Application Engineer

Sotalent; King of Prussia (PA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sotalent in King of Prussia, PA, is seeking an Application Engineer / Technical Program Manager to blend engineering know-how with customer-focused program leadership. You will manage technically complex customer projects across the product lifecycle, from discovery to production, within precision motion control and electromechanical systems.

The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background, hands-on experience with customer-facing projects, and the ability to coordinate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics engineering.
• 3–5+ years in application engineering or customer-facing technical roles.
• Experience collaborating with customers to develop technical solutions.
• Strong technical communication and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and timelines.
• Willingness to travel 15–20%, including international travel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary technical liaison for customers across lifecycle.
• Translate requirements into detailed specifications for internal teams.
• Develop technical solutions and guide product development and testing.
• Manage customer-focused engineering programs from concept to production.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and sales.
• Build strong relationships and provide ongoing technical support.

Skills

Engineering

Customer facing

Technical problem-solving

Communication

Project management

Stakeholder mgmt

Customer relationships

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Electrical/Mechatronics engineering

Job description

Location: King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States

Industry: Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution

Work Setting: Hybrid

Are you passionate about engineering innovation, customer engagement, and developing advanced technical solutions? We are looking for a technically skilled and customer-focused Application Engineer / Technical Program Manager who can combine engineering knowledge, solution development, and project management expertise to deliver customized solutions throughout the entire product lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background, experience managing customer-facing technical projects, and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to drive complex product development initiatives. This role provides an opportunity to work on precision-engineered products, electromechanical systems, and advanced motion control technologies serving critical and highly regulated industries.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Engagement & Technical Solution Development

• Serve as the primary technical liaison for customers throughout the sales, engineering, development, and product delivery lifecycle.
• Understand customer requirements, application needs, technical challenges, performance expectations, and project objectives.
• Recommend standard, customized, or modified engineering solutions based on application requirements and business needs.
• Convert customer expectations into detailed technical specifications and communicate requirements effectively to internal engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Provide technical guidance and support during product development, evaluation, and implementation stages.

Application Engineering & Product Development

• Conduct application assessments, technical evaluations, product sizing, feasibility studies, and performance validation.
• Apply engineering knowledge of electric motors, gear systems, electromechanical components, and motion control technologies to develop effective solutions.
• Support the design and development of customized engineering products for aerospace, defense, healthcare, and industrial applications.
• Develop strong product knowledge and provide technical expertise on precision engineering solutions and related product technologies.
• Participate in product testing, design evaluations, technical assessments, and qualification activities.

Program & Project Management

• Manage customer-focused engineering programs from initial concept and prototyping through product qualification, testing, and production implementation.
• Coordinate project activities across engineering, manufacturing, quality, operations, and commercial teams.
• Monitor project schedules, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and potential risks to ensure timely execution.
• Manage multiple development programs simultaneously, maintaining regular communication with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Support long-term engineering initiatives involving extended development timelines and continuous technical collaboration.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with sales, business development, engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams to develop and deliver customer-specific solutions.
• Ensure effective communication between customers and internal technical teams regarding product specifications, project schedules, and development requirements.
• Coordinate technical discussions, design reviews, customer meetings, and product introduction activities.
• Facilitate alignment across teams to resolve technical challenges and maintain project progress.

Customer Relationship Management

• Establish and maintain strong professional relationships with customer engineering, procurement, and program management teams.
• Conduct customer visits, technical presentations, product demonstrations, and project review meetings.
• Provide continuous technical assistance and support throughout the product development and production lifecycle.
• Identify opportunities for new business, product enhancements, additional applications, and long-term customer partnerships.

Market Research & Product Insights

• Gather customer feedback, industry developments, and market intelligence to identify emerging technologies and application opportunities.
• Analyze customer requirements and competitive trends to support product innovation and business growth.
• Share market insights with internal teams to contribute to product development strategies and future business initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Engineering Expertise: Strong technical foundation in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related engineering disciplines.
• Customer-Facing Experience: Proven ability to work directly with customers, understand technical requirements, and deliver effective engineering solutions.
• Technical Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to evaluate complex applications and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Project Management: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple engineering projects, customer commitments, schedules, and competing priorities.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to coordinate effectively with cross-functional teams and build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Customer Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish long-term partnerships with customers.
• Adaptability: Comfortable working on complex technical programs with extended development cycles and evolving customer requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline.
• 3–5+ years of relevant experience in Application Engineering, Sales Engineering, Systems Engineering, Product Engineering, or similar customer-facing technical roles.
• Experience collaborating directly with customers to understand requirements and develop technical solutions.
• Strong technical communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects, timelines, and customer deliverables.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 15–20%, including occasional international travel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with electric motors, precision motion control systems, gearboxes, electromechanical products, or related engineering technologies.
• Industry experience in aerospace, defense, aviation, military, medical, or other highly regulated sectors.
• Familiarity with aerospace engineering programs, product qualification standards, testing procedures, and extended product development cycles.
• Experience developing and supporting customized or application-specific engineering solutions.
• Exposure to cross-functional engineering project coordination and New Product Introduction (NPI) processes.
• Knowledge of industry compliance frameworks, including ITAR, DFARS, and other aerospace and defense regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work in the United States without requiring employer sponsorship for employment authorization.