Application Specialist II - Service

Calderys; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

HarbisonWalker International seeks a Service Application Specialist II to promote refractory products, assist with product selection, and support sales activities. You will collaborate with our engineering team to solve customer problems and deliver practical solutions across projects.

The role emphasizes technical expertise, data analysis, and cross‑functional teamwork, with responsibilities spanning field installations, trials, and customer training.

Qualifications

• Requires 2–4 years of refractory application experience.
• Knowledge of refractory products, installation methods, and construction skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite with advanced Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills; ability to communicate across all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support for customers, quotations, training, complaint investigations, and R&D collaborations.
• Analyze application needs and propose/modify lining designs and installation methods.
• Offer strategic customer sales and technical support.
• Prepare detailed trial reports as requested.
• Collect operational data to assess correct product quality.
• Observe trials from installation through postmortem and ensure proper closure.
• Install and troubleshoot field equipment and train customers and staff.

Skills

Engineering knowledge

Refractory products

Customer communication

Team collaboration

Analytical thinking

Project management

Education

B.S. degree in Engineering or related field

6+ years experience in lieu of degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel (advanced)

PowerPoint

Job description

Summary

The Service Application Specialist II promotes the use of HarbisonWalker International refractory products and uses their technical knowledge of refractory products to support commercial activities including product marketing, support for product selection and use, and sales activities. This role should also begin working with HarbisonWalker Internationals engineering team to solve problems and provide solutions to customers, internal and external.

Responsibilities

• Leveraging deep subject matter expertise for providing technical support for customer assistance, customer quotations, internal and external training, complaint investigation, failure analysis and collaboration on research and development activities, including new product development concepts and projects
• Performing analysis of application needs and proposing, altering, or refining/defining lining designs and installation methods in support of customer balancing business needs
• Offering strategic customer sales and technical support
• Preparing detailed trial reports when requested
• Collecting operational data for analysis to determine the correct quality of refractory products
• Observing trials from installation through postmortem to prevent untimely removal of installed refractory materials
• Installing and troubleshooting equipment in the field including training of both customers and HarbisonWalker International employees

Requirements

• B.S. degree in Engineering, Ceramics, Metallurgy, Chemical, Materials Science or related field preferred, or in place of a degree, six plus (6+) years of relevant experience
• Requires two (2) - four (4) years of experience in refractory application
• Requires knowledge of refractory products, installation methods, construction skills and customer applications
• Requires computer operation skills including, proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and advanced excel and PowerPoint expertise
• Requires excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, including presentation planning and delivery skills; ability to communicate across all levels of the organization
• Requires the ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Requires strong analytical, strategic thinking and business problem solving skills
• Requires project management skills and the ability to coordinate multi-department projects

Physical and Environmental Requirements

• Physical Activity: Requires more than 2/3 of time sitting, talking or hearing; and less than 1/3 of time standing, walking, climbing/balancing, stooping/kneeling/crouching/crawling, reaching and using hands and fingers and tasting/smelling.
• Lifting: Requires lifting up to 50 pounds less than 1/3 of time.
• Vision: Requires accurate close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.
• Environment: Requires more than 2/3 of time in an office setting; and less than 1/3 of time working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposed to outdoor weather, wet/humid conditions, extreme heat, fumes or airborne particles, toxic/caustic chemicals, and/or vibration.
• Noise: Requires exposure to moderate noise; and less 1/3 of time working in loud environments.
• Travel: Requires approximately 35% travel (primarily domestic, occasional international opportunity)