of engineering expertise, business insight, and exceptional communication skills to develop compelling, technically robust proposals that drive our growth and maintain our competitive edge in the secondary machinery industry.

 IN THIS ROLE, THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL

• Technical Solution Development
  1. Analyze customer specifications to develop tailored machine/process solutions that meet or exceed client expectations.
  2. Engage in creative problem-solving, leveraging a deep understanding of our product capabilities and industry trends to devise innovative solutions.
• Concept Creation
  1. Craft comprehensive concepts that include detailed technical descriptions, proposal drawings, cycle estimates, and simulations.
  2. Ensure proposals accurately represent our capabilities and address customer needs, serving as the foundation for potential projects.
• Cost Analysis and Pricing
  1. Work with Proposal Estimator and Account Manager to compile accurate cost estimates, leveraging historical data and obtaining quotes for specialized components.
  2. Collaborate with the sales team to develop competitive pricing strategies that balance profitability with market competitiveness.
• Writing Specification Requirements
  1. Draft clear and precise specifications for project needs.
  2. Communicate these requirements effectively to third-party vendors to obtain accurate quotes.
• Cross-functional Collaboration
  1. Act as a liaison between sales, engineering, and management teams.
  2. Attend line-up meetings, participate in internal reviews, and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on proposal details.
• Customer Engagement  
  1. Assist Account Manager in presenting proposals to customers, addressing technical queries, and providing clarifications.
  2. Build and maintain strong customer relationships to foster long-term partnerships and repeat business opportunities.
• Project Transition
  1. Attend kickoff meetings and support the execution team in the initial stages of awarded projects.
  2. Ensure a smooth handover of technical information and project requirements to the execution team.
• Continuous Improvement
  1. Stay informed about industry developments, competitor offerings, and emerging technologies.
  2. Continuously enhance our proposal strategies and technical solutions to maintain a competitive edge.
• Maintaining Records
  1. Keep meticulous records of all quotes, feasibility studies, concept drawings, and cost assumptions.
  2. Ensuring information is readily accessible to all stakeholders and appropriately stored for future reference and traceability.
  3. Manage and track multiple revisions of cost updates and assumptions.
• Meeting Deadlines
  1. Balance multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines set by account managers and customers.
  2. Being prepared to pivot thinking and strategies as new information or circumstances arise while maintaining focus and performance under pressure. 
  3. Understanding of the crucial skills of prioritization, developing and working with SMART goals, delegation, process tracking, avoiding procrastination, and work-life balance to effectively meet deadlines, enhance productivity and well-being, and ensure success.
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation
  1. Proactively identify potential issues or discrepancies in customer requirements and proposed concepts.
  2. Propose solutions or alternatives to mitigate risks.
  3. Conduct thorough analysis of all proposal aspects.
• Effective Communication
  1. Convey complex technical and financial information to various stakeholders, including the sales team, management, and potential customers.
  2. Collaborate closely with the sales team to ensure they understand the outputs and can confidently present this information to customers.
  3. Provide updates to management on proposal status and any significant changes or challenges.
  4. Establishing feedback loop mechanisms for solicitating, receiving, and integrating feedback from team members and stakeholders. 
• Analytical Analysis
  1. SWOT Analysis – Ability to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the project and desired outcomes. 
  2. Impact Assessment – Consideration of the broader impact of decisions on the organization as a whole. 
  3. Reflective Practices – Regular review project outcomes and processes to identify areas of focus and areas to highlight lessons learned. 
• Any additional duties assigned by management

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education and/or experience providing the required skills and knowledge for successful job performance will be considered. Typical qualifications would be: 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or similar preferred
• 5 years of direct industry experience in secondary machinery
• Strong mathematical aptitude
• Visual component simulation experience

 
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
None

 
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
The ideal candidate must be a rigorous analytical thinker and problem solver with the following professional attributes: 

• Strong work ethic
• Strong presentation and public speaking
• Excellent Verbal and Written Communication
• Problem solving
• Critical Thinking

 
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 
BENEFITS

• Health and vision plan with employer contributions, beginning the 1^st of the month following hire date
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Healthcare/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Basic Life and AD&D Coverage
• Short and Long-Term Disability Coverage
• 401k Company Match
• Paid Time Off