Senior Manager, Applications Engineering & Motors

Niron Magnetics; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k plan with company match

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

Job summary

Niron Magnetics in Minneapolis, MN is seeking a Senior Manager, Applications Engineering to lead the team that designs applications with Iron Nitride magnets and to secure customer commitments. This senior, player-coach role sets strategy, guides technical direction, and drives cross-functional alignment with Business Development.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in applications engineering or related fields, strong leadership experience, and a deep understanding of motors and magnetic

Qualifications

• 10+ years in applications engineering, electric machine design, or customer-facing leadership roles.
• Experience building, leading, and developing high-performing technical teams; hiring senior technical talent preferred.
• Direct experience in the magnetic materials and/or motor industries is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define applications-led market segmentation, positioning, and value propositions that translate material advantages into device-level performance and customer ROI.
• Prioritize applications and customer engagements based on technical readiness, development effort, and time-to-revenue.
• Establish standard application frameworks, reference designs, and design rules that accelerate customer adoption.
• Partner with Business Development to convert technical engagement into design wins, LOIs, and long-term supply commitments.
• Lead team responsible for internal technical expertise on motors and other devices using magnetic materials; recruit, develop, and mentor Applications Engineers.

Skills

Applications engineering

Electric machine design

Technical leadership

Customer-facing

Strategic planning

Travel 10-20%

Education

Advanced technical degree

Job description

Senior Manager, Applications Engineering & Motors

About Niron

Niron Magnetics is commercializing the first new magnetic material in decades powered by its breakthrough material formulation and advanced manufacturing process. The company’s proprietary magnet technology based on Iron Nitride enables magnets that are inherently high magnetization, free of rare earths and other critical materials, and solve supply chain reliability challenges, will drive innovation in various industries. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Niron Magnetics is comprised of a team of professionals with a desire to make a positive impact on the global community. We were named one of "America's Top GreenTech Companies" for 2024 and 2025 by TIME Magazine and the "Innovation of the Year" at the 2025 mHUB Fourth Revolution Awards.

Our team is made up of people who think big, dare to innovate, and strive to impact the planet through technological innovation for our customers. Ready to work alongside amazing people, solve complex problems, and leave a legacy? Join our team.

What you'll do

Niron Magnetics is seeking a Senior Manager, Applications Engineering. The position will initially report to the Senior Director of Commercial and will be responsible for leading Niron’s Applications Engineering team to unlock new end markets and enable a highly technical business development process. This individual will play a pivotal role in building an Applications team to design applications with Niron’s magnets to secure customer commitments. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in the magnetic materials and / or motors industries and is energized by early-stage, high-growth environments.
This is a senior, player-coach role responsible for setting applications strategy and ensuring successful execution through a small, highly technical team. While this role is not expected to personally design every motor, it is expected to provide deep technical direction, unblock complex design challenges, and represent Niron as a trusted technical authority to customers.

Develop and Execute Applications Engineering Plan

• Define applications‑led market segmentation, positioning, and value propositions that translate material advantages into device‑level performance and customer ROI.
• Prioritize applications and customer engagements based on technical readiness, development effort, and time‑to‑revenue.
• Establish standard application frameworks, reference designs, and design rules that accelerate customer adoption.

Drive Commercial Outcomes

• Partner with Business Development to convert technical engagement into design wins, LOIs, and long‑term supply commitments.
• Influence customer qualification, design‑in, and commercialization timelines through technical leadership.
• Help shape customer‑specific business cases by articulating performance, cost, and sustainability advantages of Iron Nitride magnets.

Lead Applications Engineering Team

• Lead team responsible for Niron’s internal technical expertise on motors and other devices that make use of magnetic materials.
• Have oversight of projects to design, build, and validate electric machines that deliver the most competitive device performance using Iron Nitride magnets.
• Coordinate activities of Applications Engineers supporting Business Development with Iron Nitride design best practices and customer design support.
• Recruit, develop, and mentor Applications Engineers; build the team and capability required to support Niron’s scale‑up.
• Establish clear technical standards, project prioritization, and performance expectations across the team.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Alignment

• Interface closely with Business Development & Marketing to engage & secure accounts.
• Interface with R&D, Manufacturing, to design motors based on customer specs in close coordination.
• Serve as a voice‑of‑customer in internal roadmap planning and investment prioritization.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in applications engineering, electric machine design, technical strategy, or customer‑facing technical leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience building, leading, and developing high‑performing technical teams; experience hiring senior technical talent preferred.
• Direct experience in the magnetic materials and / or motor industries (preferred).
• Strong understanding of how magnetic materials impact end-product design and performance.
• Proven ability to set go-to-market strategy and define compelling value propositions for new materials then successfully designed into products.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational and analytical capabilities; able to synthesize feedback and prioritize efforts.
• Familiarity with CRM tools and sales operations best practices.
• Comfortable with travel (10-20%) to engage customers and attend industry events.

Nice to Have

• Advanced technical degree.
• Experience helping build or scale a business development function in a startup or emerging technology company.
• Passion for clean tech, deep tech, or sustainable materials innovation.

Our pay and benefits

• Equity position in Niron via stock option grant
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401k plan with company match
• Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Experience in a fun, high-performing, manufacturing environment