Application Engineer

ESP Enterprises Inc.; Allen (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

ESP Enterprises Inc. seeks an Applications Engineer to join its engineering and technical sales team, focusing on harsh-environment fiber optic connectivity for military, telecom, and industrial applications.

You will translate customer requirements into manufacturable solutions, and collaborate with Sales, Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Engineering, and Operations to support proposals, test plans, and prototypes. The role demands strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Direct interaction with customers and support RFQs/RFIs.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Experience developing or reviewing bills of material.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical point of contact for customers and provide application support throughout the sales and product development process.
• Review customer requirements and communicate technical needs to internal teams.
• Respond to RFQ/RFI.
• Develop detailed bills of materials and product configurations.
• Assist with technical proposals, specifications, datasheets, test plans, and presentations.
• Demonstrate prototypes and completed solutions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Ensure designs meet performance, quality, and manufacturability requirements.
• Support product validation and testing (insertion loss, return loss, OTDR).
• Interpret test results and communicate findings to customers and teams.
• Track feedback and trends to identify product improvements and new solutions.
• Stay current with fiber optic technology and application engineering.

Skills

Customer interaction

RFQ/RFI experience

BOM experience

Reading drawings

Analytical skills

Project management

MS Office (Excel/PowerPoint)

CRM/PLM experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Optical/Industrial Engineering or related field

Tools

CRM

PLM

Job description

Our client is looking for an Applications Engineer to join its growing engineering and technical sales team. In this role, you will serve as a key technical resource for customers while helping develop harsh-environment fiber optic connectivity solutions for military, telecommunications, and industrial applications.

You will work closely with Sales, Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Engineering, and Operations to translate customer requirements into practical, manufacturable solutions.

What You'll Do

• Serve as a technical point of contact for customers and provide application support throughout the sales and product development process.
• Review customer requirements and communicate technical needs to internal engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Respond to technical Requests for Quote and Requests for Information.
• Develop detailed bills of material and product configurations for fiber optic cable assemblies and harnesses.
• Assist with technical proposals, specifications, datasheets, test plans, assembly instructions, and presentations.
• Demonstrate prototypes and completed solutions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Work with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure designs meet performance, quality, and manufacturability requirements.
• Support product validation and testing, including insertion loss, return loss, and Optical Time Domain Reflectometer testing.
• Interpret test results and communicate technical findings to customers and internal teams.
• Track customer feedback and application trends to identify opportunities for product improvements and new solutions.
• Stay current with developments in fiber optic technology and application engineering.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline preferred. Equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Approximately 3 to 5 years of experience in applications engineering, product engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality engineering, fiber optics, interconnects, or a related technical field.
• Experience working directly with customers and supporting RFQs or RFIs.
• Experience developing or reviewing bills of material.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to make sound technical decisions when requirements are not fully defined.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and customer requirements simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience with CRM or PLM systems is a plus.
• You must meet applicable U.S. person requirements associated with ITAR-regulated work.