Sr Application Engineer - US

About the Role

Watlow is looking for an experienced Senior Application Engineer to serve as a technical resource for customers, sales channels and internal teams. You will translate customer needs into practical product and application solutions, lead complex or non-routine technical activities, and support the development of standard, modified-standard and smaller engineered solutions. This role partners closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, Quality and customers to develop quotes, drawings, bills of material, prototypes, tests and production instructions that meet technical and commercial requirements.

Products and Applications You'll Support

• Watlow thermal products, controls and related systems
• Standard and modified-standard products, assemblies and services
• Customer applications requiring product selection, application and set-up guidance
• Tools, equipment, prototypes, drawings and documentation supporting product and process development

Key Responsibilities

Technical application support

• Serve as a senior technical resource to business unit sales agents, customers and distributors, including training and customer-facing support as needed.
• Advise on product selection, product application, set-up and programming, including control products when applicable.
• Translate customer requirements into clear technical instructions and practical solutions for production and internal teams.
• Serve as a post-sale technical resource and support orders, customer questions and technical follow-up.
• Read and interpret customer drawings and technical requirements; identify risks, gaps and opportunities for clarification.

Product and process documentation

• Modify product and process designs using defined design standards, process standards and trade-off curves.
• Create and review CAD drawings, product documentation and process documentation for new, standard and modified-standard products.
• Assemble bills of material and routings; process rework, prototype and modified-standard orders.
• Prepare drawings for new parts and assemblies based on customer and engineering requirements.
• Convert application requirements into documentation that supports manufacturing, quality and service.

Quoting and commercial support

• Prepare and present technical and commercial quotes for standard and modified products and services.
• Develop quotations within pricing guidelines and assess opportunities for business fit, technical feasibility and attractiveness.
• Provide input to sales volume, sales trends, forecasts, market intelligence, competitor activity and product growth strategies.
• Support Sales in developing new customers and maintaining productive relationships with established customers.

Problem solving and continuous improvement

• Assist with returned-material issues, product investigations and quality investigations; help identify root causes and effective corrective actions.
• Conduct or support experiments, tests and evaluations of products, processes, tools and prototypes.
• Identify product gaps, process improvements and opportunities to improve customer experience, manufacturability and business results.
• Lead or contribute to customer projects, internal Watlow projects and cross-functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, technical field or related discipline; or a two-year degree with significant related experience; or equivalent experience.
• Typically 7+ years of application engineering, technical sales support, product engineering, customer support or related experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in products, applications and processes, with the ability to recommend and implement solutions.
• Experience creating or interpreting CAD drawings, bills of material, routings and technical documentation.
• Ability to develop quotations and work within pricing and business guidelines.
• Strong customer-facing communication, listening, presentation and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment and work independently while seeking guidance when appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting highly regulated markets such as aerospace, military/defense or medical.
• Experience with industrial heating, temperature controls, sensors, electrical products or related thermal applications.
• Experience with product investigations, returned-material evaluations, prototypes, testing or manufacturing support.
• Experience training sales representatives, distributors, customers or internal teams on products and applications.

Key Competencies

• Deep knowledge of assigned products and applications.
• Leads technical work and cross-functional teams without requiring direct authority.
• Uses business judgment to assess fit, risk, feasibility and when additional evaluation or escalation is needed.
• Communicates technical information clearly to customers, sales teams, production teams and other nontechnical audiences.
• Demonstrates credibility, approachability, openness and strong interpersonal listening skills.
• Uses the Watlow Business System to achieve results and demonstrates behaviors consistent with Watlow culture.