Application Engineering Manager

Company Overview

Hengli America Corporation () is a subsidiary of Jiangsu Hengli Hydraulic Co. Ltd., a world‑class manufacturer of hydraulic components and system integrator located in Changzhou, China. Hengli’s brand is recognized globally as a superior supplier to major OEMs in earthmoving and construction, mining, lift, marine and offshore, and oil and gas markets. Hengli America is located in the greater Chicago area and is rapidly growing in product research and development, application development, manufacturing, and customer service.

The Application Engineering Manager leads a team of application engineers, overseeing daily activities and providing technical and sales guidance to help achieve sales targets while also supporting the sales team and customers. The role involves managing projects, developing team members through mentorship and performance evaluations, and collaborating with sales and engineering teams to ensure customer needs are met.

• Lead and manage a team of application engineers, assigning projects and ensuring timely completion.
• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and training to the sales engineering team.
• Develop and deliver technical product presentations for customers and internal sales teams.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with sales managers to develop account strategies, identify opportunities, and support deal closure.
• Interact with customers’ technical teams for support and travel to customers as needed.
• Analyze customers’ technical specifications, recommend product configurations, estimate implementation effort, and review sales proposals for accuracy and completeness.
• Conduct performance evaluations and help team members grow.
• Ensure the team delivers excellent technical support to customers and aligns products with customer needs and industry standards.
• Advise and support sales teams with pricing estimates and implementation guidance based on customer requirements.
• Lead the design and development of complex application features and functionalities, translating specifications into code, writing programs, testing, and debugging.
• Perform system analysis, architecture design, and integration with other systems.
• Troubleshoot complex technical information to clients and stakeholders.

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of engineering experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience.
• Industry experience in hydraulic cylinders, industrial hydraulic valves, mobile valves, piston pumps and motors, or pneumatic products.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of the time.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong problem‑solving skills.
• Experience with Salesforce is a plus.
• Experience with Solid Works is a plus.
• Fluency in Mandarin is a plus.
• Preferred candidate located in the Midwest, IL.

• Competitive salary.
• Bonus opportunity for team and individual performance.
• Insurance options:
  Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability plans.
• Employer‑paid life insurance.
• Health Savings Account with employer contribution.
• Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays.
• Monthly allowances for phone, car, home office use.
• 401(k) match: 100% match up to 4% of salary.
• Company credit for work expenses.