Security/Eligibility Requirement: This position requires candidates to be U.S. persons as defined in ITAR (22 CFR 120.15) - U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Employment is contingent upon meeting this requirement.
Position Summary: The Applications Engineer is a customer-facing technical role within the Marketing organization. The Applications Engineer interprets customer requirements, develops manufacturable fiber-optic solutions, supports sales responses to requests for quotations or information, and helps ensure delivered products meet or exceed customer expectations. This role works closely with Sales, Design, Manufacturing, and Project Engineering, and Operations.
Essential Functions:
Serve as the technical point of contact for customers; provide application support and relay customer requirements to internal teams.
Respond to technical Requests for Quote (RFQs) and Requests for Information (RFIs) in a timely, accurate manner.
Develop detailed bills of material (BOMs) and configurations for harsh environment fiber optic cable assemblies and harnesses.
Assist with creation of technical documentation: proposals, specifications, datasheets, test plans, and assembly instructions, and presentations.
Demonstrate prototypes and completed applications to customers and internal stakeholders.
Coordinate with engineering and manufacturing to ensure designs are producible and meet quality and performance requirements.
Support validation and testing activities (e.g., insertion loss, return loss, OTDR) and interpret results for customers.
Track customer feedback and application trends to support new product opportunities and continuous improvement.
Stay current with advances in fiber-optic technologies and application engineering practices.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Customer-focused with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to make decisions and act in ambiguous situations.
Proactive mindset with a drive to improve processes and organizational performance.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across functions.
Highly organized, detail oriented, and able to manage multiple projects concurrently.
Experience with MS PowerPoint and Excel; familiarity with CRM/PLM systems is a plus.
The ability to achieve accuracy and thoroughness when completing tasks, involving the consistent, focused management of small elements.
Required Education & Experience:
Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, optical, industrial engineering, physics, or related technical discipline preferred (or equivalent experience).
3-5 years' experience in manufacturing quality, process, product engineering, applications engineering, or relevant internships in fiber-optic or interconnect fields.
Prior exposure to customer support, RFQ/RFI responses, and bill of materials preparation.
Ability to read technical and engineering drawings.
Preferred Qualifications:
Hands-on experience with fiber-optic connectors, polishing, splicing, and cable assembly.
Experience in harsh-environment assemblies, aerospace, defense, or telecom applications.
Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., IEC, MIL, Telcordia) and environmental qualification testing.
Experience with CAD software.
Benefits & Logistics:
Competitive compensation and benefits (medical, dental, 401(k), PTO, etc.).
Travel: 25% related to customer visits, trade shows, etc.
