Application Engineer

Job Summary

Supports the day-to-day operations of the Sales Staff in promoting sales, securing orders, and providing quality service to our customers.   Regularly calls on assigned accounts, consults with customers on product and system applications, provides technical product support for branches and customers, advises management on the success of marketing plans and strategies, provides input to sales and marketing staff on customer needs and concerns regarding pricing, products, competition, procedures, and market potential, evaluates new products and makes recommendations on stock levels, evaluates demo equipment, provides field trouble shooting assistance and conducts product application assessments. 

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Regularly calls on assigned target accounts and consults with customers on product and system applications.  
• 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. 
• Provides technical, specific or specialized product support for branches and customers.  
• Maintains an in-depth understanding of the power grid.
• Holds in-depth, technically difficult conversations with consultants, customers and employees related to product technology.
• Works on technically difficult problems where engineering concepts are needed.
• Works with a broad range of products and services.
• Resolves complex issues related to product technology and assists the Application Specialist as needed.
• Actively participates in planning and sale of Border States’ technical products and services and supports the promotion of BSE’s agency lines. 
• Is actively involved as a technical support for the outside sales staff and plays an active role in engaging consultants throughout the territory. 
• Participates in and advises management on the implementation and success of marketing plans and strategies.  
• Consistently provides responsive, quality service to meet and exceed customer expectations.  
• Provides input to other sales and marketing staff on customer needs and concerns regarding pricing, products, competition, procedures, and market potential. 
• Inputs TCCM cost savings documentation that is relevant to the assigned customer base. 
• Evaluates new products and makes recommendations on stock levels for new and existing products.  
• Provides input to the pricing and purchasing departments on product evaluations and code descriptions, inventory management, pricing developments, and other related functions. 
• Evaluates demo equipment and makes suggestions for new products in specified product areas.  
• Leads customer and BSE employee training on new and existing technical product lines and applications in the specified product areas. 
• Provides field trouble shooting assistance, training and information/documentation support.  
• Conducts product application assessments including TCCM savings, elimination of duplicate items/material consolidation, alternatives to materials, equipment, methods and practices, and regional, industry, national standards for material, equipment and apparatus.

Non-essential Functions

• Performs product updates and new product launches for branches and customers as required.  
• Attends and assists with sales meetings, trade shows and training programs as needed. 
• May be required to provide technical training and presentations for BSE personnel internal as well as external customers.
• Ensures existing demos are in functional condition.  

Qualifications

• Minimum of a four-year technical or engineering degree required. 
• Prefer the knowledge and technical competence in understanding of electrical utility distribution and transmission systems. 
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint), Internet, Email and SAP software preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive and engaged.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication and customer service skills are preferred with the ability to effectively plan and organize. 

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. - 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
• Lift from Floor:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Frequently
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 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) - Continuously
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently
• 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) - Frequently
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently
• 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) - Occasionally
• Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously
• Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously
• 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) - Occasionally
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.