Application Engineer

Application Engineer (Mechanical/Manufacturing)

$70000 - $130000 per year | Kansas City, MO | On-site | Permanent

We design, build, and support the capital equipment used to assemble printed circuit boards and serve adjacent industrial applications. Our division operates across 11 countries with primary manufacturing in the US and Asia, and pairs equipment manufacturing with a global aftermarket parts and service business. We sit inside a Fortune 200 diversified manufacturer, but we operate in a decentralized way: the division operates like a mid-size company, with decisions made close to the work rather than handed down from a corporate tower.

We're on pace for 30-40% growth this year as demand for electronics accelerates.

• Autonomy is structural, not aspirational. Decision-making is pushed low into the organization. You will own outcomes you can actually point to.
• Culture backed by data. Engagement scores sit in the low-to-mid 80s, turnover is low, and tenure runs long.
• Benefits that are part of the paycheck. PPO plans still on the table with a low family coverage cost, plus a 401k match that accelerates with age, tuition reimbursement, and paid parental leave.
• A leader who has done the job. Your manager came up through this exact role before being promoted, so coaching is grounded in the work rather than theory.
• Real career runway. We build from within. A documented application engineering career path exists, and this role also opens doors into product management, operations, and engineering leadership.
• Work-life balance that holds. The role is flexible and the team consistently reports balance as a strength.

This position joins a global applications team. You will provide application and technical guidance on our products to customers and internal partners, troubleshoot complex system and process challenges, and recommend workable alternatives when the first path doesn't fit. You will assess customer requirements and build tailored proposals and presentations showing how our equipment integrates into their existing process. This role suits an experienced engineer who operates well independently.

• Support customer training during beta and controlled product launch phases
• Handle pre- and post-sales customer engagement: site visits, virtual support, process development
• Plan and run customer lab trials, demonstrations, and design of experiments to validate performance
• Provide post-installation support to customers and sales, including troubleshooting and process optimization
• Contribute to factory acceptance testing and site acceptance testing Technology Manager
  • Support engineering trials for new product development: setup, execution, data collection
  • Maintain and operate demo and engineering lab equipment
  • Troubleshoot customer process and equipment issues to reduce downtime
  • Support quotes, non-standard requests, and equipment upgrade proposals
  • Participate in software and hardware testing, including bug identification and validation
  • Capture and communicate Voice of Customer input back into product improvement
  • Create and maintain manuals, application notes, and internal process guides
  • Support trade shows and marketing events
  What You’ll Bring
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering
  • 2-3 years of experience (SMT and/or semiconductor applications preferred)
  • Working knowledge of statistical tools for developing, analyzing, and controlling electronics manufacturing processes
  • Ability to build process engineering test plans and procedures
  • Foundational understanding of electro-mechanical systems across electrical, mechanical, and software
  • Familiarity with quality control standards and workmanship requirements in manufacturing
  • General knowledge of product applications, features, and related manufacturing processes
  • Strong written and verbal communication, with the ability to work across all levels of the organization including production teams
  Preferred
  • Familiarity with electronics…