Applications Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

SUMMARY

The Applications Engineer (AE) supports business development initiatives within the Micro-Coax business unit by providing technical expertise, customer-focused solutions, and product application guidance to drive growth and enhance customer satisfaction. This role is responsible for building and maintaining strong customer relationships by identifying challenges and delivering effective solutions through presentations, proposals, quotations, and product samples. Additionally, the AE evaluates new business opportunities and provides strategic recommendations to drive growth and shape product roadmaps, with a focus on RF interconnect technologies. Through collaboration with a variety of teams, the AE plays a key role in advancing Micro-Coax’s aggressive growth strategy and expanding its market presence.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Customer Engagement & Support

• Travel to customer sites to assess needs, develop relationships and provide technical support.

• Act as a technical liaison between customers and internal teams to deliver effective solutions.
• Provide on-site support to customer technical contacts related to industry standards, specifications, design assistance, production capabilities and material requirements.
• Support key customer engagements including technical discussions, product presentations, and proposal development.

Quotations & Proposals

• Review customer specifications and drawings to assist with the preparation of accurate and competitive proposals.
• Recommend product solutions with relevant notes and exceptions.
• Collaborate with sales, engineering, product managers and customers to refine and finalize product solutions and proposals.
• Coordinate with design engineering to create customer-facing configuration and specification drawings as needed.

Technical Expertise 

• Interpret customer drawings, specifications, and workmanship standards to develop interconnect designs.
• Communicate design concerns, manufacturability enhancements, and drawing issues to internal teams and customers.
• Provide technical support to Customer Service and Sales teams as needed.

Product Development & Innovation

• Propose and quantify new product development projects.
• Support integration of new products into development and manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with design engineers to create supporting documents such as product drawings, datasheets and application notes.
• Monitor industry trends and customer needs to drive innovation.
• Act as the voice of the customer, translating feedback into actionable product enhancements or new product development.
• Partner with Product Management and Marketing on new product development.
• Work with customer engineering teams to deliver creative and innovative design solutions.

Marketing & Documentation

• Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop go-to-market strategies, sales tools, and promotional materials.
• Support Marketing initiatives by providing technical content including specification drawings, datasheets, application notes, white papers, blog posts, and videos.
• Assist in creating presentations and documentation for customer education.
• Contribute to technical articles and publications.

Internal Support

• Support qualification initiatives by providing technical support to qualification engineers, including leveraging existing qualification documentation for “qual by similarity” synergies.
• Support production during manufacturing issues, seeking guidance from customers on potential waiver requests.
• Help with training efforts and support of new engineers and non-technical employees.
• Other duties as required in support of the department and the company.

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of this role do not include supervising other employees; however, Application Engineer positions offer opportunities for career advancement.

QUALIFICATIONS 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, applied science discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3–5 years of experience in a similar technical or engineering support role.
• Experience with RF/microwave technology in any of the following subject matters preferred: transmission line theory, impedance matching techniques, test and measurement, and integrated microwave assemblies.
• Experience in the Space aerospace market preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Degree or Certificate in Electronics or equivalent preferred 

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

JOB SKILLS

• Experience in wire, cable, and interconnect technologies required; RF and microwave experience is preferred.
• Proven experience in a technical role involving direct customer interaction, ideally with a proven ability to explain technical products to non-technical audiences.
• Strong customer focus with excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with emphasis on active listening and clear technical documentation.
• Responsive, flexible and able to succeed within a fast-paced environment.
• Solid understanding of transmission line theory and microwave engineering principles to include electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing/industrial engineering disciplines.
• Hands-on experience with RF products and applications; familiarity with RF/microwave components used in subsystems is highly desirable.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical documents, professional journals, and relevant government regulations.
• Skilled in writing technical protocols, reports, and presenting complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and SolidWorks or similar CAD software.  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Capable of interpreting and executing instructions delivered in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule formats
• Shows excellent self-direction and accountability in daily work.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

As part of their job duties, the employee must sit for lengthy periods while frequently using their hands to handle objects and communicate verbally. Additionally, they may need to stand, walk, reach, and occasionally lift objects weighing up to twenty (20) pounds. This role requires specific vision abilities, including close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. According to ADA regulations, reasonable accommodation will be provided to ensure that individuals with disabilities can perform the job's essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is an air-conditioned work environment where employees have desks or cubicles and work in a fixed location. The physical environment is usually comfortable, well-lit, and equipped with the necessary facilities and hardware. The company culture is a culture of teamwork, communication, continuous improvement, business casual, strategic, and goal-oriented. The working conditions are stable, predictable, and secure.  

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

• ASTM F–2412–2005, ANSI Z41–1999, or ANSI Z41–1991 rated safety toe shoes in specific areas
• Clear ANSI Z87.1 safety-rated glasses in specific areas

EXPORT COMPLIANCE DISCLAIMER

This position includes access or potential access to ITAR and EAR (Export Administration Regulations) technical data. Therefore, candidates must qualify as US Persons, defined as US Citizens or Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders).

TRAVEL

Up to 50% travel may be required for this position