Applications Engineer - Quotations & Customer Solutions

WIDIA; New Albany (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Kennametal is seeking a Solutions & Quotation Specialist in New Albany, IN. The role connects customers with Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing and Operations to evaluate requirements, develop custom engineered solutions, and prepare accurate quotations that are technically feasible and commercially viable.

The candidate will balance technical feasibility, customer expectations, and profitability while supporting continuous improvement across quoting and business processes.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent with 3–5 years in manufacturing, design engineering, estimating, or related field.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specs, and docs.
• Knowledge of machining, welding, fabrication, cladding, or thermal processing.

Responsibilities

• Review RFQs, drawings, specs to determine scope and feasibility.
• Develop technical solutions and conceptual designs for wear-resistant products.
• Create and maintain quotes with cost, lead time, and technical requirements.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain for feasibility and approvals.
• Maintain manufacturing data and documentation in company systems.

Skills

Reading drawings

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Excel

ERP (SAP)

Education

Associate degree

3–5 years manufacturing/engineering experience

Tools

SAP

CAD (NX/Inventor)

Job description

About Kennametal

With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Job Title

Solutions & Quotation Specialist

Location

New Albany, Indiana

Job Summary

The Solutions & Quotation Specialist serves as a critical link between customers, Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Operations within Kennametal's Conforma Clad business. This role is responsible for evaluating customer requirements, developing custom-engineered solutions, preparing accurate quotations, and ensuring proposed solutions are technically feasible, commercially viable, and aligned with customer expectations. The successful candidate combines technical aptitude, manufacturing expertise, commercial awareness, and strong communication skills to convert customer inquiries into profitable business opportunities while supporting continuous improvement across quoting and business processes.

Customer Inquiry & Opportunity Management

• Review customer RFQs, drawings, specifications, and technical requirements to determine project scope and feasibility.
• Assess quote requests for completeness and proactively obtain missing information from customers or internal stakeholders.
• Prioritize quotation opportunities based on complexity, business impact, and available resources.

Technical Solution Development

• Analyze customer applications involving wear, abrasion, erosion, corrosion, and high-temperature service environments to recommend appropriate Conforma Clad solutions.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to develop conceptual designs and manufacturing approaches for custom wear-resistant products and assemblies.
• Participate in design reviews and feasibility assessments to ensure manufacturability and technical compliance.
• Identify technical risks, manufacturing constraints, quality requirements, and approval needs throughout the quotation process.
• Coordinate feasibility reviews with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and external suppliers as necessary.

Costing, Pricing & Commercial Support

• Develop comprehensive quotations that accurately reflect scope, cost, lead time, and technical requirements.
• Generate cost estimates based on materials, labor, manufacturing processes, freight, and outside services.
• Ensure alignment between quoted pricing, pricing models, customer agreements, and margin expectations.
• Review and maintain customer pricing while documenting assumptions, exclusions, risks, and pricing rationale.
• Partner with commercial and pricing teams to support profitable growth opportunities.

Manufacturing Documentation & Process Support

• Collaborate with Operations, Production, Engineering, and suppliers to validate material requirements, labor estimates, lead times, and project-specific needs.
• Support the creation and maintenance of manufacturing data, including BOMs, routings, material masters, and related documentation.
• Maintain accurate records of quotations, pricing information, and customer documentation within company systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as the primary coordination point among Sales, Customer Service, Product Management, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and external suppliers during the quotation process.
• Communicate effectively with customers and internal teams to clarify requirements, resolve issues, and provide status updates.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on quote turnaround time, cost accuracy, workflow efficiency, data quality, and customer responsiveness.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing, documentation, and cross-training initiatives that strengthen organizational capability and business continuity.
• Balance speed, technical feasibility, customer expectations, and profitability when making business decisions.

Qualifications

Required

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and 3 to 5 years of experience in manufacturing, design engineering, estimating, applications engineering, technical sales, or a related field.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Knowledge of machining, welding, fabrication, cladding, thermal processing, or related manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and ERP (SAP) systems.
• Strong customer focus with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred

• Experience developing custom-engineered solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with product costing, quotation management, pricing analysis, or commercial decision support. .
• Experience creating and maintaining BOMs, routings, manufacturing documentation, or product master data.
• Understanding of manufacturing economics, cost drivers, and margin management.
• Project management or cross-functional coordination experience.
• CAD experience using NX, Inventor, or similar software.

Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.