Application Engineer

Enhance Recruiting; Aurora (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Enhance Recruiting in Ohio seeks a highly experienced Applications Engineer for an industrial equipment manufacturer. You will translate complex customer requirements into practical, cost-effective engineered solutions and prepare accurate proposals that align with production and business objectives.

Collaborate with Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Service teams to define equipment concepts, develop designs, assess risks, and deliver handoffs from concept through implementation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Associate degree in Engineering or related discipline.
• 8–15+ years of experience in custom industrial equipment, applications engineering, equipment estimating, engineering, or related environments.
• Extensive knowledge of custom-engineered industrial machinery, equipment design, and system-level engineering principles.
• Demonstrated success developing, designing, estimating, and quoting custom industrial equipment and engineered systems.
• Proven ability to translate customer process requirements, manufacturing specifications, and operational challenges into practical equipment solutions.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with working knowledge of electrical systems, industrial controls, and automated equipment.
• Experience developing detailed equipment estimates involving fabrication, purchased components, engineering labor, installation, and related project costs.
• Proficiency in reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, technical specifications, RFQs, and customer requirements.
• Experience utilizing CAD software for equipment design, technical evaluation, or engineering applications.
• Strong understanding of project scope development, technical risk assessment, cost evaluation, and engineering feasibility.
• Excellent customer-facing communication, technical presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, controls, service, and sales teams.
• Familiarity with industrial thermal systems, vacuum technology, fluid-handling equipment, and automated manufacturing systems a must.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate directly with customers to evaluate manufacturing processes, understand production challenges, and define technical equipment and system requirements.
• Review customer specifications, RFQs, engineering drawings, and technical documentation to develop customized equipment solutions.
• Develop innovative system concepts and custom industrial equipment designs that meet performance, quality, operational, and budgetary requirements.
• Prepare comprehensive technical proposals, project scopes, equipment quotations, and detailed cost estimates for custom-engineered systems.
• Estimate project costs utilizing historical data, comparable equipment designs, vendor quotations, fabrication requirements, and engineering judgment.
• Identify technical risks, project assumptions, exclusions, and potential scope gaps throughout the quotation and proposal development process.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Controls, and Service teams to validate equipment concepts, technical feasibility, project requirements, and costs.
• Provide technical expertise and support to Sales during customer meetings, technical presentations, proposal reviews, and commercial discussions.
• Develop application-specific tooling concepts, including baskets, fixtures, material handling equipment, leak-testing fixtures, and specialized production tooling.
• Manage smaller-scale engineering projects, including tooling and fixture development, from initial concept through successful completion.
• Coordinate comprehensive technical and commercial handoffs of awarded projects to Engineering, ensuring alignment on scope, specifications, budgets, and customer expectations.
• Maintain accurate project costing, quotations, and technical documentation throughout the proposal and project development process.
• Support project engineering activities by serving as a technical resource and maintaining customer engagement throughout project execution.
• Apply sound engineering judgment to deliver reliable, efficient, and cost-effective equipment solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations.

Skills

Customer-facing communication

Project management

Mechanical aptitude

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's or Associate degree in Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

We are seeking a highly experienced Applications Engineer to join a leading industrial equipment manufacturer specializing in custom-engineered systems and vacuum impregnation technology. This position is responsible for developing innovative technical solutions for industrial equipment concepts and preparing accurate technical and commercial proposals that align with customer specifications, production requirements, and business objectives.

This individual will work closely with customers, Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, and other internal teams to translate complex technical requirements into practical, reliable, and cost-effective engineered solutions. Success in this role requires exceptional technical expertise, strong mechanical aptitude, commercial awareness, and the ability to manage projects from initial concept through engineering handoff and implementation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate directly with customers to evaluate manufacturing processes, understand production challenges, and define technical equipment and system requirements.
• Review customer specifications, requests for quotation (RFQs), engineering drawings, and technical documentation to develop customized equipment solutions.
• Develop innovative system concepts and custom industrial equipment designs that meet customer performance, quality, operational, and budgetary requirements.
• Prepare comprehensive technical proposals, project scopes, equipment quotations, and detailed cost estimates for custom-engineered systems.
• Estimate project costs utilizing historical data, comparable equipment designs, vendor quotations, fabrication requirements, and engineering judgment.
• Identify technical risks, project assumptions, exclusions, and potential scope gaps throughout the quotation and proposal development process.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Controls, and Service teams to validate equipment concepts, technical feasibility, project requirements, and associated costs.
• Provide technical expertise and support to Sales during customer meetings, technical presentations, proposal reviews, and commercial discussions.
• Develop application-specific tooling concepts, including baskets, fixtures, material handling equipment, leak-testing fixtures, and specialized production tooling.
• Manage smaller-scale engineering projects, including tooling and fixture development, from initial concept through successful completion.
• Coordinate comprehensive technical and commercial handoffs of awarded projects to Engineering, ensuring alignment on scope, specifications, budgets, and customer expectations.
• Maintain accurate project costing, quotations, and technical documentation throughout the proposal and project development process.
• Support project engineering activities by serving as a technical resource and maintaining customer engagement throughout project execution.
• Apply sound engineering judgment to deliver reliable, efficient, and cost-effective equipment solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's or associate degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline; equivalent relevant industry experience will be considered.
• 8–15+ years of experience in custom industrial equipment, applications engineering, equipment estimating, engineering, or related industrial equipment environments.
• Extensive knowledge of custom-engineered industrial machinery, equipment design, and system-level engineering principles.
• Demonstrated success developing, designing, estimating, and quoting custom industrial equipment and engineered systems.
• Proven ability to translate customer process requirements, manufacturing specifications, and operational challenges into practical equipment solutions.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with working knowledge of electrical systems, industrial controls, and automated equipment.
• Experience developing detailed equipment estimates involving fabrication, purchased components, engineering labor, installation, and related project costs.
• Proficiency in reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, technical specifications, RFQs, and customer requirements.
• Experience utilizing CAD software for equipment design, technical evaluation, or engineering applications.
• Strong understanding of project scope development, technical risk assessment, cost evaluation, and engineering feasibility.
• Excellent customer-facing communication, technical presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, controls, service, and sales teams.
• Familiarity with industrial thermal systems, vacuum technology, fluid-handling equipment, and automated manufacturing systems a must.