Applications Engineer

JOB SUMMARY

The Application Engineer translates customer needs into quick, accurate technical solutions. This role builds strong product fluency, improves customer experience, and supports revenue growth. Most importantly, the role drives a shift toward a more technical and proactive service model-reducing unnecessary engineering involvement, improving response speed, and refining processes through automation and better systems.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical & Commercial Support

• Serve as the first technical stop for customer questions, handling routine inquiries before they reach Engineering.
• Understand customer applications well enough to qualify requests, collect key details, offer initial guidance, and know when Engineering needs to jump in.
• Communicate clearly about what products can and can't do, including installation needs and application fit.
• Turn customer requirements into accurate, timely quotes and keep follow-ups moving.
• Work smoothly with distributors and OEM partners, recognizing the dynamics and history behind each relationship.
• Coordinate with international Barksdale teams to resolve technical or commercial issues quickly.
• Build strong working knowledge of Barksdale products, applications, and competitive alternatives-and capture repeat questions into reusable guidance.

Systems & Process Optimization

• Become the go-to person for CRM, ERP, quoting tools, dashboards, and customer service workflows.
• Look constantly for ways to streamline steps, remove manual work, reduce errors, and improve the flow of information across teams.
• Create or refine SOPs, templates, and automation rules that make work faster and more consistent.
• Partner with IT or vendors to request, test, and roll out system improvements or integrations.

Workflow Automation & Insights

• Identify AI tools that can monitor inbound emails, categorize inquiries, spot urgent issues, and draft first-pass responses.
• Build simple dashboards that show workload trends, e-mail volume, response time, quote cycle time, customer patterns.
• Flag repetitive tasks that could benefit from automation, AI-assisted replies, or data insights.
• Test and pilot AI-enabled improvements that increase accuracy, throughput, and customer experience.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• 3+ years of experience in a technical customer-facing role; experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical discipline preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Proficiency in interpreting technical documentation, including product datasheets, customer specifications, drawings, and application requirements, to determine appropriate product configurations and solutions.
• Strong system-thinking mindset, with the ability to understand how pressure, temperature, level, flow, and control products integrate into larger industrial systems is a plus.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience with CRM platforms like Salesforce, and customer service workflows.

Salary range: $75,000 to $85,000 with 5% bonus potential.


This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Crane Company. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, general identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.