Manager - Product Application Engineer - L1 Technical Support (East Zone)

Schneider Electric; Kolkata District; On-site; INR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Schneider Electric in Kolkata seeks a Manager - Product Application Engineer (L1) to provide pre-sales and application support for industrial automation products including VFDs, Soft Starters, PLCs, HMIs, and related solutions. You will engage channel partners, sales teams, and customers regionally to ensure timely guidance and solutions.

The role includes training, technical enablement, and advanced support with escalation management, coordinating with service teams and product management to

Qualifications

• BE / B.Tech or Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Mechatronics, or Industrial Automation.
• Min 2 to 6 years of experience in Industrial Automation, Drives, Motion Control, PLC, or related fields.
• Experience supporting OEMs, System Integrators, EPCs, or Industrial End Users preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide pre-sales technical support including product selection and sizing for automation solutions.
• Review customer inquiries, specifications, BOQs, and application requirements.
• Coordinate with service teams to resolve field problems and ensure timely resolutions.
• Conduct product demonstrations and proof-of-concept presentations.
• Assist sales and channel partners in preparing technically compliant proposals.
• Support troubleshooting of VFD, Soft Starter, PLC/HMI, industrial networks, and SCADA systems.

Skills

VFDs & Soft Starters

PLC Programming

HMI/SCADA

Industrial Ethernet & Fieldbus

Automation System Troubleshooting

Electrical Drawings

Application Engineering

Industrial Networks

Motor Control

Education

BE / B.Tech or Diploma in Electrical/ Electronics/ Instrumentation/ Mechatronics/ Industrial Automation

Job description

Position: Manager - Product Application Engineer - L1 Technical Support (East Zone)

Location: Kolkata
Reporting To: Regional Sales Manager

Position Summary

The L1 Technical Support Engineer will provide pre-sales and application support for Industrial Automation products including Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), Soft Starters, PLCs, HMIs, Industrial Communication, and related automation solutions. The role will serve as the first level of technical expertise for channel partners, sales teams, and customers across the South Zone, ensuring timely support, product selection guidance, application development assistance, and effective customer engagement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Pre-Sales Technical Support

• Provide technical compliance evaluation against customer specifications and tender requirements.
• Support product selection and sizing for automation solutions.
• Review customer inquiries, specifications, BOQs, and application requirements.
• Prepare technical comparisons against competitor offerings.
• Conduct product demonstrations and proof-of-concept presentations.
• Assist sales and channel partners in preparing technically compliant proposals.
• Support technical discussions with consultants, OEMs, system integrators, EPCs, and end users.

1. Training & Technical Enablement

• Conduct regular product and application training programs for:
  • Authorized Channel Partners
  • System Integrators
  • Sales Teams
  • Application Engineers
• Develop training materials, presentations, and application notes.
• Organize hands‑on workshops and demonstration sessions.
• Drive technical competency enhancement programs across the region.
• Ensure channels remain updated on new product launches and feature enhancements.
• Advanced Technical Support & Escalation Management

• Act as first‑line technical support for complex application issues.
• Coordinate with service teams to resolve chronic and recurring field problems.
• Analyze root causes of technical issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Support troubleshooting of:
  • VFD applications
  • Soft Starter applications
  • PLC/HMI systems
  • Industrial communication networks
  • SCADA systems
• Interface with product management teams for unresolved cases.
• Maintain records of technical cases, solutions, and learnings.

• Support channel partners and system integrators in application development.
• Assist in software configuration, commissioning logic, and application programming.
• Support proof‑of‑concept testing and validation.
• Share best practices and application know‑how with customers and channels.

Key Deliverables (KPIs)

• Technical inquiry response time.
• Number of technical trainings conducted.
• Channel competency development index.
• Pre‑sales support conversion rate.
• First‑time resolution percentage.
• Reduction in recurring service escalations.
• Number of application support cases closed.
• Customer and channel satisfaction ratings.
• Technical support coverage across South Zone.

Required Qualifications

Education

• BE / B.Tech or Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Mechatronics, or Industrial Automation.

Experience

• Min 2 to 6 years of experience in Industrial Automation, Drives, Motion Control, PLC, or related fields.
• Experience supporting OEMs, System Integrators, EPCs, or Industrial End Users preferred.

Technical Skills

• VFDs and Soft Starters
• PLC Programming
• HMI/SCADA Systems
• Industrial Ethernet & Fieldbus Communication
• Motor Control Applications
• Industrial Networks
• Application Engineering
• Electrical Drawings & Schematics
• Automation System Troubleshooting

Preferred Knowledge

• Water & Wastewater
• HVAC
• Material Handling
• Process Industries
• Food & Beverage
• Metals & Mining
• Cement
• General Manufacturing

Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Customer‑oriented approach
• Effective presentation and training skills
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
• Technical documentation and report writing
• Team collaboration and stakeholder management

This role is ideal for engineers passionate about automation technology, customer engagement, technical problem-solving, and application development.

What's in it for me?

• Be part of meaningful work that drives energy transition and digital transformation
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including sales, engineering, and product experts
• Grow your technical expertise through training, certifications, and hands‑on experience
• Join a culture that values innovation, customer partnership, and continuous improvement

Rewards designed for you

• Be part of meaningful work that drives energy transition and digital transformation
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including sales, engineering, and product experts
• Grow your technical expertise through training, certifications, and hands‑on experience
• Join a culture that values innovation, customer partnership, and continuous improvement

€40 billion global revenue
+9% organic growth
150 000+ employees in 100+ countries

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