Technical Application Engineer

Technical Application Engineer

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you're empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work. This position will be located in: Albertville, MN. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active. Pay Range: $81,000 - $115,000 annually.

Job Summary: The Technical Application Engineer supports the day-to-day operations of the Sales Engineers and Account Managers in promoting sales, securing orders, and providing quality service to our customers. Regularly consults with customers on product and system applications. Provides technical product support for branches and customers, evaluates new products, provides field troubleshooting assistance, assists customers with field programming of equipment, contributes to all aspects of customer training, conducts product application assessments, and frequently develops bid and proposal documentation to support customer projects. This position is focused on technical product application, customer support, and pre-sales activities and does not involve software development or coding responsibilities.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Provides technical, specific, or specialized product support for branches and customers.
• Consistently provides responsive, quality service to meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Contributes to planning and sale of Border States' products and services and supports the promotion of Border States' agency and distribution lines.
• Contributes to in-depth, technically difficult conversations with consultants, customers, and employees related to product technology and/or specifications.
• Provides customers with timely follow-up on quotations, technical inquiries, and other requests.
• Provides continuous contact and interaction with customer's engineering staff and consultants.
• Leads customer and Border States employee training on new and existing product lines and applications in the specified product areas.
• Maintains an in-depth understanding of the assigned area.
• Works with a broad range of products and services.
• Resolves complex issues related to product technology and assists the sales engineer and customer as needed.
• Inputs TCCM cost savings documentation that is relevant to the assigned customer base.
• Provides field trouble shooting assistance, training, and information/documentation support.
• Conducts product application assessments including TCCM savings, elimination of duplicate items/material consolidation, alternative to materials, equipment, methods and practices, and regional, industry, and national standards for material, equipment, and apparatus.
• Performs product updates and new product launches of branches and customers as required.

Non-essential Functions:

• Attends and assists with trade shows and training programs as needed.
• Provides technical training and presentations for Border States personnel internal as well as external customers.
• May evaluate demo equipment and makes suggestions for new products in specified product areas.
• Ensures existing product demos are functional condition.
• Provides input to the pricing and purchasing departments on product evaluations and code descriptions, inventory management, pricing developments, and other related functions.
• Familiar with all relevant SAP processes to support order entry and management.

Qualifications

4-year technical or engineering degree or equivalent experience required. Knowledge and technical competence in understanding of utility distribution and transmission systems preferred. Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint), Internet, Email and SAP software preferred. Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged. Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication and customer service skills preferred. Ability to effectively plan and organize. Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day: Occasionally 0 33% Frequently 34 66% Continuously: 67 100% Lift from Waist: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally 75 to 100 lbs. - Occasionally 100+ lbs. - Not at all Lift from Floor: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 100+ lbs. - Not at all Carried for Distance: < than 10 lbs. - Not at all 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 100+ lbs. - Not at all Physical Activity Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day: Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Frequently Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Continuously Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Frequently Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Occasionally Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Occasionally Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Frequently Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Occasionally Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Not at all Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Frequently Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Occasionally Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Continuously Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously Use of a computer - Continuously Use of a telephone - Frequently Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Frequently Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Frequently