Application Engineer

Oerlikon; Huntersville (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan with low premiums

Company 401(k) match

HSA contributions

Dental and Vision insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Generous PTO

Holidays and floaters

Life and disability insurance

Employee Referral Bonus

Job summary

Oerlikon is seeking an Application Engineer for our Huntersville, NC facility to engage with customers and develop advanced metal additive manufacturing solutions. You will own technical opportunities and work with the Commercial Team, Engineering, and Operations to deliver profitable growth across aerospace and other high-tech markets.

You will lead quotations, proposals, and business cases, ensuring customer requirements are translated into actionable plans.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of proven experience in metal additive manufacturing.
• Aerospace and Defense experience preferred.
• Strategic mindset and outcome oriented.
• Self-driven, open and positive mindset.
• Strong analytical, leadership and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel up to ~10%.
• Experience in reading and interpreting specifications, statements of work, and part drawings.
• Experience in ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100 certified facilities.
• In compliance with ITAR-related requirements for U.S. personnel.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with key customers to evaluate metal components for additive manufacturing and develop optimized solutions meeting performance, cost, and production requirements.
• Lead technical engagement with customers to develop detailed quotations, proposals, and business cases.
• Interface with Commercial Team to identify, pursue, and secure new business opportunities.
• Support development and negotiation of quotations, contracts, and customer agreements with relevant stakeholders.
• Understand program profitability and adjust pricing, scope, or terms to achieve objectives.
• Facilitate transition of opportunities to Engineering and Operations with aligned scope, routing and schedule requirements.
• Maintain strong customer relationships during program execution and identify opportunities for additional business.
• Be the voice of the customer within the organization to communicate requirements to internal teams.

Skills

Metal additive manufacturing

Analytical skills

Leadership

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, material science, or closely related discipline

Tools

Job description

We are looking for an Application Engineer for our Huntersville, NC facility. In this role you will be responsible for engaging with new and current customers to develop innovative metal additive manufacturing solutions and preparing technical responses and proposals for new opportunities. This Application Engineer maintains technical ownership of customer opportunities and collaborates closely with Business Development, Program Management, Engineering, and Operations to deliver profitable business growth across the aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and other advanced technology markets.

Your Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with key customers to evaluate metal components for additive manufacturing and develop optimized solutions that meet performance, cost, and production requirements.
• Lead technical engagement with customers to develop detailed quotations, proposals, and business cases for additive manufacturing opportunities.
• Interface directly with the Commercial Team (Business Development, Program Management, Application Engineering, and Customer Service) to identify, pursue, and secure new business opportunities.
• Support the development and negotiation of quotations, proposals, contracts, and customer agreements in coordination with appropriate Oerlikon stakeholders.
• Understand program profitability and work with the Commercial Team to adjust pricing, scope, or commercial terms as needed to achieve business objectives.
• Facilitate the successful transition of customer opportunities to Engineering and Operations by aligning teams on project scope, deliverables, manufacturing strategy, outsourcing requirements, routing, and schedule requirements.
• Maintain strong customer relationships throughout program execution by addressing technical issues, providing ongoing support, and identifying opportunities for additional business.
• Serve as the voice of the customer within the organization, ensuring customer requirements and expectations are effectively communicated to internal stakeholders.
• Report directly to the Head of Commercial

Your Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, material science, or closely related discipline
• 3+ years of proven experience in metal additive manufacturing
• Aerospace and Defense experience preferred
• Strategic mind set and outcome oriented
• Self-driven, open and positive mind set
• Strong analytical skills
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills
• Willingness to travel for customer meetings, conferences and exhibitions (approx. 10%)
• Knowledge of metal additive manufacturing, machining, heat treatment, and inspection
• Experience working in an ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100 certified facility
• Experience in reading and interpreting specifications, statements of work, and part drawings
• Strong customer orientation and experience
• Highly motivated, self-driven, open, and positive mindset
• Able to work with minimal supervision
• In compliance with U.S. Government technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), candidates must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Aside from a dynamic global culture and leading market position, we are proud to offer our employees development opportunities, competitive salary and a robust benefit program ALL available on first day of employment!

We Offer

• Comprehensive medical and prescription drug plan with low premiums, company sponsored HSA contributions and without cumbersome waiting periods to keep you going strong.
• Excellent Dental and Vision coverage.
• Employee Assistance, Financial and Wellness programs to help improve all aspects of your life journey.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with significant company match and financial planning and education options to help you achieve your retirement goals
• Tuition reimbursement and internal education resources to satisfy your love of learning so you can continue to grow with us!
• Generous paid time off to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• 10 observed company holidays and 2 floaters, to occasionally extend your weekends or time off.
• 100% company paid life insurance and disability insurance
• Employee Referral Bonus program because why not to bring your friends to work everyday!

Curiosity thrives at Oerlikon, and creates a dynamic, energetic and exciting environment that incubates innovation and passion to consistently improve what we do every day. This drives value for our customers and other stakeholders and helps us to enhance the performance of our products and services.

About Us

Oerlikon is a global leader in surface technologies and advanced materials. With a unique portfolio spanning surface engineering, high‑performance materials, coating equipment and components, we make products better by enhancing performance, efficiency and sustainability. Oerlikon serves a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, luxury, semiconductors and tooling. Head‑quartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, Oerlikon operates in 38 countries with around 10,000 employees, achieving sales of CHF 1.6 billion in 2025.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Oerlikon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you’d like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please click here: Know Your Rights.

If you are unable to complete an application or respond to a job opening because of a disability, please contact us at [e-mail] or [e-mail]. This contact information is for accessibility requests only and is not intended for inquiries about the status of applications or for third-party vendor/agency requests.

Oerlikon will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Agencies

Oerlikon only accepts agency resumes for positions that have been explicitly approved by HR for third-party support. We work exclusively with our approved vendors who have agreed to Oerlikon’s terms and conditions and have an executed contract in place. Any resumes or profiles submitted to Oerlikon employees for roles not approved and requested by HR will be considered unsolicited, and Oerlikon will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.

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www.oerlikon.com

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