Manager, Application Engineering

Fortive; Boxborough (MA); Hybrid; USD 101,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortive in Boxborough, MA seeks a Manager, Application Engineering to lead a team of application engineers and technical support, delivering world-class technical expertise and customer solutions across the product portfolio.

You will bridge customers, Sales, Product Management, Engineering, and Operations to ensure an exceptional experience while driving continuous improvements in support processes and capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, CS or related technical field.
• 7+ years in Applications Engineering, Technical Support, Product/Systems Engineering, or related.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and customer-facing presentation abilities.
• Hybrid role: 50% in‑office in Boxborough, MA; travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Application Engineers and Technical Support professionals.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Engineering, Quality, and Operations to solve customer challenges and drive growth.
• Ensure timely, accurate, high-quality responses to technical inquiries and support requests; manage escalations.
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective actions for recurring issues; monitor backlog and customer satisfaction metrics.
• Provide technical leadership and align the team with product roadmaps and regulatory standards.

Skills

People leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Customer-facing

Technical leadership

Travel up to 20%

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/physics/CS

Tools

CRM

Case management systems

Knowledge management systems

Job description

Boxborough, MA, United StatesPosition Title: Manager, Application EngineeringPosition SummaryThe Manager of Application Engineering leads a team of Application Engineers and Technical Support professionals responsible for delivering world-class technical support, application expertise, and customer solutions across the product portfolio. This role serves as the bridge between customers, Sales, Product Management, Engineering, and Operations to ensure exceptional customer experience while driving continuous improvement in technical support processes and capabilities.The Manager of Application Engineering develops technical talent, establishes best practices, drives resolution of complex customer challenges, and ensures alignment of the application engineering function with the company's strategic objectives. The role combines people leadership, customer advocacy, technical expertise, and operational excellence.Essential Responsibilities:Team Leadership & DevelopmentLead, coach, and develop a team of Application Engineers and Technical Support professionals. Establish team priorities, workload management, and performance expectations.Mentor and develop team’s technical depth, customer-facing capability, and future leadership potential.Foster a culture of continuous improvement, growth, and accountability to customers and peers.Identify skill gaps and implement development plans for the team.Implement industry best practices for application engineering and technical support operations.Commercial Support & Escalation ManagementCollaborate with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Engineering, Quality, and Operations to solve customer challenges and support business growth.Support sales in understanding and offering solutions for customer needs. Drive the team’s active participation in the sales process.Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality responses to customer technical inquiries and support requests.Maintain strong on-time delivery and service-level performance for technical case resolution. Ensure complex technical escalations are handled effectively.Maintain ongoing business processes, including monitoring and managing case backlog, response times, and customer satisfaction metrics.Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for recurring customer issues.Technical LeadershipBuild strong familiarity with our products and applications to ensure the team is maintaining technical authority for customer applications, product capabilities, and system-level solutions as well as industry regulations and standards.Partner closely with Engineering and Product Management to communicate customer needs, market trends, and product improvement opportunities.Serve as an internal consultant across functions for technical and application-related matters.Provide customer-driven insights that inform product roadmap and innovation efforts.Qualifications:RequiredBachelor’s degree in engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.7+ years of experience in Applications Engineering, Technical Support, Product Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical functions.3+ years of people leadership experience.Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.Excellent communication and customer-facing presentation abilities.Experience leading technical teams in manufacturing, instrumentation, industrial technology, or related environment.Must live reasonable commuting distance from our Boxborough, MA office. Role is hybrid, requiring 50% of time in-office.Ability to travel up to 20%PreferredExperience supporting global customers and cross-functional organizations.Experience directly supporting sales & marketing efforts.Knowledge of process instrumentation, sensors, controls, automation, or industrial technologies.Experience working with CRM, case management, and knowledge management systems.Demonstrated success leading technical support transformation or continuous improvement initiatives.LI-JW2Ralliant Corporation OverviewRalliant, originally part of Fortive, now stands as a bold, independent public company driving innovation at the forefront of precision technology. With a global footprint and a legacy of excellence, we empower engineers to bring next-generation breakthroughs to life — faster, smarter, and more reliably. Our high-performance instruments, sensors, and subsystems fuel mission-critical advancements across industries, enabling real-world impact where it matters most. At Ralliant we're building the future, together with those driven to push boundaries, solve complex problems, and leave a lasting mark on the world.About Gems SetraGems Setra is a leading global supplier of sensing and monitoring technologies, operating within the Precision Technologies platform of Ralliant Corporation. Through our comprehensive portfolio of premium sensing products, we deliver solutions to customer problems and challenges. As two Fortive businesses merged in 2022, Gems Setra's vision is to connect our customers to their environment to create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. Gems Sensors product offerings include a range of products that encompass liquid level, flow, and pressure sensors, miniature solenoid valves, proximity switches, and integrated fluid management solutions. The Setra Systems product line offers an extensive selection of high-quality sensing instruments for humidity, current, vacuum, energy, and pressure measurements. At the heart of our combined company's mission lies a shared dedication between Gems Sensors and Setra Systems to deliver high-quality sensing solutions, backed by reliable customer support on a global scale. As a part of Ralliant, we embrace a culture of innovation, driving progress and empowering advancements in the industries and customers we serve.We Are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Ralliant Corporation and all Ralliant Companies are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other characteristics protected by law. Ralliant and all Ralliant Companies are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Individuals who need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment application process, please contact us at [e-mail] or EquityThis position is also eligible for bonus as part of the total compensation package.Pay RangeThe salary range for this position (in local currency) is 100870.00-187110.00