Applications Engineer

Rite-Hite Company; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Well-being benefits

401(k) + profit sharing

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Rite-Hite is seeking an Applications Engineer to translate customer, sales, and product requirements into designs, calculations, drawings, and BOMs. You will use CAD tools and ERP (JD Edwards) within ETO processes to deliver manufacturable, installable solutions.

You will collaborate with Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Sales, Product Management, and Development Engineering to ensure timely, compliant releases and production readiness. Occasional travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of mechanical design, strength of materials, tolerancing, fabrication, assembly, design for manufacture, and structured problem solving.
• Proficiency with at least one 2D or 3D CAD platform.
• Demonstrated curiosity and learning agility to understand multiple product families, recognize application limits, and coordinate custom design product release with Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality.

Responsibilities

• Review customer specifications, plans, site surveys, codes, order information, and application requirements.
• Identify missing information, product restrictions, technical risks, and required approvals.
• Support Arbon sales representatives, machine integrators, architects, Business Development Managers, Product Managers, and Customer Support.
• Explain product capabilities and limitations, assess application fit, interpret plans and specifications, create layouts and concepts to define ETO requirements.
• Develop new or revised designs using established engineering principles, calculations, materials, components, tolerances, and product guidelines while considering safety, quality, cost, availability, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Create and revise 2D drawings, 3D models, layouts, approval drawings, installation information, and manufacturing documentation.
• Use SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Revit, or other platform and translate data between platforms when required.
• Create and maintain bills of material and engineering data for new or revised JD Edwards items.
• Verify descriptions, quantities, effectivity, and revisions with responsible business functions.
• Follow the ETO order process, including requirements and risk review, design review, drawing and bill-of-material readiness, PDM approval, MRP data readiness, quality requirements, and release authorization.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Operations, and Manufacturing Engineering to address materials, tooling, cost, lead time, sourcing risk, fabrication, assembly, work instructions, inspection, packaging, installation, and production readiness.
• Support prototypes, pilots, and ETO production. Resolve design, supplier, manufacturing, quality, and installation issues through documented changes and controlled re-release.
• Estimate product cost and engineering effort and communicate assumptions, exclusions, technical risk, and lead‑time impacts.
• Escalate work beyond established authority to Development Engineering, Sustaining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Testing Services, Advanced Technology, or Product Support.
• Participate in design, supply chain readiness, production, testing, and continuous‑improvement reviews.
• Maintain traceable requirements, decisions, correspondence, calculations, drawings, costs, approvals, and change records.
• Travel to jobsites, suppliers, manufacturing locations, or customers may be required, including occasional overnight travel, up to 10%.

Skills

Mechanical design knowledge

Problem solving

Coordination with cross-functional

Engineering analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Revit

JD Edwards

Salesforce

Microsoft 365

Job description

At Rite-Hite, your work makes an impact. As the global leader in loading dock and door equipment, we design and deliver solutions that keep our customers safe, secure, and productive. Here, you'll find innovation, stability, and the chance to grow your career as part of a team that's always looking ahead.

PURPOSE:

Translate customer, sales, and product requirements into application designs, calculations, drawings, bills of material, costs, and controlled releases. Use CAD, Product Data Management (PDM), and the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, currently JD Edwards, throughout ETO application review, release, and production support. Build working knowledge of Rite-Hite Doors, Barriers, Machine Guarding, DuctSox, Zoneworks, and Fan product features, options, applications, interfaces, and limitations. Coordinate with Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Sales, Product Management, and Development Engineering to deliver manufacturable, supportable, and properly installed solutions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Review customer specifications, plans, site surveys, codes, order information, and application requirements. Identify missing information, product restrictions, technical risks, and required approvals.
• Support Arbon sales representatives, machine integrators, architects, Business Development Managers, Product Managers, and Customer Support. Explain product capabilities and limitations, assess application fit, interpret plans and specifications, create layouts and concepts to define ETO requirements.
• Develop new or revised designs using established engineering principles, calculations, materials, components, tolerances, and product guidelines while considering safety, quality, cost, availability, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Create and revise 2D drawings, 3D models, layouts, approval drawings, installation information, and manufacturing documentation. Use the appropriate SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Revit, or other product-specific platform and translate data between platforms when required.
• Create and maintain bills of material and engineering data for new or revised JD Edwards items. Verify descriptions, quantities, effectivity, and revisions with responsible business functions.
• Follow the ETO order process, including requirements and risk review, design review, drawing and bill-of-material readiness, PDM approval, MRP data readiness, quality requirements, and release authorization.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Operations, and Manufacturing Engineering to address materials, supplier capability, tooling, cost, lead time, sourcing risk, fabrication, assembly, work instructions, inspection, packaging, installation, and production readiness.
• Support prototypes, pilots, and ETO production. Resolve design, supplier, manufacturing, quality, and installation issues through documented changes and controlled re-release.
• Estimate product cost and engineering effort and communicate assumptions, exclusions, technical risk, and lead‑time impacts.
• Escalate work beyond established authority to Development Engineering, Sustaining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Testing Services, Advanced Technology, or Product Support. Participate in design, supply chain readieness, production, testing, and continuous‑improvement reviews.
• Maintain traceable requirements, decisions, correspondence, calculations, drawings, costs, approvals, and change records. Travel to jobsites, suppliers, manufacturing locations, or customers may be required, including occasional overnight travel, up to 10%.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Provide timely, accurate technical application support and complete release packages that can be procured, manufactured, inspected, installed, and supported.
• Protect design integrity and corporate knowledge through controlled PDM records and alignment of released product data with JD Edwards.
• Reduce cost, rework, lead time, and corporate risk through complete requirements, early cross‑functional involvement, design reuse, documented limitations, and disciplined release and change practices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of mechanical design, strength of materials, tolerancing, fabrication, assembly, design for manufacture, and structured problem solving.
• Proficiency with at least one 2D or 3D CAD platform.
• Demonstrated curiosity and learning agility to understand multiple product families, recognize application limits, and coordinate custom design product release with Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two or more years of applications engineering, mechanical design, manufacturing engineering, or product‑release experience.
• Experience with industrial products, fabricated assemblies, or electromechanical equipment.
• Experience with SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Revit, or other product‑specific CAD platforms; PDM workflows; ERP systems, including JD Edwards; Salesforce; and Microsoft 365.

What We Offer

At Rite-Hite, we take care of our people - because when you're supported, you can do your best work. Our benefits are designed to support your health, your future and your life outside of work:

• Health & Well-being: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus life and disability insurance. A robust well‑being program with an opportunity to receive an extra day off and more.

• Financial Security: A strong retirement savings program with 401(k), company match, and profit sharing.

• Time for You: Paid holidays, vacation time, and personal/sick days each year.

Join us and build a career where you're supported - at work and beyond.

Rite‑Hite is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. In accordance with VEVRAA, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for protected veterans. We are also committed to maintaining a drug‑free workplace for the safety of our employees and customers.