Application Engineer

About the Role

Pinnacle Partners is recruiting for an Applications Engineer in Indianapolis, IN. This is a technical engineering position supporting a custom solutions and design group within a manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in a STEM-related field, preferably Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Fluid Systems, or a related discipline, along with 1–5+ years of experience in applications engineering, design engineering, or a similar role. This position will focus heavily on quoting, pricing, bill of materials development, and designing custom fabricated fluid system solutions while working closely with customers, account managers, field engineering, production, and internal teams.

If the following job requirements and experience match your skills, please ensure you apply promptly.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the design and development of custom fabricated solutions based on customer requirements.
• Develop quotes, pricing, and technical solutions for customer projects.
• Work closely with Account Managers and Field Engineers to understand customer requirements and project specifications.
• Interact directly with customers and internal teams to clarify technical requirements and develop appropriate solutions.
• Develop a strong understanding of fluid system design principles and their application to customer projects.
• Design fabricated projects and custom solutions to customer specifications.
• Create and maintain accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs) for projects.
• Review and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, and other engineering documentation.
• Utilize 2D and 3D design tools to develop customer-specific solutions.
• Design custom fluid system solutions, including fabricated assemblies and valve-related applications.
• Review project requirements and determine appropriate materials, components, and design approaches.
• Provide technical input throughout the quoting and design process.
• Identify opportunities to troubleshoot issues, improve designs, and add value to customer solutions.
• Research technical questions and develop solutions using available resources and engineering knowledge.
• Work through technical challenges independently while knowing when to ask questions or involve additional resources.
• Manage multiple projects at different stages of development simultaneously.
• Transition between quoting, design, project follow-up, and administrative responsibilities as project needs change.
• Support projects ranging from a few weeks to six months or more depending on scope and complexity.
• Attend weekly production meetings as needed to review quoted and designed projects.
• Coordinate with production and internal teams to support the successful execution of customer projects.
• Assist with ordering and identifying materials required for custom projects.
• Review designs and quotes for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with customer requirements.
• Support the development and implementation of custom solutions from initial customer request through production.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and engineering records.
• Communicate project status, technical information, and requirements effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Spend approximately 60–70% of the month focused on quoting, with the remaining time divided between design, project support, and administrative responsibilities.
• Complete additional engineering and technical projects as assigned.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in STEM, preferably Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Fluid Systems, or a related engineering discipline.
• 1–5+ years of experience in applications engineering, design engineering, mechanical engineering, or a similar technical role.
• Ability to learn and perform customer quoting and pricing activities.
• Experience creating Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Experience with 2D design and preferably 3D design.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints and technical drawings.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Curiosity and willingness to research technical questions and find solutions.
• Ability to learn new products, applications, industries, and technical concepts.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers, Account Managers, Engineering, Production, and other internal teams.
• Ability to work independently while also knowing when to ask questions and seek additional resources.
• Willingness to learn the quoting, design, and project management processes required for custom solutions.

Preferred:

• Experience with fluid system design.
• Experience with P&IDs.
• SolidWorks experience.
• Experience with Inventor or other 2D/3D CAD platforms.
• Experience designing complete systems rather than individual products or components.
• Knowledge of fluid systems, analytical instrumentation, automotive applications, alternative fuels, life sciences, or related industries.
• Experience with valves, fittings, tubing, or other fluid system components.
• Experience with custom fabricated solutions.
• Experience with customer quoting, pricing, or RFQ processes.
• Experience creating Bills of Materials and determining material requirements.
• Experience working directly with customers or account managers on technical projects.
• Experience troubleshooting technical or design challenges.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or engineered-product environment.
• Strong research and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to independently investigate technical questions and develop potential solutions.
• Experience managing projects with timelines ranging from several weeks to several months.
• Experience working collaboratively within a small engineering or custom solutions team.

Benefits Overview:

• Up to $80K target base salary depending on experience and qualifications.
• Annual bonus opportunity of up to 6%.
• Hybrid schedule after training. xhyhwjd
• Monday and Friday work-from-home schedule, with Tuesday through Thursday in the office.
• Flexible start times