Sr. Applications Engineer

Nextpower; San Rafael (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care coverage

Dental and vision

401(K) with company matching

Paid holidays

Bonuses

Stock compensation

Job summary

Nextpower is seeking a Sr Applications Engineer to transition new construction equipment from prototype to field-ready products. The role combines hands‑on mechanical work, field installation, commissioning, testing, and practical product improvements.

You will work with mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, service, field operations, suppliers, customers, and technical publications teams to ensure robust, installable equipment and clear documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or 12 years of hands‑on experience without a degree.
• 8 years of hands‑on experience with heavy equipment/industrial machinery.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair skills.
• Experience with hydraulics, power transmission, structural assemblies, bearings, cylinders, fasteners, and mobile equipment.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, hydraulic/electrical schematics, and equipment manuals.
• Ability to install, modify, test, and troubleshoot prototype equipment.
• Willingness to travel up to 20 weeks per year and meet physical demands of field work.

Responsibilities

• Review equipment designs for serviceability, installation practicality, safety, and field performance.
• Participate in design reviews and provide practical recommendations.
• Inspect prototypes and identify issues across mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and controls systems.
• Install, assemble, modify, and commission prototype construction equipment.
• Develop design improvements to increase reliability, maintainability, safety, performance, and ease of installation.
• Perform field installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and validation testing of prototypes.
• Operate and test equipment under field conditions.
• Travel to sites, suppliers, and customer locations to support testing and installation.
• Document procedures, results, issues, and recommended changes for field use.
• Contribute to technical publications and training materials.

Skills

Hands-on

Mechanical troubleshooting

Field installation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or 12 years hands-on experience

Tools

Hydraulics tools

Diesel engines knowledge

Job description

Job Description:

Sr Applications Engineer

Construction Equipment

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly hands-on Sr. Applications Engineer to support the transition of newly designed construction equipment from engineering prototypes to reliable, field-ready products.

This role combines mechanical expertise, prototype installation, field validation, equipment operation, troubleshooting, and cross-functional collaboration. The position is primarily focused on hands‑on prototype development, field installation, commissioning, testing, and practical product improvement. The successful candidate will work closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, service, field operations, suppliers, customers, and technical publications teams.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working with heavy construction equipment in demanding field environments and can move effectively between hands‑on mechanical work in the field and technical collaboration in an office setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Review new equipment designs for serviceability, installation practicality, safety, and field performance.
• Participate in design reviews and provide practical recommendations based on hands‑on experience.
• Inspect newly built prototypes and identify mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, controls, and assembly issues.
• Install, assemble, modify, and commission prototype construction equipment.
• Develop and recommend design improvements to increase reliability, maintainability, safety, performance, and ease of installation.
• Perform field installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and validation testing of improved prototypes.
• Operate construction equipment and support testing under realistic job‑site conditions.
• Drive trucks and tow equipment or trailers as required for prototype installation and field testing.
• Work directly with mechanics, operators, field technicians, project personnel, suppliers, and customers to understand equipment performance and usability.
• Document installation procedures, test results, design issues, recommended changes, and lessons learned.
• Help establish installation, inspection, maintenance, troubleshooting, and operating procedures.
• Provide subject matter expertise to the technical publications team in the development of user manuals, installation manuals, service manuals, troubleshooting guides, and other product documentation.
• Review technical publications for accuracy, clarity, practicality, and alignment with actual equipment behavior.
• Assist with photographs, illustrations, measurements, field procedures, and step‑by‑step instructions used in technical documentation.
• Support training development for mechanics, operators, field technicians, and customers.
• Communicate field findings clearly to engineering and program management teams.
• Travel to construction sites, suppliers, manufacturing facilities, prototype test locations, and customer locations.
• Follow all applicable safety policies and promote safe work practices around heavy equipment and prototype machinery.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in relevant field or 12 years of hands‑on experience without a degree
• 8 years of hands‑on experience working with heavy equipment, construction machinery, agricultural equipment, industrial machinery, military equipment, or similar complex mechanical systems.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair skills.
• Experience with mechanical systems such as hydraulics, power transmission, structural assemblies, bearings, cylinders, fasteners, and mobile equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, hydraulic schematics, electrical schematics, and equipment manuals.
• Demonstrated ability to identify practical design problems and recommend effective improvements.
• Comfortable installing, modifying, testing, and troubleshooting prototype equipment.
• Experience operating construction equipment and working safely around large mobile machinery.
• Ability to drive trucks and tow equipment or trailers as required.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both field personnel and office‑based technical teams.
• Ability to work independently in changing and sometimes incomplete prototype environments.
• Willingness and ability to travel significantly, up to 20 weeks per year, and work at active construction sites.
• Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of field work, including standing, walking, climbing, bending, lifting items weighing up to 50 pounds, and working outdoors in varying weather conditions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with New Product Introduction, prototype development, commissioning, product validation, or sustaining engineering.
• Experience working directly with design engineers to improve equipment based on field observations.
• Experience with construction equipment used for drilling, pile driving, grading, material handling, lifting, or solar installation.
• Welding, fabrication, machining, or field modification experience.
• Experience with diesel engines, mobile hydraulics, electrohydraulic systems, sensors, and machine controls.
• Experience writing or reviewing service procedures, installation instructions, inspection checklists, or operator manuals.
• Experience training mechanics, operators, field technicians, or customers.
• Technical degree, vocational training, military technical training, or equivalent practical experience.

Core Competencies

• Exceptional mechanical intuition and problem‑solving ability
• Strong hands‑on orientation
• Safety‑conscious approach to heavy equipment work
• Practical understanding of field installation and maintenance
• Ability to evaluate designs from an installer’s and mechanic’s perspective
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Effective collaboration across engineering, manufacturing, field operations, suppliers, customers, and technical publications
• Adaptability and persistence in prototype and high‑change environments
• Demonstrated ownership of problems through investigation, corrective action, and field verification

Working Conditions

This position involves a combination of office, manufacturing, shop, and outdoor construction‑site work. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, vibration, extreme temperatures, uneven terrain, moving machinery, hydraulic pressure, and other hazards associated with heavy equipment and active job sites.

The role requires frequent standing, walking, bending, climbing onto and working from construction equipment, working from elevated or confined positions, and lifting items weighing up to 50 pounds. Appropriate personal protective equipment and safe work practices are required.

Significant travel is expected, up to 20 weeks per year, including time at manufacturing facilities, prototype test locations, suppliers, and customer construction sites.

Success in This Role

Success in this position means helping newly designed equipment become safe, reliable, installable, maintainable, and usable in real‑world construction environments. This person will serve as the practical connection between the design team and the people who build, install, operate, service, and document the equipment.

We are Nextpower

Nextpower offers a comprehensive benefits package. We provide health care coverage, dental and vision, 401(K) participation including company matching, company paid holidays with unlimited paid time off, generous discretionary company bonuses, life and disability protection and more. Employees in certain positions may be eligible for stock compensation. All plans are in accordance with relevant plan documents. For more information on Nextpower’s benefits please view our company website at www.nextracker.com.

Pay is based on market location and may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education and other job-related reasons. The annual salary range for this position is $120,000 to $135,000 (eligible in California).

At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility‑scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how solar power plants are designed, built, and operated every day with smart technology, data‑driven insights, and advanced automation. Together, we’re building the foundation for the world’s next generation of clean energy infrastructure.

Nextpower is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We are Nextpower