Applications Engineer in Montrose, Colorado at PG&F Superabrasive Royersford LLC

Position Summary

The Applications Engineer serves as the technical liaison between customers, sales, manufacturing, and engineering teams. This position is responsible for evaluating customer requirements, developing technical solutions, supporting product applications, creating and maintaining Bills of Materials (BOMs) and manufacturing routers, preparing customer quotations, and ensuring successful implementation of engineered products. The Applications Engineer applies engineering principles to support customer needs, optimize manufacturing processes, improve operational efficiency, and drive profitable business growth. Responsibilities align with engineering and applications engineering functions recognized by SHRM and industry engineering practices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Evaluate customer specifications, drawings, and technical requirements.
• Develop engineering solutions that meet customer performance, quality, and cost objectives.
• Provide technical support to customers, sales representatives, and manufacturing operations.
• Prepare technical quotations, proposals, cost estimates, and feasibility analyses.
• Work closely with Product Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Operations teams to ensure successful implementation of customer requirements.
• Assist with product selection and application recommendations.
• Develop engineering calculations, models, drawings, and technical documentation.
• Investigate and resolve product performance issues and customer concerns.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on product quality, manufacturability, and efficiency.
• Support new product introductions and engineering change processes.
• Maintain compliance with applicable industry standards, customer specifications, and company procedures.
• Travel periodically to customer locations, suppliers, and manufacturing facilities as needed.

Bills of Materials (BOMs)

• Create, maintain, and revise Bills of Materials (BOMs) to support manufacturing, procurement, inventory control, and product configuration requirements.
• Ensure BOM accuracy for materials, components, subassemblies, and finished products within the ERP/MRP system.
• Coordinate engineering changes and update BOMs as products or processes evolve.
• Collaborate with Purchasing, Manufacturing, Production Planning, and Supply Chain teams to ensure BOM integrity.

Manufacturing Routers

• Develop, maintain, and update manufacturing routers including operation sequences, work centers, labor standards, machine run times, and process instructions.
• Analyze manufacturing processes and implement routing improvements to enhance productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Support Production Scheduling by ensuring routing information accurately reflects manufacturing capabilities and capacity requirements.
• Collaborate with Operations and Production teams to optimize process flow and identify continuous improvement opportunities.

Quoting and Cost Estimating

• Review customer RFQs (Requests for Quotation) and technical specifications.
• Prepare detailed cost estimates including materials, labor, overhead, tooling, outside services, and freight considerations.
• Partner with Sales, Purchasing, and Operations to develop competitive and profitable quotations.
• Evaluate manufacturing feasibility, capacity requirements, and technical risks associated with quoted opportunities.
• Maintain supporting quote documentation and cost models.
• Assist in transitioning awarded projects from quote stage through production launch.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate engineering records, drawings, BOMs, routers, and quote documentation within company systems.
• Support ERP/MRP system data maintenance and process improvements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

These responsibilities align with applications engineering functions involving customer requirements analysis, solution development, technical support, implementation, troubleshooting, and project support.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related engineering discipline, OR ten (10) years of engineering experience in manufacturing, industrial, technical sales support, product engineering, or applications engineering environments.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Experience with BOM development, manufacturing routing, and product cost estimating.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD/SolidWorks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of applications, manufacturing, process, or product engineering experience.
• Experience in superabrasives, tooling, machining, grinding, precision manufacturing, or industrial products.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• CAD software experience (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, or similar).
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting quotations, costing, and new product introductions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Engineering design and analysis.
• Customer-facing technical support.
• Manufacturing process development.
• Bill of Material (BOM) creation and maintenance.
• Manufacturing routing development and process flow analysis.
• Product costing and quotation preparation.
• ERP/MRP system management.
• Root cause analysis and problem-solving methodologies.
• Engineering change management.
• Project management and prioritization.
• Strong business and financial acumen.
• Effective communication across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Sales, Operations, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Supply Chain.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and reach throughout the workday.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to work in office, laboratory, and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to travel as business needs require.

Working Conditions

• Professional office environment.
• Frequent interaction with manufacturing operations.
• Occasional exposure to manufacturing equipment, noise, and production environments requiring PPE.
• Periodic travel to customer, supplier, and company facilities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

PG&F Superabrasives is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local law.